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de Carvalho Matias EG, Bezerra KS, Costa AHL, Clemente Junior WS, Oliveira JIN, Ribeiro Junior LA, Galvão DS, Fulco UL. Quantum biochemical analysis of the TtgR regulator and effectors. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8519. [PMID: 38609407 PMCID: PMC11015042 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58441-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The recent expansion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens poses significant challenges in treating healthcare-associated infections. Although antibacterial resistance occurs by numerous mechanisms, active efflux of the drugs is a critical concern. A single species of efflux pump can produce a simultaneous resistance to several drugs. One of the best-studied efflux pumps is the TtgABC: a tripartite resistance-nodulation-division (RND) efflux pump implicated in the intrinsic antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E. The expression of the TtgABC gene is down-regulated by the HTH-type transcriptional repressor TtgR. In this context, by employing quantum chemistry methods based on the Density Functional Theory (DFT) within the Molecular Fragmentation with Conjugate Caps (MFCC) approach, we investigate the coupling profiles of the transcriptional regulator TtgR in complex with quercetin (QUE), a natural polyphenolic flavonoid, tetracycline (TAC), and chloramphenicol (CLM), two broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. Our quantum biochemical computational results show the: [i] convergence radius, [ii] total binding energy, [iii] relevance (energetically) of the ligands regions, and [iv] most relevant amino acids residues of the TtgR-QUE/TAC/CLM complexes, pointing out distinctions and similarities among them. These findings improve the understanding of the binding mechanism of effectors and facilitate the development of new chemicals targeting TtgR, helping in the battle against the rise of resistance to antimicrobial drugs. These advances are crucial in the ongoing fight against rising antimicrobial drug resistance, providing hope for a future where healthcare-associated infections can be more beneficially treated.
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Affiliation(s)
- E G de Carvalho Matias
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil
| | - K S Bezerra
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil
| | - A H Lima Costa
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil
| | - W S Clemente Junior
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil
| | - J I N Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil
| | - L A Ribeiro Junior
- Institute of Physics, University of Brasília, Brasília, 70919-970, Brazil.
| | - D S Galvão
- Applied Physics Department, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - U L Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, 59072-970, Brazil
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Lima Costa AH, Bezerra KS, de Lima Neto JX, Oliveira JIN, Galvão DS, Fulco UL. Deciphering Interactions between Potential Inhibitors and the Plasmodium falciparum DHODH Enzyme: A Computational Perspective. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9461-9475. [PMID: 37897437 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a parasitic disease that, in its most severe form, can even lead to death. Insect-resistant vectors, insufficiently effective vaccines, and drugs that cannot stop parasitic infestations are making the fight against the disease increasingly difficult. It is known that the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is of paramount importance for the synthesis of pyrimidine from the Plasmodium precursor, that is, for its growth and reproduction. Therefore, its blockade can lead to disruption of the parasite's life cycle in the vertebrate host. In this scenario, PfDHODH inhibitors have been considered candidates for a new therapy to stop the parasitic energy source. Given what is known, in this work, we applied molecular fractionation with conjugated caps (MFCC) in the framework of the quantum formalism of density functional theory (DFT) to evaluate the energies of the interactions between the enzyme and the different triazolopyrimidines (DSM483, DMS557, and DSM1), including a complex carrying the mutation C276F. From these results, it was possible to identify the main features of each system, focusing on the wild-type and mutant PfDHODH and examining the major amino acid residues that are part of the four complexes. Our analysis provides new information that can be used to develop new drugs that could prove to be more effective alternatives to present antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aranthya Hevelly Lima Costa
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Katyanna Sales Bezerra
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
- Applied Physics Department, University of Campinas, 130838-59 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Xavier de Lima Neto
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Jonas Ivan Nobre Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Douglas Soares Galvão
- Applied Physics Department, University of Campinas, 130838-59 Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Umberto Laino Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
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Vianna JF, Bezerra KS, Lima Costa AH, Barbosa ED, Lima Neto JX, Oliveira JIN, Freire VN, Fulco UL. New ethionamide boosters and EthR2: structural and energetic analysis. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:23233-23241. [PMID: 34623361 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02853g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Ethionamide (ETH) is a high-profile drug for the treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and, in order to produce its inhibitory effects, it needs to be bioactivated by monooxygenase EthA. This process is under the control of the transcriptional repressors EthR and EthR2, so that their inhibition results in the boosting of ethionamide activation. Herein, through crystallographic data and computer simulations, we calculated the interaction binding energies of four inhibitors with improved in vitro potency, namely BDM76060 (PDB ID: 6HS1), BDM72201 (PDB ID: 6HRX), BDM76150 (PDB ID: 6HS2) and BDM72719 (PDB ID: 6HRY), in complexes with the transcriptional repressor EthR2, using density functional theory (DFT) within the molecular fractionation with conjugated caps (MFCC) approach. It was observed that these ligands share the same binding site within a 10.0 Å radius of the EthR2 protein; however, their structural particularities have a significant impact on the global energies of systems. The BDM72201 and BDM72719 components are weakly attached to the binding site, while BDM76060 and BDM76150 components produce stronger bonds, corroborating with experimental studies demonstrating that BDM76060 and BDM76150 are more successful in producing inhibitory effects. BDM76060 and BDM76150 have many functional groups that increase the contact surface with the protein and attract a more significant number of amino acid residues, being able to produce polarities that generate stronger interactions. In the current scenario of a growing number of cases of bacterial resistance, the obtained data can be used to guide clinical trials of these inhibitors and other inhibitors that act on the alternative EthR2 pathway, focusing on improving the activity of ethionamide, its effectiveness, a reduction in the treatment time and exposure to cytotoxic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Vianna
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - K S Bezerra
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - A H Lima Costa
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - E D Barbosa
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - J X Lima Neto
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - J I N Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - V N Freire
- Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Ceará, 60455-760, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - U L Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
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Mazurek AH, Szeleszczuk Ł, Simonson T, Pisklak DM. Application of Various Molecular Modelling Methods in the Study of Estrogens and Xenoestrogens. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6411. [PMID: 32899216 PMCID: PMC7504198 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, applications of various molecular modelling methods in the study of estrogens and xenoestrogens are summarized. Selected biomolecules that are the most commonly chosen as molecular modelling objects in this field are presented. In most of the reviewed works, ligand docking using solely force field methods was performed, employing various molecular targets involved in metabolism and action of estrogens. Other molecular modelling methods such as molecular dynamics and combined quantum mechanics with molecular mechanics have also been successfully used to predict the properties of estrogens and xenoestrogens. Among published works, a great number also focused on the application of different types of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analyses to examine estrogen's structures and activities. Although the interactions between estrogens and xenoestrogens with various proteins are the most commonly studied, other aspects such as penetration of estrogens through lipid bilayers or their ability to adsorb on different materials are also explored using theoretical calculations. Apart from molecular mechanics and statistical methods, quantum mechanics calculations are also employed in the studies of estrogens and xenoestrogens. Their applications include computation of spectroscopic properties, both vibrational and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and also in quantum molecular dynamics simulations and crystal structure prediction. The main aim of this review is to present the great potential and versatility of various molecular modelling methods in the studies on estrogens and xenoestrogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Helena Mazurek
- Chair and Department of Physical Pharmacy and Bioanalysis, Department of Physical Chemistry, Medical Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Warsaw, Banacha 1 str., 02-093 Warsaw Poland; (A.H.M.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Łukasz Szeleszczuk
- Chair and Department of Physical Pharmacy and Bioanalysis, Department of Physical Chemistry, Medical Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Warsaw, Banacha 1 str., 02-093 Warsaw Poland; (A.H.M.); (D.M.P.)
| | - Thomas Simonson
- Laboratoire de Biochimie (CNRS UMR7654), Ecole Polytechnique, 91-120 Palaiseau, France;
| | - Dariusz Maciej Pisklak
- Chair and Department of Physical Pharmacy and Bioanalysis, Department of Physical Chemistry, Medical Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Warsaw, Banacha 1 str., 02-093 Warsaw Poland; (A.H.M.); (D.M.P.)
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Bezerra KS, Vianna JF, Lima Neto JX, Ivan Nobre Oliveira J, Albuquerque EL, Fulco UL. Interaction energies between two antiandrogenic and one androgenic agonist receptor in the presence of a T877A mutation in prostate cancer: a quantum chemistry analysis. NEW J CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/c9nj06276a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
We provide a detailed picture of the interactions between the androgen receptor T877A mutation and three different compounds used in the treatment of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. S. Bezerra
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal-RN
- Brazil
| | - J. F. Vianna
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal-RN
- Brazil
| | - J. X. Lima Neto
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal-RN
- Brazil
| | - J. Ivan Nobre Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal-RN
- Brazil
| | - E. L. Albuquerque
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal-RN
- Brazil
| | - U. L. Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal-RN
- Brazil
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Campos DMO, Bezerra KS, Esmaile SC, Fulco UL, Albuquerque EL, Oliveira JIN. Intermolecular interactions of cn-716 and acyl-KR-aldehyde dipeptide inhibitors against Zika virus. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:15683-15695. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cp02254c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Structural representation and graphic panel showing the most relevant residues that contribute to the ZIKV NS2B–NS3–ligand complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M. O. Campos
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal
- Brazil
| | - Katyanna S. Bezerra
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal
- Brazil
| | - Stephany C. Esmaile
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal
- Brazil
| | - Umberto L. Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal
- Brazil
| | | | - Jonas I. N. Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal
- Brazil
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Lima Neto JX, Bezerra KS, Barbosa ED, Oliveira JIN, Manzoni V, Soares-Rachetti VP, Albuquerque EL, Fulco UL. Exploring the Binding Mechanism of GABAB Receptor Agonists and Antagonists through in Silico Simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 60:1005-1018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b01025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- José X. Lima Neto
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Katyanna S. Bezerra
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel D. Barbosa
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Jonas I. N. Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Manzoni
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Alagoas, 57072-970 Maceió-AL, Brazil
| | - Vanessa P. Soares-Rachetti
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Eudenilson L. Albuquerque
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Umberto L. Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal-RN, Brazil
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Tavares ABMLA, Lima Neto JX, Fulco UL, Albuquerque EL. A quantum biochemistry approach to investigate checkpoint inhibitor drugs for cancer. NEW J CHEM 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c8nj05561k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We investigate the coupling profiles of the receptor PD-1 in complex with its natural ligand PDL1 and two inhibitor drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José X. Lima Neto
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal
- Brazil
| | - Umberto L. Fulco
- Departamento de Biofísica e Farmacologia
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Natal
- Brazil
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