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Salvadori G, Mazzeo P, Accomasso D, Cupellini L, Mennucci B. Deciphering Photoreceptors Through Atomistic Modeling from Light Absorption to Conformational Response. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168358. [PMID: 37944793 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the successes and challenges of the atomistic modeling of photoreceptors. Throughout our presentation, we integrate explanations of the primary methodological approaches, ranging from quantum mechanical descriptions to classical enhanced sampling methods, all while providing illustrative examples of their practical application to specific systems. To enhance the effectiveness of our analysis, our primary focus has been directed towards the examination of applications across three distinct photoreceptors. These include an example of Blue Light-Using Flavin (BLUF) domains, a bacteriophytochrome, and the orange carotenoid protein (OCP) employed by cyanobacteria for photoprotection. Particular emphasis will be placed on the pivotal role played by the protein matrix in fine-tuning the initial photochemical event within the embedded chromophore. Furthermore, we will investigate how this localized perturbation initiates a cascade of events propagating from the binding pocket throughout the entire protein structure, thanks to the intricate network of interactions between the chromophore and the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Salvadori
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Patrizia Mazzeo
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Davide Accomasso
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Cupellini
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Benedetta Mennucci
- Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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2
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Noji T, Tamura H, Ishikita H, Saito K. Difference in the Charge-Separation Energetics between Distinct Conformers in the PixD Photoreceptor. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:10351-10359. [PMID: 38014591 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06483] [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: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Blue light using flavin (BLUF) domain proteins are photoreceptors in various organisms. The PixD BLUF domain can adopt two conformations, W91out and W91in, with Trp91 either proximal or distal to flavin (FMN). Using a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical/polarizable continuum model approach, the energetics of charge-separated and biradical states in the two conformations were investigated. In the W91out conformation, the charge-separated state (FMN•-) is more stable than the photoexcited state (FMN*), whereas it is less stable due to an electrostatic repulsive interaction with the Ser28 side chain in the W91in conformation. This leads to a lower activation energy for the charge separation in the W91out conformation, resulting in a faster charge separation compared to that in the W91in conformation. In the W91out conformation, the radical state (FMNH•) is more stable than FMN•- and forms from FMN•-, leading to reorientation of the Gln50 side chain adjacent to FMN and formation of a hydrogen bond between Gln50 and FMN. Subsequently, a signaling state forms through charge recombination. In contrast, in the W91in conformation, FMN•- cannot proceed further, returning to the dark-adapted state, as FMNH• is less stable. Thus, formation of the signaling state exclusively occurs in the W91out conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyasu Noji
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tamura
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Ishikita
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Keisuke Saito
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
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3
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Pes F, Polack É, Mazzeo P, Dusson G, Stamm B, Lipparini F. A Quasi Time-Reversible Scheme Based on Density Matrix Extrapolation on the Grassmann Manifold for Born-Oppenheimer Molecular Dynamics. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:9720-9726. [PMID: 37879072 PMCID: PMC10626629 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
This Letter introduces the so-called Quasi Time-Reversible scheme based on Grassmann extrapolation (QTR G-Ext) of density matrices for an accurate calculation of initial guesses in Born-Oppenheimer Molecular Dynamics (BOMD) simulations. The method shows excellent results on four large molecular systems that are representative of real-life production applications, ranging from 21 to 94 atoms simulated with Kohn-Sham (KS) density functional theory surrounded with a classical environment with 6k to 16k atoms. Namely, it clearly reduces the number of self-consistent field iterations while at the same time achieving energy-conserving simulations, resulting in a considerable speed-up of BOMD simulations even when tight convergence of the KS equations is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Pes
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università
di Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Étienne Polack
- CERMICS, École des Ponts and Inria Paris, 6 & 8 avenue Blaise Pascal, 77455 Marne-la-Valée, France
| | - Patrizia Mazzeo
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università
di Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Geneviève Dusson
- Laboratoire
de Mathématiques de Besançon, UMR CNRS 6623, Université de Franche-Comté, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Benjamin Stamm
- Institute
of Applied Analysis and Numerical Simulation, University of Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Filippo Lipparini
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università
di Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Hammes-Schiffer S. Exploring Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer at Multiple Scales. NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 3:291-300. [PMID: 37577057 PMCID: PMC10416817 DOI: 10.1038/s43588-023-00422-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The coupling of electron and proton transfer is critical for chemical and biological processes spanning a wide range of length and time scales and often occurring in complex environments. Thus, diverse modeling strategies, including analytical theories, quantum chemistry, molecular dynamics, and kinetic modeling, are essential for a comprehensive understanding of such proton-coupled electron transfer reactions. Each of these computational methods provides one piece of the puzzle, and all these pieces must be viewed together to produce the full picture.
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Mazzeo P, Hashem S, Lipparini F, Cupellini L, Mennucci B. Fast Method for Excited-State Dynamics in Complex Systems and Its Application to the Photoactivation of a Blue Light Using Flavin Photoreceptor. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:1222-1229. [PMID: 36716231 PMCID: PMC9923743 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c03797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The excited-state dynamics of molecules embedded in complex (bio)matrices is still a challenging goal for quantum chemical models. Hybrid QM/MM models have proven to be an effective strategy, but an optimal combination of accuracy and computational cost still has to be found. Here, we present a method which combines the accuracy of a polarizable embedding QM/MM approach with the computational efficiency of an excited-state self-consistent field method. The newly implemented method is applied to the photoactivation of the blue-light-using flavin (BLUF) domain of the AppA protein. We show that the proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) process suggested for other BLUF proteins is still valid also for AppA.
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Bencurova E, Shityakov S, Schaack D, Kaltdorf M, Sarukhanyan E, Hilgarth A, Rath C, Montenegro S, Roth G, Lopez D, Dandekar T. Nanocellulose Composites as Smart Devices With Chassis, Light-Directed DNA Storage, Engineered Electronic Properties, and Chip Integration. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:869111. [PMID: 36105598 PMCID: PMC9465592 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.869111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of green and sustainable materials opens up new possibilities in the field of applied research. Such materials include nanocellulose composites that can integrate many components into composites and provide a good chassis for smart devices. In our study, we evaluate four approaches for turning a nanocellulose composite into an information storage or processing device: 1) nanocellulose can be a suitable carrier material and protect information stored in DNA. 2) Nucleotide-processing enzymes (polymerase and exonuclease) can be controlled by light after fusing them with light-gating domains; nucleotide substrate specificity can be changed by mutation or pH change (read-in and read-out of the information). 3) Semiconductors and electronic capabilities can be achieved: we show that nanocellulose is rendered electronic by iodine treatment replacing silicon including microstructures. Nanocellulose semiconductor properties are measured, and the resulting potential including single-electron transistors (SET) and their properties are modeled. Electric current can also be transported by DNA through G-quadruplex DNA molecules; these as well as classical silicon semiconductors can easily be integrated into the nanocellulose composite. 4) To elaborate upon miniaturization and integration for a smart nanocellulose chip device, we demonstrate pH-sensitive dyes in nanocellulose, nanopore creation, and kinase micropatterning on bacterial membranes as well as digital PCR micro-wells. Future application potential includes nano-3D printing and fast molecular processors (e.g., SETs) integrated with DNA storage and conventional electronics. This would also lead to environment-friendly nanocellulose chips for information processing as well as smart nanocellulose composites for biomedical applications and nano-factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bencurova
- Functional Genomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sergey Shityakov
- Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, Infochemistry Scientific Center, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Dominik Schaack
- Functional Genomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Kaltdorf
- Functional Genomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Edita Sarukhanyan
- Functional Genomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Hilgarth
- Aerospace Information Technology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christin Rath
- Laboratory for Microarray Copying, Center for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sergio Montenegro
- Aerospace Information Technology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Günter Roth
- Laboratory for Microarray Copying, Center for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- BioCopy GmbH, Emmendingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Lopez
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia CNB, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Thomas Dandekar
- Functional Genomics and Systems Biology Group, Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Structural and Computational Biology, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Thomas Dandekar,
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Polack É, Dusson G, Stamm B, Lipparini F. Grassmann Extrapolation of Density Matrices for Born-Oppenheimer Molecular Dynamics. J Chem Theory Comput 2021; 17:6965-6973. [PMID: 34623810 PMCID: PMC8582259 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics (BOMD) is a powerful but expensive technique. The main bottleneck in a density functional theory BOMD calculation is the solution to the Kohn-Sham (KS) equations that requires an iterative procedure that starts from a guess for the density matrix. Converged densities from previous points in the trajectory can be used to extrapolate a new guess; however, the nonlinear constraint that an idempotent density needs to satisfy makes the direct use of standard linear extrapolation techniques not possible. In this contribution, we introduce a locally bijective map between the manifold where the density is defined and its tangent space so that linear extrapolation can be performed in a vector space while, at the same time, retaining the correct physical properties of the extrapolated density using molecular descriptors. We apply the method to real-life, multiscale, polarizable QM/MM BOMD simulations, showing that sizeable performance gains can be achieved, especially when a tighter convergence to the KS equations is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Étienne Polack
- Laboratoire
de Mathématiques de Besançon, UMR CNRS 6623, Université
Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Geneviève Dusson
- Laboratoire
de Mathématiques de Besançon, UMR CNRS 6623, Université
Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, France
| | - Benjamin Stamm
- Department
of Mathematics, RWTH Aachen University, Schinkelstr. 2, 52062 Aachen, Germany
| | - Filippo Lipparini
- Dipartimento
di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Univeristà
di Pisa, Via G. Moruzzi
13, I-56124 Pisa, Italy
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