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Amala M, Nagarajan H, Ahila M, Nachiappan M, Veerapandiyan M, Vetrivel U, Jeyakanthan J. Unveiling the intricacies of allosteric regulation in aspartate kinase from the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Brugia Malayi: Mechanistic and therapeutic insights. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 267:131326. [PMID: 38569988 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131326] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Aspartate kinase (AK), an enzyme from the Wolbachia endosymbiont of Brugia malayi (WBm), plays a pivotal role in the bacterial cell wall and amino acid biosynthesis, rendering it an attractive candidate for therapeutic intervention. Allosteric inhibition of aspartate kinase is a prevalent mode of regulation across microorganisms and plants, often modulated by end products such as lysine, threonine, methionine, or meso-diaminopimelate. The intricate and diverse nature of microbial allosteric regulation underscores the need for rigorous investigation. This study employs a combined experimental and computational approach to decipher the allosteric regulation of WBmAK. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations elucidate that ATP (cofactor) and ASP (substrate) binding induce a closed conformation, promoting enzymatic activity. In contrast, the binding of lysine (allosteric inhibitor) leads to enzyme inactivation and an open conformation. The enzymatic assay demonstrates the optimal activity of WBmAK at 28 °C and a pH of 8.0. Notably, the allosteric inhibition study highlights lysine as a more potent inhibitor compared to threonine. Importantly, this investigation sheds light on the allosteric mechanism governing WBmAK and imparts novel insights into structure-based drug discovery, paving the way for the development of effective inhibitors against filarial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathimaran Amala
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Hemavathy Nagarajan
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mathimaran Ahila
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mutharasappan Nachiappan
- Structural and Computational Biology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110 067, India
| | - Malaisamy Veerapandiyan
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Umashankar Vetrivel
- Virology & Biotechnology/Bioinformatics Division, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 031, India
| | - Jeyaraman Jeyakanthan
- Structural Biology and Biocomputing Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Erlista GP, Ahmed N, Swasono RT, Raharjo S, Raharjo TJ. Proteome of monocled cobra ( Naja kaouthia) venom and potent anti breast cancer peptide from trypsin hydrolyzate of the venom protein. Saudi Pharm J 2023; 31:1115-1124. [PMID: 37293380 PMCID: PMC10244474 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Anticancer peptide is one of the target in the development of new anticancer drug. Bioactive peptide can be originated from isolated free peptide or produced by hydrolysis of protein. Protein is the main component of Naja kaouthia venom, and due to the toxicity of the venom, it can be assessed as the source of anticancer peptides. This study aims to characterize the venom protein and to identify peptides from the snake venom of N. kaouthia as anticancer. Proteome analysis was employed trypsin hydrolysis of N. kaouthia venom protein completed with HRMS analysis protein database query. Preparative tryptic hydrolysis of the protein followed by reverse-phased fractionation and anti breast cancer activity testing were performed to identify the potent anticancer from the hydrolysate. Proteomic analysis by high-resolution mass spectrometry revealed that there are 20 enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins in N. kaouthia venom. The 25% methanol peptide fraction had the most active anticancer activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells and showed promising selectivity (selectivity index = 12.87). Amino acid sequences of eight peptides were identified as potentially providing anticancer compounds. Molecular docking analysis showed that WWSDHR and IWDTIEK peptides gave specific interactions and better binding affinity energy with values of -9.3 kcal/mol and -8.4 kcal/mol, respectively. This study revealed peptides from the snake venom of N. kaouthia became a potent source of new anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garnis Putri Erlista
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Naseer Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Respati Tri Swasono
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Slamet Raharjo
- Department Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Tri Joko Raharjo
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
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Miret-Casals L, Van De Putte S, Aerssens D, Diharce J, Bonnet P, Madder A. Equipping Coiled-Coil Peptide Dimers With Furan Warheads Reveals Novel Cross-Link Partners. Front Chem 2022; 9:799706. [PMID: 35252125 PMCID: PMC8888431 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.799706] [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: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a coiled-coil peptide dimer as a model system to explore furan reactivity, we describe novel cross-link partners of furan warheads for site-specific cross-linking. We demonstrate that replacement of weak interhelical ionic contacts with a furan moiety and its potential cross-link partner affords covalently connected coiled-coil motifs upon furan activation. We describe for the first time the reaction of the activated furan warhead with cysteine and tyrosine, besides the previously reported lysine, thus enhancing the versatility of the furan cross-link methodology by the possibility to target different amino acids. The present in vitro validation of “furan-armed” α-helices provides further grounds for exploiting furan technology in the development of furan-modified ligands/proteins to target proteins in a covalent way through various amino acid side chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Miret-Casals
- Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Laia Miret-Casals, ; Annemieke Madder,
| | - Sander Van De Putte
- Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dorien Aerssens
- Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Julien Diharce
- Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, Université d’Orléans, UMR CNRS 7311, Orléans, France
| | - Pascal Bonnet
- Institut de Chimie Organique et Analytique, Université d’Orléans, UMR CNRS 7311, Orléans, France
| | - Annemieke Madder
- Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Faculty of Science, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Laia Miret-Casals, ; Annemieke Madder,
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Duraisamy K, Singh K, Kumar M, Lefranc B, Bonnafé E, Treilhou M, Leprince J, Chow BKC. P17 induces chemotaxis and differentiation of monocytes via MRGPRX2-mediated mast cell-line activation. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022; 149:275-291. [PMID: 34111449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2021.04.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND P17, a peptide isolated from Tetramorium bicarinatum ant venom, is known to induce an alternative phenotype of human monocyte-derived macrophages via activation of an unknown G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate the mechanism of action and the immunomodulatory effects of P17 mediated through MRGPRX2 (Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor X2). METHODS To identify the GPCR for P17, we screened 314 GPCRs. Upon identification of MRGPRX2, a battery of in silico, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo assays along with the receptor mutation studies were performed. In particular, to investigate the immunomodulatory actions, we used β-hexosaminidase release assay, cytokine releases, quantification of mRNA expression, cell migration and differentiation assays, immunohistochemical labeling, hematoxylin and eosin, and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS P17 activated MRGPRX2 in a dose-dependent manner in β-arrestin recruitment assay. In LAD2 cells, P17 induced calcium and β-hexosaminidase release. Quercetin- and short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of MRGPRX2 reduced P17-evoked β-hexosaminidase release. In silico and in vitro mutagenesis studies showed that residue Lys8 of P17 formed a cation-π interaction with the Phe172 of MRGPRX2 and [Ala8]P17 lost its activity partially. P17 activated LAD2 cells to recruit THP-1 and human monocytes in Transwell migration assay, whereas MRGPRX2-impaired LAD2 cells cannot. In addition, P17-treated LAD2 cells stimulated differentiation of THP-1 and human monocytes, as indicated by the enhanced expression of macrophage markers cluster of differentiation 11b and TNF-α by quantitative RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining suggested monocyte recruitment in mice ears injected with P17. CONCLUSIONS Our data provide novel structural information regarding the interaction of P17 with MRGPRX2 and intracellular pathways for its immunomodulatory action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthi Duraisamy
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Kailash Singh
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Benjamin Lefranc
- INSERM U1239, PRIMACEN, IRIB, Normandy University, Rouen, France
| | - Elsa Bonnafé
- EA7417 BTSB, Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, INU Champollion, Albi, France
| | - Michel Treilhou
- EA7417 BTSB, Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, INU Champollion, Albi, France
| | - Jérôme Leprince
- INSERM U1239, PRIMACEN, IRIB, Normandy University, Rouen, France.
| | - Billy K C Chow
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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Düzgüneş N, Fernandez-Fuentes N, Konopka K. Inhibition of Viral Membrane Fusion by Peptides and Approaches to Peptide Design. Pathogens 2021; 10:1599. [PMID: 34959554 PMCID: PMC8709411 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10121599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fusion of lipid-enveloped viruses with the cellular plasma membrane or the endosome membrane is mediated by viral envelope proteins that undergo large conformational changes following binding to receptors. The HIV-1 fusion protein gp41 undergoes a transition into a "six-helix bundle" after binding of the surface protein gp120 to the CD4 receptor and a co-receptor. Synthetic peptides that mimic part of this structure interfere with the formation of the helix structure and inhibit membrane fusion. This approach also works with the S spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Here we review the peptide inhibitors of membrane fusion involved in infection by influenza virus, HIV-1, MERS and SARS coronaviruses, hepatitis viruses, paramyxoviruses, flaviviruses, herpesviruses and filoviruses. We also describe recent computational methods used for the identification of peptide sequences that can interact strongly with protein interfaces, with special emphasis on SARS-CoV-2, using the PePI-Covid19 database.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nejat Düzgüneş
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA;
| | - Narcis Fernandez-Fuentes
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3EE, UK;
| | - Krystyna Konopka
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA;
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Xu Z, Wauchope OR, Frank AT. Navigating Chemical Space by Interfacing Generative Artificial Intelligence and Molecular Docking. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:5589-5600. [PMID: 34633194 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Here, we report the implementation and application of a simple, structure-aware framework to generate target-specific screening libraries. Our approach combines advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) with conventional molecular docking to explore chemical space conditioned on the unique physicochemical properties of the active site of a biomolecular target. As a demonstration, we used our framework, which we refer to as sample-and-dock, to construct focused libraries for cyclin-dependent kinase type-2 (CDK2) and the active site of the main protease (Mpro) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We envision that the sample-and-dock framework could be used to generate theoretical maps of the chemical space specific to a given target and so provide information about its molecular recognition characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqiao Xu
- Chemistry Department, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Orrette R Wauchope
- Department of Natural Sciences, City University of New York, Baruch College, New York, New York 10010, United States
| | - Aaron T Frank
- Biophysics Program, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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Sun L, Fu T, Zhao D, Fan H, Zhong S. Divide-and-link peptide docking: a fragment-based peptide docking protocol. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:22647-22660. [PMID: 34596658 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02098f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Protein-peptide interactions are crucial for various important cellular regulations, and are also a basis for understanding protein-protein interactions, protein folding and peptide drug design. Due to the limited structural data obtained using experimental methods, it is necessary to predict protein-peptide interaction modes using computational methods. In the present work, we designed a fragment-based docking protocol, Divide-and-Link Peptide Docking (DLPepDock), to predict protein-peptide binding modes. This protocol contains the following steps: dividing the peptide into fragments and separately docking the fragments using a third-party small molecular docking tool, linking the docked fragmental poses to form the whole peptide conformations via fragmental coordinate transformation using our in-house program, removing unreasonable poses according to several geometrical filters, extracting representative conformations after clustering for further minimization using the steepest descent and conjugation gradient methods based on a full-atom molecular force field and finally scoring using the MM/PBSA binding energy calculation implemented in Amber. When tested on the LEADS-PEP benchmark data set of 26 diverse complexes with peptides of 6-12 residues, FlexPepDock ab initio and AutoDock CrankPep achieved superior results. DLPepDock performed better than the other 15 docking protocols implemented in nine docking programs (HPepDock, DockThor, rDock, Glide, LeDock, AutoDock, AutoDock Vina, Surflex, and GOLD). The Linux scripts to call the third-party tools and run all the calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Sun
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, P. R. China.
| | - Tingting Fu
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, P. R. China. .,School of Tropical Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, 570102, P. R. China
| | - Dan Zhao
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, P. R. China.
| | - Hongjun Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Shijun Zhong
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning, 116024, P. R. China.
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Tran-Nguyen VK, Le MT, Tran TD, Truong VD, Thai KM. Peramivir binding affinity with influenza A neuraminidase and research on its mutations using an induced-fit docking approach. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 30:899-917. [PMID: 31645133 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2019.1679248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) has caused epidemic infections worldwide, with many strains resistant to inhibitors of a surface protein, neuraminidase (NA), due to point mutations on its structure. A novel NA inhibitor named peramivir was recently approved, but no exhaustive computational research regarding its binding affinity with wild-type and mutant NA has been conducted. In this study, a thorough investigation of IAV-NA PDB entries of 9 subtypes is described, providing a list of residues constituting the protein-ligand binding sites. The results of induced-fit docking approach point out key residues of wild-type NA participating in hydrogen bonds and/or ionic interactions with peramivir, among which Arg 368 is responsible for a peramivir-NA ionic interaction. Mutations on this residue greatly reduced the binding affinity of peramivir with NA, with 3 mutations R378Q, R378K and R378L (NA6) capable of deteriorating the docking performance of peramivir by over 50%. 200 compounds from 6-scaffolds were docked into these 3 mutant versions, revealing 18 compounds giving the most promising results. Among them, CMC-2012-7-1527-56 (benzoic acid scaffold, IC50 = 32 nM in inhibitory assays with IAV) is deemed the most potential inhibitor of mutant NA resisting both peramivir and zanamivir, and should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- V K Tran-Nguyen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - M T Le
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- School of Medicine, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - T D Tran
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - V D Truong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - K M Thai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
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