Trapped water molecules are essential to structural dynamics and function of a ribozyme

Simulation-Guided Conformational Space Exploration to Assess Reactive Conformations of a Ribozyme

Self-splicing ribozymes are small ribonucleic acid (RNA) enzymes that catalyze their own cleavage through a transphosphoesterification reaction. While this process is involved in some specific steps of viral RNA replication and splicing, it is also of importance in the context of the (putative) first autocatalytic RNA-based systems that could have preceded the emergence of modern life. The uncatalyzed phosphoester bond formation is thermodynamically very unfavorable, and many experimental studies have focused on understanding the molecular features of catalysis in these ribozymes. However, chemical reaction paths are short-lived and not easily characterized by experimental approaches, so molecular simulation approaches appear as an ideal tool to unveil the molecular details of the reaction. Here, we focus on the model hairpin ribozyme. We show that identifying a relevant initial conformation for reactivity studies, which is frequently overlooked in mixed quantum-classical studies that predominantly concentrate on the chemical reaction itself, can be highly challenging. These challenges stem from limitations in both available experimental structures (which are chemically altered to prevent self-cleavage) and the accuracy of force fields, together with the necessity for comprehensive sampling. We show that molecular dynamics simulations, combined with extensive conformational phase space exploration with Hamiltonian replica-exchange simulations, enable us to characterize the relevant conformational basins of the minimal hairpin ribozyme in the ligated state prior to self-cleavage. We find that what is usually considered a canonical reactive conformation with active site geometries and hydrogen-bond patterns that are optimal for the addition-elimination reaction with general acid/general base catalysis is metastable and only marginally populated. The thermodynamically stable conformation appears to be consistent with the expectations of a mechanism that does not require the direct participation of ribozyme residues in the reaction. While these observations may suffer from forcefield inaccuracies, all investigated forcefields lead to the same conclusions upon proper sampling, contrasting with previous investigations on shorter timescales suggesting that at least one reparametrization of the Amber99 forcefield allowed to stabilize aligned active site conformations. Our study demonstrates that identifying the most pertinent reactant state conformation holds equal importance alongside the accurate determination of the thermodynamics and kinetics of the chemical steps of the reaction.

Molecular Origin of Distinct Hydration Dynamics in Double Helical DNA and RNA Sequences

Water molecules are essential to determine the structure of nucleic acids and mediate their interactions with other biomolecules. Here, we characterize the hydration dynamics of analogous DNA and RNA double helices with unprecedented resolution and elucidate the molecular origin of their differences: first, the localization of the slowest hydration water molecules─in the minor groove in DNA, next to phosphates in RNA─and second, the markedly distinct hydration dynamics of the two phosphate oxygen atoms OR and OS in RNA. Using our Extended Jump Model for water reorientation, we assess the relative importance of previously proposed factors, including the local topography, water bridges, and the presence of ions. We show that the slow hydration dynamics at RNA OR sites is not due to bridging water molecules but is caused by both the larger excluded volume and the stronger initial H-bond next to OR, due to the different phosphate orientations in A-form double helical RNA.

Hierarchical Hydration Dynamics of RNA with Nano-Water-Pool at Its Core

Many functional RNAs fold into a compact, roughly globular shape by minimizing the electrostatic repulsion between their negatively charged phosphodiester backbone. The fold of such close, compact RNA architecture is often so designed that its outer surface and complex core both are predominately populated by phosphate groups loosely sequestering bases in the intermediate layers. A number of helical junctions maintain the RNA core and its nano-water-pool. While the folding of RNA is manifested by its counterion environment composed of mixed mono- and divalent salts, the concerted role of ion and water in maintaining an RNA fold is yet to be explored. In this work, detailed atomistic simulations of SAM-I and Add Adenine riboswitch aptamers, and subgenomic flavivirus RNA (sfRNA) have been performed in a physiological mixed mono- and divalent salt environment. All three RNA systems have compact folds with a core diameter of range 1-1.7 nm. The spatiotemporal heterogeneity of RNA hydration was probed in a layer-wise manner by distinguishing the core, the intermediate, and the outer layers. The layer-wise decomposition of hydrogen bonds and collective single-particle reorientational dynamics reveal a nonmonotonic relaxation pattern with the slowest relaxation observed at the intermediate layers that involves functionally important tertiary motifs. The slowness of this intermediate layer is attributed to two types of long-resident water molecules: (i) water from ion-hydration layers and (ii) structurally trapped water (distant from ions). The relaxation kinetics of the core and the surface water essentially exposed to the phosphate groups show well-separated time scales from the intermediate layers. In the slow intermediate layers, site-specific ions and water control the functional dynamics of important RNA motifs like kink-turn, observed in different structure-probing experiments. Most interestingly, we find that as the size of the RNA core increases (SAM1 core < sfRNAcore < Add adenine core), its hydration tends to show faster relaxation. The hierarchical hydration and the layer-wise base-phosphate composition uniquely portray the globular RNA to act like a soft vesicle with a quasi-dynamic nano-water-pool at its core.

Structural basis for water modulating RNA duplex formation in the CUG repeats of myotonic dystrophy type 1

Secondary structures formed by expanded CUG RNA are involved in the pathobiology of myotonic dystrophy type 1. Understanding the molecular basis of toxic RNA structures can provide insights into the mechanism of disease pathogenesis and accelerate the drug discovery process. Here, we report the crystal structure of CUG repeat RNA containing three U-U mismatches between C-G and G-C base pairs. The CUG RNA crystallizes as an A-form duplex, with the first and third U-U mismatches adopting a water-mediated asymmetric mirror isoform geometry. We found for the first time that a symmetric, water-bridged U-H₂O-U mismatch is well tolerated within the CUG RNA duplex, which was previously suspected but not observed. The new water-bridged U-U mismatch resulted in high base-pair opening and single-sided cross-strand stacking interactions, which in turn dominate the CUG RNA structure. Furthermore, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that complemented the structural findings and proposed that the first and third U-U mismatches are interchangeable conformations, while the central water-bridged U-U mismatch represents an intermediate state that modulates the RNA duplex conformation. Collectively, the new structural features provided in this work are important for understanding the recognition of U-U mismatches in CUG repeats by external ligands such as proteins or small molecules.

Water as an Intrinsic Structural Element in Cellulose Fibril Aggregates

While strong water association with cellulose in plant cell walls and man-made materials is well-established, its molecular scale aspects are not fully understood. The thermodynamic consequences of having water molecules located at the microfibril-microfibril interfaces in cellulose fibril aggregates are therefore analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations. We find that a thin layer of water molecules at those interfaces can be in a state of thermal equilibrium with water surrounding the fibril aggregates because such an arrangement lowers the free energy of the total system. The main reason is enthalpic: water at the microfibril-microfibril interfaces enables the cellulose surface hydroxyls to experience a more favorable electrostatic environment. This enthalpic gain overcomes the entropic penalty from strong immobilization of water molecules. Hence, those particular water molecules stabilize the cellulose fibril aggregates, akin to the role of water in some proteins. Structural and functional hypotheses related to this finding are presented.

Residue interaction networks of K-Ras protein with water molecules identifies the potential role of switch II and P-loop

The mutant K-Ras with aberrant signaling is the primary cause of several cancers. The proposed study investigated the influence of water molecules in K-Ras crystal structure, where they have a significant function by understanding their residue interaction networks (RINs). We analyzed the RINs of K-Ras with and without water molecules and determined their interaction properties. RINs were developed with the help of StructureViz2 and RINspector; further, the changes in K-Ras backbone flexibility were predicted with the DynaMine. We found that the residues K42, I142, and L159 are the hotspots from water, including the K-Ras-GTP complex with the highest residue centrality analysis (RCA) Z-score. The DynaMine prediction calculated the NMR S² value for the frequently mutated positions G12, G13, and Q61 showing a minor shift in flexibility, which make up the P-Loop and switch II of the K-Ras protein. This flexibility shift can account for changes in conformational activity and the protein's GTPase activity, making it difficult to recognize by the effectors and exchange factors. Taken together, our study helps in understanding the functional importance of the water molecules in K-Ras protein and the impact of mutation that modulate the conformational state of the protein.

Occurrence and stability of lone pair-π and OH-π interactions between water and nucleobases in functional RNAs

We identified over 1000 instances of water-nucleobase stacking contacts in a variety of RNA molecules from a non-redundant set of crystal structures with resolution ≤3.0 Å. Such contacts may be of either the lone pair-π (lp-π) or the OH-π type, in nature. The distribution of the distances of the water oxygen from the nucleobase plane peaks at 3.5 Å for A, G and C, and approximately at 3.1-3.2 Å for U. Quantum mechanics (QM) calculations confirm, as expected, that the optimal energy is reached at a shorter distance for the lp-π interaction as compared to the OH-π one (3.0 versus 3.5 Å). The preference of each nucleobase for either type of interaction closely correlates with its electrostatic potential map. Furthermore, QM calculations show that for all the nucleobases a favorable interaction, of either the lp-π or the OH-π type, can be established at virtually any position of the water molecule above the nucleobase skeleton, which is consistent with the uniform projection of the OW atoms over the nucleobases ring we observed in the experimental occurrences. Finally, molecular dynamics simulations of a model system for the characterization of water-nucleobase stacking contacts confirm the stability of these interactions also under dynamic conditions.

Deciphering the Self-Cleavage Reaction Mechanism of Hairpin Ribozyme

Hairpin ribozyme catalyzes the reversible self-cleavage of phosphodiester bonds which plays prominent roles in key biological processes involving RNAs. Despite impressive advances on ribozymatic self-cleavage, critical aspects of its molecular reaction mechanism remain controversially debated. Here, we generate and analyze the multidimensional free energy landscape that underlies the reaction using extensive QM/MM metadynamics simulations to investigate in detail the full self-cleavage mechanism. This allows us to answer several pertinent yet controversial questions concerning activation of the 2'-OH group, the mechanistic role of water molecules present in the active site, and the full reaction pathway including the structures of transition states and intermediates. Importantly, we find that a sufficiently unrestricted reaction subspace must be mapped using accelerated sampling methods in order to compute the underlying free energy landscape. It is shown that lower-dimensional sampling where the bond formation and cleavage steps are coupled does not allow the system to sufficiently explore the landscape. On the basis of a three-dimensional free energy surface spanned by flexible generalized coordinates, we find that 2'-OH is indirectly activated by adjacent G8 nucleobase in conjunction with stabilizing H-bonding involving water. This allows the proton of the 2'-OH group to directly migrate toward the 5'-leaving group via a nonbridging oxygen of the phosphodiester link. At variance with similar enzymatic processes where water wires connected to protonable side chains of the protein matrix act as transient proton shuttles, no such de/reprotonation events of water molecules are found to be involved in this ribozymatic transesterification. Overall, our results support an acid-catalyzed reaction mechanism where A38 nucleobase directly acts as an acid whereas G8, in stark contrast, participates only indirectly via stabilizing the nascent nucleophile for subsequent attack. Moreover, we conclude that self-cleavage of hairpin ribozyme follows an A_N + D_N two-step associative pathway where the rate-determining step is the cleavage of the phosphodiester bond. These results provide a major advancement in our understanding of the unique catalytic mechanism of hairpin ribozyme which will fruitfully impact on the design of synthetic ribozymes.

Hofmeister Series for Metal-Cation-RNA Interactions: The Interplay of Binding Affinity and Exchange Kinetics

A large variety of physicochemical properties involving RNA depends on the type of metal cation present in solution. In order to gain microscopic insight into the origin of these ion specific effects, we apply molecular dynamics simulations to describe the interactions of metal cations and RNA. For the three most common ion binding sites on RNA, we calculate the binding affinities and exchange rates of eight different mono- and divalent metal cations. Our results reveal that binding sites involving phosphate groups preferentially bind metal cations with high charge density (such as Mg²⁺) in inner-sphere conformations while binding sites involving N7 or O6 atoms preferentially bind cations with low charge density (such as K⁺). The binding affinity therefore follows a direct Hofmeister series at the backbone but is reversed at the nucleobases leading to a high selectivity of ion binding sites on RNA. In addition, the exchange rates for cation binding cover almost 5 orders of magnitude, leading to a vastly different time scale for the lifetimes of contact pairs. Taken together, the site-specific binding affinities and the specific lifetime of contact pairs provide the microscopic explanation of ion specific effects observed in a wide variety of macroscopic RNA properties. Finally, combining the results from atomistic simulations with extended Poisson-Boltzmann theory allows us to predict the distribution of metal cations around double-stranded RNA at finite concentrations and to reproduce the results of ion counting experiments with good accuracy.

Mechanistic role of nucleobases in self-cleavage catalysis of hairpin ribozyme at ambient versus high-pressure conditions

Ribozymes catalyze the site-specific self-cleavage of intramolecular phosphodiester bonds. Initially thought to act as metalloenzymes, they are now known to be functional even in the absence of divalent metal ions and specific nucleobases directly participate in the self-cleavage reaction. Here, we use extensive replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations to probe the precise mechanistic role of nucleobases by simulating precatalytic reactant and active precursor states of a hairpin ribozyme along its reaction path at ambient as well as high-pressure conditions. The results provide novel key insights into the self-cleavage of ribozymes. We find that deprotonation of the hydroxyl group is crucial and might be the penultimate step to the self-cleavage. The G8 nucleobase is found to stabilize the activated precursor into inline arrangement for facile nucleophilic attack of the scissile phosphate only after deprotonation of the hydroxyl group. The protonated A38 nucleobase, in contrast, mainly acts a proton donor to the O5'-oxygen leaving group that eventually leads to the self-cleavage. Indeed, systematic high-pressure simulations of catalytically relevant states confirm these findings and, moreover, provide support to the role of ribozymes as piezophilic biocatalysts with regard to their relevance in early life under extreme conditions in the realm of RNA world hypothesis.

RNA Structural Dynamics As Captured by Molecular Simulations: A Comprehensive Overview

With both catalytic and genetic functions, ribonucleic acid (RNA) is perhaps the most pluripotent chemical species in molecular biology, and its functions are intimately linked to its structure and dynamics. Computer simulations, and in particular atomistic molecular dynamics (MD), allow structural dynamics of biomolecular systems to be investigated with unprecedented temporal and spatial resolution. We here provide a comprehensive overview of the fast-developing field of MD simulations of RNA molecules. We begin with an in-depth, evaluatory coverage of the most fundamental methodological challenges that set the basis for the future development of the field, in particular, the current developments and inherent physical limitations of the atomistic force fields and the recent advances in a broad spectrum of enhanced sampling methods. We also survey the closely related field of coarse-grained modeling of RNA systems. After dealing with the methodological aspects, we provide an exhaustive overview of the available RNA simulation literature, ranging from studies of the smallest RNA oligonucleotides to investigations of the entire ribosome. Our review encompasses tetranucleotides, tetraloops, a number of small RNA motifs, A-helix RNA, kissing-loop complexes, the TAR RNA element, the decoding center and other important regions of the ribosome, as well as assorted others systems. Extended sections are devoted to RNA-ion interactions, ribozymes, riboswitches, and protein/RNA complexes. Our overview is written for as broad of an audience as possible, aiming to provide a much-needed interdisciplinary bridge between computation and experiment, together with a perspective on the future of the field.

Structural study of the Fox-1 RRM protein hydration reveals a role for key water molecules in RRM-RNA recognition

The Fox-1 RNA recognition motif (RRM) domain is an important member of the RRM protein family. We report a 1.8 Å X-ray structure of the free Fox-1 containing six distinct monomers. We use this and the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of the Fox-1 protein/RNA complex for molecular dynamics (MD) analyses of the structured hydration. The individual monomers of the X-ray structure show diverse hydration patterns, however, MD excellently reproduces the most occupied hydration sites. Simulations of the protein/RNA complex show hydration consistent with the isolated protein complemented by hydration sites specific to the protein/RNA interface. MD predicts intricate hydration sites with water-binding times extending up to hundreds of nanoseconds. We characterize two of them using NMR spectroscopy, RNA binding with switchSENSE and free-energy calculations of mutant proteins. Both hydration sites are experimentally confirmed and their abolishment reduces the binding free-energy. A quantitative agreement between theory and experiment is achieved for the S155A substitution but not for the S122A mutant. The S155 hydration site is evolutionarily conserved within the RRM domains. In conclusion, MD is an effective tool for predicting and interpreting the hydration patterns of protein/RNA complexes. Hydration is not easily detectable in NMR experiments but can affect stability of protein/RNA complexes.

Pressure modulates the self-cleavage step of the hairpin ribozyme

The ability of certain RNAs, denoted as ribozymes, to not only store genetic information but also catalyse chemical reactions gave support to the RNA world hypothesis as a putative step in the development of early life on Earth. This, however, might have evolved under extreme environmental conditions, including the deep sea with pressures in the kbar regime. Here we study pressure-induced effects on the self-cleavage of hairpin ribozyme by following structural changes in real-time. Our results suggest that compression of the ribozyme leads to an accelerated transesterification reaction, being the self-cleavage step, although the overall process is retarded in the high-pressure regime. The results reveal that favourable interactions between the reaction site and neighbouring nucleobases are strengthened under pressure, resulting therefore in an accelerated self-cleavage step upon compression. These results suggest that properly engineered ribozymes may also act as piezophilic biocatalysts in addition to their hitherto known properties.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations for Deciphering the Structural Basis of Recognition of Pre-let-7 miRNAs by LIN28

LIN28 protein inhibits biogenesis of miRNAs belonging to the let-7 family by binding to precursor forms of miRNAs. Overexpression of LIN28 and low levels of let-7 miRNAs are associated with several forms of cancer cells. We have performed multiple explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations ranging from 200 to 500 ns in length on different isoforms of preE-let-7 in complex with LIN28 and also in isolation to identify structural features and key specificity-determining residues (SDRs) that are important for the inhibitory role of LIN28. Our simulations suggest that a conserved structural feature of the loop regions of preE-let-7 miRNAs is more important for LIN28 recognition than sequence conservation among members of the let-7 family or the presence of the GGAG motif in the 3' region. The loop region consisting of a minimum of five nucleotides helps pre-miRNAs to acquire a conformation ideal for binding to LIN28, but pre-let-7c-2 prefers a conformation with a three-nucleotide loop. Thus, our simulations provide a theoretical rationale for the recent experimental observation of the escape of LIN28-mediated repression by pre-let-7c-2. The essential structural and sequence features highlighted in this study might aid in designing synthetic small molecule inhibitors for modulating LIN28-let-7 interaction in malignant cells. We have also identified crucial SDRs of the LIN28-preE-let-7 complex involving 13 residues of LIN28 and 10 residues of the pre-miRNA. On the basis of the conservation profile of these 13 SDRs, we have identified 10 novel proteins that are not annotated as LIN28 like but are similar in sequence, domain, or fold level to LIN28.

Intrinsic Base-Pair Rearrangement in the Hairpin Ribozyme Directs RNA Conformational Sampling and Tertiary Interface Formation

Dynamic fluctuations in RNA structure enable conformational changes that are required for catalysis and recognition. In the hairpin ribozyme, the catalytically active structure is formed as an intricate tertiary interface between two RNA internal loops. Substantial alterations in the structure of each loop are observed upon interface formation, or docking. The very slow on-rate for this relatively tight interaction has led us to hypothesize a double conformational capture mechanism for RNA-RNA recognition. We used extensive molecular dynamics simulations to assess conformational sampling in the undocked form of the loop domain containing the scissile phosphate (loop A). We observed several major accessible conformations with distinctive patterns of hydrogen bonding and base stacking interactions in the active-site internal loop. Several important conformational features characteristic of the docked state were observed in well-populated substates, consistent with the kinetic sampling of docking-competent states by isolated loop A. Our observations suggest a hybrid or multistage binding mechanism, in which initial conformational selection of a docking-competent state is followed by induced-fit adjustment to an in-line, chemically reactive state only after formation of the initial complex with loop B.

Prediction of Water Binding to Protein Hydration Sites with a Discrete, Semiexplicit Solvent Model

Buried water molecules are ubiquitous in protein structures and are found at the interface of most protein-ligand complexes. Determining their distribution and thermodynamic effect is a challenging yet important task, of great of practical value for the modeling of biomolecular structures and their interactions. In this study, we present a novel method aimed at the prediction of buried water molecules in protein structures and estimation of their binding free energies. It is based on a semiexplicit, discrete solvation model, which we previously introduced in the context of small molecule hydration. The method is applicable to all macromolecular structures described by a standard all-atom force field, and predicts complete solvent distribution within a single run with modest computational cost. We demonstrate that it indicates positions of buried hydration sites, including those filled by more than one water molecule, and accurately differentiates them from sterically accessible to water but void regions. The obtained estimates of water binding free energies are in fair agreement with reference results determined with the double decoupling method.

Effects of Water on the Single-Chain Elasticity of Poly(U) RNA

Water, the dominant component under the physiological condition, is a complicated solvent which greatly affects the properties of solute molecules. Here, we utilize atomic force microscope-based single-molecule force spectroscopy to study the influence of water on the single-molecule elasticity of an unstructured single-stranded RNA (poly(U)). In nonpolar solvents, RNA presents its inherent elasticity, which is consistent with the theoretical single-chain elasticity calculated by quantum mechanics calculations. In aqueous buffers, however, an additional energy of 1.88 kJ/mol·base is needed for the stretching of the ssRNA chain. This energy is consumed by the bound water rearrangement (Ew) during chain elongation. Further experimental results indicate that the Ew value is uncorrelated to the salt concentrations and stretching velocity. The results obtained in an 8 M guanidine·HCl solution provide more evidence that the bound water molecules around RNA give rise to the observed deviation between aqueous and nonaqueous environments. Compared to synthetic water-soluble polymers, the value of Ew of RNA is much lower. The weak interference of water is supposed to be the precondition for the RNA secondary structure to exist in aqueous solution.

Multiscale methods for computational RNA enzymology

RNA catalysis is of fundamental importance to biology and yet remains ill-understood due to its complex nature. The multidimensional "problem space" of RNA catalysis includes both local and global conformational rearrangements, changes in the ion atmosphere around nucleic acids and metal ion binding, dependence on potentially correlated protonation states of key residues, and bond breaking/forming in the chemical steps of the reaction. The goal of this chapter is to summarize and apply multiscale modeling methods in an effort to target the different parts of the RNA catalysis problem space while also addressing the limitations and pitfalls of these methods. Classical molecular dynamics simulations, reference interaction site model calculations, constant pH molecular dynamics (CpHMD) simulations, Hamiltonian replica exchange molecular dynamics, and quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical simulations will be discussed in the context of the study of RNA backbone cleavage transesterification. This reaction is catalyzed by both RNA and protein enzymes, and here we examine the different mechanistic strategies taken by the hepatitis delta virus ribozyme and RNase A.

Disparate HDV ribozyme crystal structures represent intermediates on a rugged free-energy landscape

The hepatitis delta virus (HDV) ribozyme is a member of the class of small, self-cleaving catalytic RNAs found in a wide range of genomes from HDV to human. Both pre- and post-catalysis (precursor and product) crystal structures of the cis-acting genomic HDV ribozyme have been determined. These structures, together with extensive solution probing, have suggested that a significant conformational change accompanies catalysis. A recent crystal structure of a trans-acting precursor, obtained at low pH and by molecular replacement from the previous product conformation, conforms to the product, raising the possibility that it represents an activated conformer past the conformational change. Here, using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), we discovered that cleavage of this ribozyme at physiological pH is accompanied by a structural lengthening in magnitude comparable to previous trans-acting HDV ribozymes. Conformational heterogeneity observed by FRET in solution appears to have been removed upon crystallization. Analysis of a total of 1.8 µsec of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that the crystallographically unresolved cleavage site conformation is likely correctly modeled after the hammerhead ribozyme, but that crystal contacts and the removal of several 2'-oxygens near the scissile phosphate compromise catalytic in-line fitness. A cis-acting version of the ribozyme exhibits a more dynamic active site, while a G-1 residue upstream of the scissile phosphate favors poor fitness, allowing us to rationalize corresponding changes in catalytic activity. Based on these data, we propose that the available crystal structures of the HDV ribozyme represent intermediates on an overall rugged RNA folding free-energy landscape.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nucleic Acids. From Tetranucleotides to the Ribosome

We present a brief overview of explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of nucleic acids. We explain physical chemistry limitations of the simulations, namely, the molecular mechanics (MM) force field (FF) approximation and limited time scale. Further, we discuss relations and differences between simulations and experiments, compare standard and enhanced sampling simulations, discuss the role of starting structures, comment on different versions of nucleic acid FFs, and relate MM computations with contemporary quantum chemistry. Despite its limitations, we show that MD is a powerful technique for studying the structural dynamics of nucleic acids with a fast growing potential that substantially complements experimental results and aids their interpretation.

Biomolecular electrostatics and solvation: a computational perspective

An understanding of molecular interactions is essential for insight into biological systems at the molecular scale. Among the various components of molecular interactions, electrostatics are of special importance because of their long-range nature and their influence on polar or charged molecules, including water, aqueous ions, proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and membrane lipids. In particular, robust models of electrostatic interactions are essential for understanding the solvation properties of biomolecules and the effects of solvation upon biomolecular folding, binding, enzyme catalysis, and dynamics. Electrostatics, therefore, are of central importance to understanding biomolecular structure and modeling interactions within and among biological molecules. This review discusses the solvation of biomolecules with a computational biophysics view toward describing the phenomenon. While our main focus lies on the computational aspect of the models, we provide an overview of the basic elements of biomolecular solvation (e.g. solvent structure, polarization, ion binding, and non-polar behavior) in order to provide a background to understand the different types of solvation models.

The DNA and RNA sugar-phosphate backbone emerges as the key player. An overview of quantum-chemical, structural biology and simulation studies

Knowledge of geometrical and physico-chemical properties of the sugar-phosphate backbone substantially contributes to the comprehension of the structural dynamics, function and evolution of nucleic acids. We provide a side by side overview of structural biology/bioinformatics, quantum chemical and molecular mechanical/simulation studies of the nucleic acids backbone. We highlight main features, advantages and limitations of these techniques, with a special emphasis given to their synergy. The present status of the research is then illustrated by selected examples which include classification of DNA and RNA backbone families, benchmark structure-energy quantum chemical calculations, parameterization of the dihedral space of simulation force fields, incorporation of arsenate into DNA, sugar-phosphate backbone self-cleavage in small RNA enzymes, and intricate geometries of the backbone in recurrent RNA building blocks. Although not apparent from the current literature showing limited overlaps between the QM, simulation and bioinformatics studies of the nucleic acids backbone, there in fact should be a major cooperative interaction between these three approaches in studies of the sugar-phosphate backbone.

ONIOM and ab-initio calculations on the mechanism of uncatalyzed peptide bond formation

Finding a proper transition structure for the peptide bond formation process can lead one to a better understanding of the role of ribosome in catalyzing this reaction. Using computer simulations, we performed the potential energy surface scan on the ester bond dissociation of P-site aminoacyl-tRNA and the peptide bond formation of P-site and A-site amino acids. The full fragments of initiator tRNA(i)(met) and elongator tRNA(phe) are attached to both cognate and non-cognate amino acids as the P-site substrate. The A-site amino acid for all four calculations is methionine. We used ONIOM calculations to reduce the computational cost. Our study illustrates the reduced rate of peptide bond formation for misacylated tRNA(i)(met) in the absence of ribosomal bases. The misacylated elongator tRNA(phe), however, did not show any difference in its PES compared with that for the phe-tRNA(phe). This demonstrates the structural specification of initiator tRNA(i)(met) for the amino acids side chain.

The Amber ff99 Force Field Predicts Relative Free Energy Changes for RNA Helix Formation

The ability of the Amber ff99 force field to predict relative free energies of RNA helix formation was investigated. The test systems were three hexaloop RNA hairpins with identical loops and varying stems. The potential of mean force of stretching the hairpins from the native state to an extended conformation was calculated with umbrella sampling. Because the hairpins have identical loop sequence, the differences in free energy changes are only from the stem composition. The Amber ff99 force field was able to correctly predict the order of stabilities of the hairpins, although the magnitude of the free energy change is larger than that determined by optical melting experiments. The two measurements cannot be compared directly because the unfolded state in the optical melting experiments is a random coil, while the end state in the umbrella sampling simulations was an elongated chain. The calculations can be compared to reference data by using a thermodynamic cycle. By applying the thermodynamic cycle to the transitions between the hairpins using simulations and nearest neighbor data, agreement was found to be within the sampling error of simulations, thus demonstrating that ff99 force field is able to accurately predict relative free energies of RNA helix formation.

The role of conserved waters in conformational transitions of Q61H K-ras

To investigate the stability and functional role of long-residence water molecules in the Q61H variant of the signaling protein K-ras, we analyzed all available Ras crystal structures and conformers derived from a series of independent explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations totaling 1.76 µs. We show that the protein samples a different region of phase space in the presence and absence of several crystallographically conserved and buried water molecules. The dynamics of these waters is coupled with the local as well as the global motions of the protein, in contrast to less buried waters whose exchange with bulk is only loosely coupled with the motion of loops in their vicinity. Aided by two novel reaction coordinates involving the distance (d) between the C_α atoms of G60 at switch 2 and G10 at the P-loop and the N-C_α-C-O dihedral (ξ) of G60, we further show that three water molecules located in lobe1, at the interface between the lobes and at lobe2, are involved in the relative motion of residues at the two lobes of Q61H K-ras. Moreover, a d/ξ plot classifies the available Ras x-ray structures and MD-derived K-ras conformers into active GTP-, intermediate GTP-, inactive GDP-bound, and nucleotide-free conformational states. The population of these states and the transition between them is modulated by water-mediated correlated motions involving the functionally critical switch 2, P-loop and helix 3. These results suggest that water molecules act as allosteric ligands to induce a population shift among distinct switch 2 conformations that differ in effector recognition.

K-ras belongs to the Ras family of G-proteins that regulate cell proliferation and development. To execute its function, K-ras adopts different conformational states when it is active and inactive. In addition to these two states, it samples many transient intermediate conformations as it makes the transition from one state to the other. Mutations that affect the population of these states can cause cancer or developmental disorder. Using simulation approaches, here we show that a number of water molecules buried within the structure of an oncogenic K-ras protein modulate the distribution of its conformational states. Moreover, a detailed analysis based on two novel structural parameters revealed the existence of long-range water-mediated interactions that facilitate a dynamic coupling between the two lobes of the protein. These findings pave the way for a dynamics-guided strategy to inhibit abnormal Ras signaling.

The dynamic determinants of reaction specificity in the IMPDH/GMPR family of (β/α)(8) barrel enzymes

The inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH)/guanosine monophosphate reductase (GMPR) family of (β/α)(8) enzymes presents an excellent opportunity to investigate how subtle changes in enzyme structure change reaction specificity. IMPDH and GMPR bind the same ligands with similar affinities and share a common set of catalytic residues. Both enzymes catalyze a hydride transfer reaction involving a nicotinamide cofactor hydride, and both reactions proceed via the same covalent intermediate. In the case of IMPDH, this intermediate reacts with water, while in GMPR it reacts with ammonia. In both cases, the two chemical transformations are separated by a conformational change. In IMPDH, the conformational change involves a mobile protein flap while in GMPR, the cofactor moves. Thus reaction specificity is controlled by differences in dynamics, which in turn are controlled by residues outside the active site. These findings have some intriguing implications for the evolution of the IMPDH/GMPR family.

QM/MM studies of hairpin ribozyme self-cleavage suggest the feasibility of multiple competing reaction mechanisms

The hairpin ribozyme is a prominent member of small ribozymes since it does not require metal ions to achieve catalysis. Guanine 8 (G8) and adenine 38 (A38) have been identified as key participants in self-cleavage and -ligation. We have carried out hybrid quantum-mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations to evaluate the energy along several putative reaction pathways. The error of our DFT description of the QM region was tested and shown to be ~1 kcal/mol. We find that self-cleavage of the hairpin ribozyme may follow several competing microscopic reaction mechanisms, all with calculated activation barriers in good agreement with those from experiment (20-21 kcal/mol). The initial nucleophilic attack of the A-1(2'-OH) group on the scissile phosphate is predicted to be rate-limiting in all these mechanisms. An unprotonated G8(-) (together with A38H(+)) yields a feasible activation barrier (20.4 kcal/mol). Proton transfer to a nonbridging phosphate oxygen also leads to feasible reaction pathways. Finally, our calculations consider thio-substitutions of one or both nonbridging oxygens of the scissile phosphate and predict that they have only a negligible effect on the reaction barrier, as observed experimentally.

Allosteric activation via kinetic control: potassium accelerates a conformational change in IMP dehydrogenase

Allosteric activators are generally believed to shift the equilibrium distribution of enzyme conformations to favor a catalytically productive structure; the kinetics of conformational exchange is seldom addressed. Several observations suggested that the usual allosteric mechanism might not apply to the activation of IMP dehydrogenase (IMPDH) by monovalent cations. Therefore, we investigated the mechanism of K(+) activation in IMPDH by delineating the kinetic mechanism in the absence of monovalent cations. Surprisingly, the K(+) dependence of k(cat) derives from the rate of flap closure, which increases by ≥65-fold in the presence of K(+). We performed both alchemical free energy simulations and potential of mean force calculations using the orthogonal space random walk strategy to computationally analyze how K(+) accelerates this conformational change. The simulations recapitulate the preference of IMPDH for K(+), validating the computational models. When K(+) is replaced with a dummy ion, the residues of the K(+) binding site relax into ordered secondary structure, creating a barrier to conformational exchange. K(+) mobilizes these residues by providing alternate interactions for the main chain carbonyls. Potential of mean force calculations indicate that K(+) changes the shape of the energy well, shrinking the reaction coordinate by shifting the closed conformation toward the open state. This work suggests that allosteric regulation can be under kinetic as well as thermodynamic control.

Direct structural analysis of modified RNA by fluorescent in-line probing

Chemical probing is a common method for the structural characterization of RNA. Typically, RNA is radioactively end-labelled, subjected to probing conditions, and the cleavage fragment pattern is analysed by gel electrophoresis. In recent years, many chemical modifications, like fluorophores, were introduced into RNA, but methods are lacking that detect the influence of the modification on the RNA structure with single-nucleotide resolution. Here, we first demonstrate that a 5′-terminal ³²P label can be replaced by a dye label for in-line probing of riboswitch RNAs. Next, we show that small, highly structured FRET-labelled Diels–Alderase ribozymes can be directly probed, using the internal or terminal FRET dyes as reporters. The probing patterns indeed reveal whether or not the attachment of the dyes influences the structure. The existence of two dye labels in typical FRET constructs is found to be beneficial, as ‘duplexing’ allows observation of the complete RNA on a single gel. Structural information can be derived from the probing gels by deconvolution of the superimposed band patterns. Finally, we use fluorescent in-line probing to experimentally validate the structural consequences of photocaging, unambiguously demonstrating the intentional destruction of selected elements of secondary or tertiary structure.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of the hairpin ribozyme from atomistic folding/unfolding simulations

We report a set of atomistic folding/unfolding simulations for the hairpin ribozyme using a Monte Carlo algorithm. The hairpin ribozyme folds in solution and catalyzes self-cleavage or ligation via a specific two-domain structure. The minimal active ribozyme has been studied extensively, showing stabilization of the active structure by cations and dynamic motion of the active structure. Here, we introduce a simple model of tertiary-structure formation that leads to a phase diagram for the RNA as a function of temperature and tertiary-structure strength. We then employ this model to capture many folding/unfolding events and to examine the transition-state ensemble (TSE) of the RNA during folding to its active "docked" conformation. The TSE is compact but with few tertiary interactions formed, in agreement with single-molecule dynamics experiments. To compare with experimental kinetic parameters, we introduce a novel method to benchmark Monte Carlo kinetic parameters to docking/undocking rates collected over many single molecular trajectories. We find that topology alone, as encoded in a biased potential that discriminates between secondary and tertiary interactions, is sufficient to predict the thermodynamic behavior and kinetic folding pathway of the hairpin ribozyme. This method should be useful in predicting folding transition states for many natural or man-made RNA tertiary structures.

Modeling the RNA 2'OH activation: possible roles of metal ion and nucleobase as catalysts in self-cleaving ribozymes

The RNA 2'OH activation as taking place in the first chemical step of self-cleaving ribozymes is studied theoretically by DFT and MP2 methods using a continuum solvation model (CPCM). The reaction of proton transfer is studied in the presence of two kinds of catalysts: a fully hydrated metal ion (Mg(2+)) or partially hydrated nucleobase (guanine), taken separately or together leading to three different modes of activation. The metal ion is either directly bound (inner-sphere) or indirectly bound (outer-sphere) to the 2'OH group and a hydroxide ion acts as a general or specific base; the nucleobase is taken in anionic or in neutral enol-tautomeric forms playing itself the role of general base. The presence of a close metal ion (outer-sphere) lowers the pK(a) value of the 2'OH group by several log units in both metal-ion and nuleobase catalysis. The direct metal coordination to the 2'OH group (inner-sphere) further stabilizes the developing negative charge on the nucleophile. The switching from the inner-sphere to the outer-sphere coordination appears to be driven by the energy cost for reorganizing the first coordination shell rather than by the electrostatic repulsion between the ligands. The metal-ion catalysis is more effective with a specific base in the dianionic mechanism. On the other hand, the nucleobase catalysis is more effective in the monoanionic mechanism and in the presence of a metal ion acting as a cofactor through nonspecific electrostatic interactions. The results establish a baseline to study the possible roles of metal and nucleobase catalysts and their environment in more realistic models for self-cleaving ribozymes.

Calculation of local water densities in biological systems: a comparison of molecular dynamics simulations and the 3D-RISM-KH molecular theory of solvation

Water plays a unique role in all living organisms. Not only is it nature's ubiquitous solvent, but it also actively takes part in many cellular processes. In particular, the structure and properties of interfacial water near biomolecules such as proteins are often related to the function of the respective molecule. It can therefore be highly instructive to study the local water density around solutes in cellular systems, particularly when solvent-mediated forces such as the hydrophobic effect are relevant. Computational methods such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations seem well suited to study these systems at the atomic level. However, due to sampling requirements, it is not clear that MD simulations are, indeed, the method of choice to obtain converged densities at a given level of precision. We here compare the calculation of local water densities with two different methods: MD simulations and the three-dimensional reference interaction site model with the Kovalenko-Hirata closure (3D-RISM-KH). In particular, we investigate the convergence of the local water density to assess the required simulation times for different levels of resolution. Moreover, we provide a quantitative comparison of the densities calculated with MD and with 3D-RISM-KH and investigate the effect of the choice of the water model for both methods. Our results show that 3D-RISM-KH yields density distributions that are very similar to those from MD up to a 0.5 Å resolution, but for significantly reduced computational cost. The combined use of MD and 3D-RISM-KH emerges as an auspicious perspective for efficient solvent sampling in dynamical systems.

Long-range tertiary interactions in single hammerhead ribozymes bias motional sampling toward catalytically active conformations

Enzymes generally are thought to derive their functional activity from conformational motions. The limited chemical variation in RNA suggests that such structural dynamics may play a particularly important role in RNA function. Minimal hammerhead ribozymes are known to cleave efficiently only in ∼ 10-fold higher than physiologic concentrations of Mg(2+) ions. Extended versions containing native loop-loop interactions, however, show greatly enhanced catalytic activity at physiologically relevant Mg(2+) concentrations, for reasons that are still ill-understood. Here, we use Mg(2+) titrations, activity assays, ensemble, and single molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) approaches, combined with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to ask what influence the spatially distant tertiary loop-loop interactions of an extended hammerhead ribozyme have on its structural dynamics. By comparing hammerhead variants with wild-type, partially disrupted, and fully disrupted loop-loop interaction sequences we find that the tertiary interactions lead to a dynamic motional sampling that increasingly populates catalytically active conformations. At the global level the wild-type tertiary interactions lead to more frequent, if transient, encounters of the loop-carrying stems, whereas at the local level they lead to an enrichment in favorable in-line attack angles at the cleavage site. These results invoke a linkage between RNA structural dynamics and function and suggest that loop-loop interactions in extended hammerhead ribozymes-and Mg(2+) ions that bind to minimal ribozymes-may generally allow more frequent access to a catalytically relevant conformation(s), rather than simply locking the ribozyme into a single active state.

Structural dynamics of the box C/D RNA kink-turn and its complex with proteins: the role of the A-minor 0 interaction, long-residency water bridges, and structural ion-binding sites revealed by molecular simulations

Kink-turns (K-turns) are recurrent elbow-like RNA motifs that participate in protein-assisted RNA folding and contribute to RNA dynamics. We carried out a set of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using parm99 and parmbsc0 force fields to investigate structural dynamics of the box C/D RNA and its complexes with two proteins: native archaeal L7ae protein and human 15.5 kDa protein, originally bound to very similar structure of U4 snRNA. The box C/D RNA forms K-turn with A-minor 0 tertiary interaction between its canonical (C) and noncanonical (NC) stems. The local K-turn architecture is thus different from the previously studied ribosomal K-turns 38 and 42 having A-minor I interaction. The simulations reveal visible structural dynamics of this tertiary interaction involving altogether six substates which substantially contribute to the elbow-like flexibility of the K-turn. The interaction can even temporarily shift to the A-minor I type pattern; however, this is associated with distortion of the G/A base pair in the NC-stem of the K-turn. The simulations show reduction of the K-turn flexibility upon protein binding. The protein interacts with the apex of the K-turn and with the NC-stem. The protein-RNA interface includes long-residency hydration sites. We have also found long-residency hydration sites and major ion-binding sites associated with the K-turn itself. The overall topology of the K-turn remains stable in all simulations. However, in simulations of free K-turn, we observed instability of the key C16(O2')-A7(N1) H-bond, which is a signature interaction of K-turns and which was visibly more stable in simulations of K-turns possessing A-minor I interaction. It may reflect either some imbalance of the force field or it may be a correct indication of early stages of unfolding since this K-turn requires protein binding for its stabilization. Interestingly, the 16(O2')-7(N1) H- bond is usually not fully lost since it is replaced by a water bridge with a tightly bound water, which is adenine-specific similarly as the original interaction. The 16(O2')-7(N1) H-bond is stabilized by protein binding. The stabilizing effect is more visible with the human 15.5 kDa protein, which is attributed to valine to arginine substitution in the binding site. The behavior of the A-minor interaction is force-field-dependent because the parmbsc0 force field attenuates the A-minor fluctuations compared to parm99 simulations. Behavior of other regions of the box C/D RNA is not sensitive to the force field choice. Simulation with net-neutralizing Na(+) and 0.2 M excess salt conditions appear in all aspects equivalent. The simulations show loss of a hairpin tetraloop, which is not part of the K-turn. This was attributed to force field limitations.

Investigation of the catalytic mechanism of a synthetic DNAzyme with protein-like functionality: an RNaseA mimic?

The protein enzyme ribonuclease A (RNaseA) cleaves RNA with catalytic perfection, although with little sequence specificity, by a divalent metal ion (M(2+))-independent mechanism in which a pair of imidazoles provides general acid and base catalysis, while a cationic amine provides electrostatic stabilization of the transition state. Synthetic imitation of this remarkable organo-catalyst ("RNaseA mimicry") has been a longstanding goal in biomimetic chemistry. The 9(25)-11 DNAzyme contains synthetically modified nucleotides presenting both imidazole and cationic amine side chains, and catalyzes RNA cleavage with turnover in the absence of M(2+) similarly to RNaseA. Nevertheless, the catalytic roles, if any, of the "protein-like" functional groups have not been defined, and hence the question remains whether 9(25)-11 engages any of these functionalities to mimic aspects of the mechanism of RNaseA. To address this question, we report a mechanistic investigation of 9(25)-11 catalysis wherein we have employed a variety of experiments, such as DNAzyme functional group deletion, mechanism-based affinity labeling, and bridging and nonbridging phosphorothioate substitution of the scissile phosphate. Several striking parallels exist between the results presented here for 9(25)-11 and the results of analogous experiments applied previously to RNaseA. Specifically, our results implicate two particular imidazoles in general acid and base catalysis and suggest that a specific cationic amine stabilizes the transition state via diastereoselective interaction with the scissile phosphate. Overall, 9(25)-11 appears to meet the minimal criteria of an RNaseA mimic; this demonstrates how added synthetic functionality can expand the mechanistic repertoire available to a synthetic DNA-based catalyst.

Hammerhead ribozymes: true metal or nucleobase catalysis? Where is the catalytic power from?

The hammerhead ribozyme was first considered as a metalloenzyme despite persistent inconsistencies between structural and functional data. In the last decade, metal ions were confirmed as catalysts in self-splicing ribozymes but displaced by nucleobases in self-cleaving ribozymes. However, a model of catalysis just relying on nucleobases as catalysts does not fully fit some recent data. Gathering and comparing data on metal ions in self-cleaving and self-splicing ribozymes, the roles of divalent metal ions and nucleobases are revisited. Hypothetical models based on cooperation between metal ions and nucleobases are proposed for the catalysis and evolution of this prototype in RNA catalysis.

Protonation states of the key active site residues and structural dynamics of the glmS riboswitch as revealed by molecular dynamics

The glmS catalytic riboswitch is part of the 5'-untranslated region of mRNAs encoding glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN6P) synthetase (glmS) in numerous gram-positive bacteria. Binding of the cofactor GlcN6P induces site-specific self-cleavage of the RNA. However, the detailed reaction mechanism as well as the protonation state of the glmS reactive form still remains elusive. To probe the dominant protonation states of key active site residues, we carried out explicit solvent molecular dynamic simulations involving various protonation states of three crucial active site moieties observed in the available crystal structures: (i) guanine G40 (following the Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis numbering), (ii) the GlcN6P amino/ammonium group, and (iii) the GlcN6P phosphate moiety. We found that a deprotonated G40(-) seems incompatible with the observed glmS active site architecture. Our data suggest that the canonical form of G40 plays a structural role by stabilizing an in-line attack conformation of the cleavage site A-1(2'-OH) nucleophile, rather than a more direct chemical role. In addition, we observe weakened cofactor binding upon protonation of the GlcN6P phosphate moiety, which explains the experimentally observed increase in K(m) with decreasing pH. Finally, we discuss a possible role of cofactor binding and its interaction with the G65 and G1 purines in structural stabilization of the A-1(2'-OH) in-line attack conformation. On the basis of the identified dominant protonation state of the reaction precursor, we propose a hypothesis of the self-cleavage mechanism in which A-1(2'-OH) is activated as a nucleophile by the G1(pro-R(p)) nonbridging oxygen of the scissile phosphate, whereas the ammonium group of GlcN6P acts as the general acid protonating the G1(O5') leaving group.

Extensive molecular dynamics simulations showing that canonical G8 and protonated A38H+ forms are most consistent with crystal structures of hairpin ribozyme

The hairpin ribozyme is a prominent member of the group of small catalytic RNAs (RNA enzymes or ribozymes) because it does not require metal ions to achieve catalysis. Biochemical and structural data have implicated guanine 8 (G8) and adenine 38 (A38) as catalytic participants in cleavage and ligation catalyzed by the hairpin ribozyme, yet their exact role in catalysis remains disputed. To gain insight into dynamics in the active site of a minimal self-cleaving hairpin ribozyme, we have performed extensive classical, explicit-solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on time scales of 50-150 ns. Starting from the available X-ray crystal structures, we investigated the structural impact of the protonation states of G8 and A38, and the inactivating A-1(2'-methoxy) substitution employed in crystallography. Our simulations reveal that a canonical G8 agrees well with the crystal structures while a deprotonated G8 profoundly distorts the active site. Thus MD simulations do not support a straightforward participation of the deprotonated G8 in catalysis. By comparison, the G8 enol tautomer is structurally well tolerated, causing only local rearrangements in the active site. Furthermore, a protonated A38H(+) is more consistent with the crystallography data than a canonical A38. The simulations thus support the notion that A38H(+) is the dominant form in the crystals, grown at pH 6. In most simulations, the canonical A38 departs from the scissile phosphate and substantially perturbs the structures of the active site and S-turn. Yet, we occasionally also observe formation of a stable A-1(2'-OH)...A38(N1) hydrogen bond, which documents the ability of the ribozyme to form this hydrogen bond, consistent with a potential role of A38 as general base catalyst. The presence of this hydrogen bond is, however, incompatible with the expected in-line attack angle necessary for self-cleavage, requiring a rapid transition of the deprotonated 2'-oxyanion to a position more favorable for in-line attack after proton transfer from A-1(2'-OH) to A38(N1). The simulations revealed a potential force field artifact, occasional but irreversible formation of "ladder-like", underwound A-RNA structure in one of the external helices. Although it does not affect the catalytic center of the hairpin ribozyme, further studies are under way to better assess possible influence of such force field behavior on long RNA simulations.

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure on hydration and activity of ribozymes

Formation and stabilization of RNA structure in the cell depends on its interaction with solvent and metal ions. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is a convenient tool in an analysis of the role of small molecules in the structure stabilization of biological macromolecules. Analysis of HHP effect and various concentrations of ions showed that water induce formation of the active ribozyme structure. So, it is clear that water is the driving force of conformational changes of nucleic acid.

Molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics of RNA: conformational and chemical change we can believe in

Structure and dynamics are both critical to RNA’s vital functions in biology. Numerous techniques can elucidate the structural dynamics of RNA, but computational approaches based on experimental data arguably hold the promise of providing the most detail. In this Account, we highlight areas wherein molecular dynamics (MD) and quantum mechanical (QM) techniques are applied to RNA, particularly in relation to complementary experimental studies.

We have expanded on atomic-resolution crystal structures of RNAs in functionally relevant states by applying explicit solvent MD simulations to explore their dynamics and conformational changes on the submicrosecond time scale. MD relies on simplified atomistic, pairwise additive interaction potentials (force fields). Because of limited sampling, due to the finite accessible simulation time scale and the approximated force field, high-quality starting structures are required.

Despite their imperfection, we find that currently available force fields empower MD to provide meaningful and predictive information on RNA dynamics around a crystallographically defined energy minimum. The performance of force fields can be estimated by precise QM calculations on small model systems. Such calculations agree reasonably well with the Cornell et al. AMBER force field, particularly for stacking and hydrogen-bonding interactions. A final verification of any force field is accomplished by simulations of complex nucleic acid structures.

The performance of the Cornell et al. AMBER force field generally corresponds well with and augments experimental data, but one notable exception could be the capping loops of double-helical stems. In addition, the performance of pairwise additive force fields is obviously unsatisfactory for inclusion of divalent cations, because their interactions lead to major polarization and charge-transfer effects neglected by the force field. Neglect of polarization also limits, albeit to a lesser extent, the description accuracy of other contributions, such as interactions with monovalent ions, conformational flexibility of the anionic sugar−phosphate backbone, hydrogen bonding, and solute polarization by solvent. Still, despite limitations, MD simulations are a valid tool for analyzing the structural dynamics of existing experimental structures. Careful analysis of MD simulations can identify problematic aspects of an experimental RNA structure, unveil structural characteristics masked by experimental constraints, reveal functionally significant stochastic fluctuations, evaluate the structural role of base ionization, and predict structurally and potentially functionally important details of the solvent behavior, including the presence of tightly bound water molecules. Moreover, combining classical MD simulations with QM calculations in hybrid QM/MM approaches helps in the assessment of the plausibility of chemical mechanisms of catalytic RNAs (ribozymes).

In contrast, the reliable prediction of structure from sequence information is beyond the applicability of MD tools. The ultimate utility of computational studies in understanding RNA function thus requires that the results are neither blindly accepted nor flatly rejected, but rather considered in the context of all available experimental data, with great care given to assessing limitations through the available starting structures, force field approximations, and sampling limitations. The examples given in this Account showcase how the judicious use of basic MD simulations has already served as a powerful tool to help evaluate the role of structural dynamics in biological function of RNA.

An RNA molecular switch: Intrinsic flexibility of 23S rRNA Helices 40 and 68 5'-UAA/5'-GAN internal loops studied by molecular dynamics methods

Functional RNA molecules such as ribosomal RNAs frequently contain highly conserved internal loops with a 5'-UAA/5'-GAN (UAA/GAN) consensus sequence. The UAA/GAN internal loops adopt distinctive structure inconsistent with secondary structure predictions. The structure has a narrow major groove and forms a trans Hoogsteen/Sugar edge (tHS) A/G base pair followed by an unpaired stacked adenine, a trans Watson-Crick/Hoogsteen (tWH) U/A base pair and finally by a bulged nucleotide (N). The structure is further stabilized by a three-adenine stack and base-phosphate interaction. In the ribosome, the UAA/GAN internal loops are involved in extensive tertiary contacts, mainly as donors of A-minor interactions. Further, this sequence can adopt an alternative 2D/3D pattern stabilized by a four-adenine stack involved in a smaller number of tertiary interactions. The solution structure of an isolated UAA/GAA internal loop shows substantially rearranged base pairing with three consecutive non-Watson-Crick base pairs. Its A/U base pair adopts an incomplete cis Watson-Crick/Sugar edge (cWS) A/U conformation instead of the expected Watson-Crick arrangement. We performed 3.1 µs of explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the X-ray and NMR UAA/GAN structures, supplemented by MM-PBSA free energy calculations, locally enhanced sampling (LES) runs, targeted MD (TMD) and nudged elastic band (NEB) analysis. We compared parm99 and parmbsc0 force fields and net-neutralizing Na(+) vs. excess salt KCl ion environments. Both force fields provide a similar description of the simulated structures, with the parmbsc0 leading to modest narrowing of the major groove. The excess salt simulations also cause a similar effect. While the NMR structure is entirely stable in simulations, the simulated X-ray structure shows considerable widening of the major groove, loss of base-phosphate interaction and other instabilities. The alternative X-ray geometry even undergoes conformational transition towards the solution 2D structure. Free energy calculations confirm that the X-ray arrangement is less stable than the solution structure. LES, TMD and NEB provide a rather consistent pathway for interconversion between the X-ray and NMR structures. In simulations, the incomplete cWS A/U base pair of the NMR structure is water mediated and alternates with the canonical A-U base pair, which is not indicated by the NMR data. Completion of full cWS A/U base pair is prevented by the overall internal loop arrangement. In summary, the simulations confirm that the UAA/GAN internal loop is a molecular switch RNA module that adopts its functional geometry upon specific tertiary contexts.

Free energy calculation of modified base-pair formation in explicit solvent: A predictive model

The maturation of RNAs includes site-specific post-transcriptional modifications that contribute significantly to hydrogen bond formation within RNA and between different RNAs, especially in formation of mismatch base pairs. Thus, an understanding of the geometry and strength of the base-pairing of modified ribonucleoside 5'-monophosphates, previously not defined, is applicable to investigations of RNA structure and function and of the design of novel RNAs. The geometry and free energies of base-pairings were calculated in aqueous solution under neutral conditions with AMBER force fields and molecular dynamics simulations (MDSs). For example, unmodified uridines were observed to bind to uridine and cytidine with significant stability, but the ribose C1'-C1' distances were far short ( approximately 8.9 A) of distances observed for canonical A-form RNA helices. In contrast, 5-oxyacetic acid uridine, known to bind adenosine, wobble to guanosine, and form mismatch base pairs with uridine and cytidine, bound adenosine and guanosine with geometries and energies comparable to an unmodified uridine. However, the 5-oxyacetic acid uridine base paired to uridine and cytidine with a C1'-C1' distance comparable to that of an A-form helix, approximately 11 A, when a H(2)O molecule migrated between and stably hydrogen bonded to both bases. Even in formation of canonical base pairs, intermediate structures with a second energy minimum consisted of transient H(2)O molecules forming hydrogen bonded bridges between the two bases. Thus, MDS is predictive of the effects of modifications, H(2)O molecule intervention in the formation of base-pair geometry, and energies that are important for native RNA structure and function.

Hydration modes of an amphiphilic molecule: NMR, FTIR, and theoretical study of the interactions in the water-lutidine system

Using (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra and relaxations, PFG NMR diffusion measurements, FTIR spectra, and quantum-chemical structure predictions and optimizations on the MP2/6-31G(d) level, we have studied interactions between water (W) and lutidine (2,6-dimethylpyridine, L) in a wide range of ratios. At low W content up to 35%, W was found to bind to L by an O-H***N hydrogen bond and form transient L-W aggregates containing two to four L molecules in cooperation with two to three other W molecules. At higher W content, these aggregates are gradually cleaved to single L molecules enwrapped by a hydration shell anchored in an O-H***N hydrogen bond. At all compositions of the mixture, the various hydrate forms are in fast mutual exchange with a correlation time on the order of 1 x 10(-5) s.