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Davidson CB, El Sabbagh DES, Machado AK, Pappis L, Sagrillo MR, Somacal S, Emanuelli T, Schultz JV, Augusto Pereira da Rocha J, Santos AFD, Fagan SB, Silva IZD, Andreazza AC, Machado AK. Euterpe oleracea Mart. Bioactive Molecules: Promising Agents to Modulate the NLRP3 Inflammasome. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:729. [PMID: 39336156 PMCID: PMC11428631 DOI: 10.3390/biology13090729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024]
Abstract
Inflammation is a vital mechanism that defends the organism against infections and restores homeostasis. However, when inflammation becomes uncontrolled, it leads to chronic inflammation. The NLRP3 inflammasome is crucial in chronic inflammatory responses and has become a focal point in research for new anti-inflammatory therapies. Flavonoids like catechin, apigenin, and epicatechin are known for their bioactive properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, etc.), but the mechanisms behind their anti-inflammatory actions remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the ability of various flavonoids (isolated and combined) to modulate the NLRP3 inflammasome using in silico and in vitro models. Computer simulations, such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and MM/GBSA calculations examined the interactions between bioactive molecules and NLRP3 PYD. THP1 cells were treated with LPS + nigericin to activate NLRP3, followed by flavonoid treatment at different concentrations. THP1-derived macrophages were also treated following NLRP3 activation protocols. The assays included colorimetric, fluorometric, microscopic, and molecular techniques. The results showed that catechin, apigenin, and epicatechin had high binding affinity to NLRP3 PYD, similar to the known NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950. These flavonoids, particularly at 1 µg/mL, 0.1 µg/mL, and 0.01 µg/mL, respectively, significantly reduced LPS + nigericin effects in both cell types and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine, caspase-1, and NLRP3 gene expression, suggesting their potential as anti-inflammatory agents through NLRP3 modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Bordin Davidson
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
- Laboratory of Cell Culture and Bioactive Effects, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda Kolinski Machado
- Laboratory of Cell Culture and Bioactive Effects, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
| | - Lauren Pappis
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C8, Canada
| | | | - Sabrina Somacal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Emanuelli
- Department of Technology and Food Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Júlia Vaz Schultz
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
| | - João Augusto Pereira da Rocha
- Federal Institute of Pará, Bragança Campus, Computational Chemistry and Modeling Laboratory, Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil
| | | | - Solange Binotto Fagan
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
| | - Ivana Zanella da Silva
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Andreazza
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2C8, Canada
| | - Alencar Kolinski Machado
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
- Laboratory of Cell Culture and Bioactive Effects, Franciscan University, Santa Maria 97010-030, RS, Brazil
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2
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Jin M, Seed RI, Cai G, Shing T, Wang L, Ito S, Cormier A, Wankowicz SA, Jespersen JM, Baron JL, Carey ND, Campbell MG, Yu Z, Tang PK, Cossio P, Wen W, Lou J, Marks J, Nishimura SL, Cheng Y. Dynamic allostery drives autocrine and paracrine TGF-β signaling. Cell 2024:S0092-8674(24)00965-6. [PMID: 39288764 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
TGF-β, essential for development and immunity, is expressed as a latent complex (L-TGF-β) non-covalently associated with its prodomain and presented on immune cell surfaces by covalent association with GARP. Binding to integrin αvβ8 activates L-TGF-β1/GARP. The dogma is that mature TGF-β must physically dissociate from L-TGF-β1 for signaling to occur. Our previous studies discovered that αvβ8-mediated TGF-β autocrine signaling can occur without TGF-β1 release from its latent form. Here, we show that mice engineered to express TGF-β1 that cannot release from L-TGF-β1 survive without early lethal tissue inflammation, unlike those with TGF-β1 deficiency. Combining cryogenic electron microscopy with cell-based assays, we reveal a dynamic allosteric mechanism of autocrine TGF-β1 signaling without release where αvβ8 binding redistributes the intrinsic flexibility of L-TGF-β1 to expose TGF-β1 to its receptors. Dynamic allostery explains the TGF-β3 latency/activation mechanism and why TGF-β3 functions distinctly from TGF-β1, suggesting that it broadly applies to other flexible cell surface receptor/ligand systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingliang Jin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Robert I Seed
- Department of Pathology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Guoqing Cai
- Department of Pathology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tiffany Shing
- Department of Pathology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Pathology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Saburo Ito
- Department of Pathology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jody L Baron
- Department of Medicine and UCSF Liver Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas D Carey
- Department of Medicine and UCSF Liver Center, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Melody G Campbell
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Zanlin Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Phu K Tang
- Center for Computational Mathematics, Flatiron Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pilar Cossio
- Center for Computational Mathematics, Flatiron Institute, New York, NY, USA; Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Weihua Wen
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jianlong Lou
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - James Marks
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Yifan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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3
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Guclu TF, Atilgan AR, Atilgan C. Deciphering GB1's Single Mutational Landscape: Insights from MuMi Analysis. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:7987-7996. [PMID: 39115184 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c04916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Mutational changes that affect the binding of the C2 fragment of Streptococcal protein G (GB1) to the Fc domain of human IgG (IgG-Fc) have been extensively studied using deep mutational scanning (DMS), and the binding affinity of all single mutations has been measured experimentally in the literature. To investigate the underlying molecular basis, we perform in silico mutational scanning for all possible single mutations, along with 2 μs-long molecular dynamics (WT-MD) of the wild-type (WT) GB1 in both unbound and IgG-Fc bound forms. We compute the hydrogen bonds between GB1 and IgG-Fc in WT-MD to identify the dominant hydrogen bonds for binding, which we then assess in conformations produced by Mutation and Minimization (MuMi) to explain the fitness landscape of GB1 and IgG-Fc binding. Furthermore, we analyze MuMi and WT-MD to investigate the dynamics of binding, focusing on the relative solvent accessibility of residues and the probability of residues being located at the binding interface. With these analyses, we explain the interactions between GB1 and IgG-Fc and display the structural features of binding. In sum, our findings highlight the potential of MuMi as a reliable and computationally efficient tool for predicting protein fitness landscapes, offering significant advantages over traditional methods. The methodologies and results presented in this study pave the way for improved predictive accuracy in protein stability and interaction studies, which are crucial for advancements in drug design and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tandac F Guclu
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Sabanci University, Tuzla, Istanbul 34956, Turkey
| | - Ali Rana Atilgan
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Sabanci University, Tuzla, Istanbul 34956, Turkey
| | - Canan Atilgan
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Sabanci University, Tuzla, Istanbul 34956, Turkey
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4
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Yu SJ, So YS, Lim C, Cho CH, Lee SG, Yoo SH, Park CS, Lee BH, Min KH, Seo DH. Efficient biotransformation of naringenin to naringenin α-glucoside, a novel α-glucosidase inhibitor, by amylosucrase from Deinococcus wulumuquiensis. Food Chem 2024; 448:139182. [PMID: 38569413 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.139182] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Amylosucrase (ASase) efficiently biosynthesizes α-glucoside using flavonoids as acceptor molecules and sucrose as a donor molecule. Here, ASase from Deinococcus wulumuqiensis (DwAS) biosynthesized more naringenin α-glucoside (NαG) with sucrose and naringenin as donor and acceptor molecules, respectively, than other ASases from Deinococcus sp. The biotransformation rate of DwAS to NαG was 21.3% compared to 7.1-16.2% for other ASases. Docking simulations showed that the active site of DwAS was more accessible to naringenin than those of others. The 217th valine in DwAS corresponded to the 221st isoleucine in Deinococcus geothermalis AS (DgAS), and the isoleucine possibly prevented naringenin from accessing the active site. The DwAS-V217I mutant had a significantly lower biosynthetic rate of NαG than DwAS. The kcat/Km value of DwAS with naringenin as the donor was significantly higher than that of DgAS and DwAS-V217I. In addition, NαG inhibited human intestinal α-glucosidase more efficiently than naringenin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Jeong Yu
- Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Sang So
- Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Changjin Lim
- School of Pharmacy and Institute of New Drug Development, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Chi Heung Cho
- Division of Functional Food Research Group, Korea Food Research Institute, Wanju 55365, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Gil Lee
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Ho Yoo
- Department of Food Science & Biotechnology and Carbohydrate Bioproduct Research Center, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheon-Seok Park
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Biotechnology and Institute of Life Science and Resources, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Hoo Lee
- Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, College of BioNano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Hyun Min
- School of Pharmacy and Institute of New Drug Development, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong-Ho Seo
- Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea; Department of Food Science & Biotechnology and Carbohydrate Bioproduct Research Center, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea; Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Biotechnology and Institute of Life Science and Resources, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Republic of Korea.
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5
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Berksoz M, Atilgan C. Allosteric modulation of fluorescence revealed by hydrogen bond dynamics in a genetically encoded maltose biosensor. Proteins 2024; 92:923-932. [PMID: 38572606 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors (GEFBs) proved to be reliable tracers for many metabolites and cellular processes. In the simplest case, a fluorescent protein (FP) is genetically fused to a sensing protein which undergoes a conformational change upon ligand binding. This drives a rearrangement in the chromophore environment and changes the spectral properties of the FP. Structural determinants of successful biosensors are revealed only in hindsight when the crystal structures of both ligand-bound and ligand-free forms are available. This makes the development of new biosensors for desired analytes a long trial-and-error process. In the current study, we conducted μs-long all atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a maltose biosensor in both the apo (dark) and holo (bright) forms. We performed detailed hydrogen bond occupancy analyses to shed light on the mechanism of ligand induced conformational change in the sensor protein and its allosteric effect on the chromophore environment. We find that two strong indicators for distinguishing bright and dark states of biosensors are due to substantial changes in hydrogen bond dynamics in the system and solvent accessibility of the chromophore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melike Berksoz
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Turkey
| | - Canan Atilgan
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, Turkey
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da Rocha ECM, da Rocha JAP, da Costa RA, da Costa ADSS, Barbosa EDS, Josino LPC, Brasil LDSNDS, Vendrame LFO, Machado AK, Fagan SB, Brasil DDSB. High-Throughput Molecular Modeling and Evaluation of the Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Açaí Constituents against NLRP3 Inflammasome. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8112. [PMID: 39125681 PMCID: PMC11311378 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The search for bioactive compounds in natural products holds promise for discovering new pharmacologically active molecules. This study explores the anti-inflammatory potential of açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) constituents against the NLRP3 inflammasome using high-throughput molecular modeling techniques. Utilizing methods such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, binding free energy calculations (MM/GBSA), and in silico toxicology, we compared açaí compounds with known NLRP3 inhibitors, MCC950 and NP3-146 (RM5). The docking studies revealed significant interactions between açaí constituents and the NLRP3 protein, while molecular dynamics simulations indicated structural stabilization. MM/GBSA calculations demonstrated favorable binding energies for catechin, apigenin, and epicatechin, although slightly lower than those of MCC950 and RM5. Importantly, in silico toxicology predicted lower toxicity for açaí compounds compared to synthetic inhibitors. These findings suggest that açaí-derived compounds are promising candidates for developing new anti-inflammatory therapies targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome, combining efficacy with a superior safety profile. Future research should include in vitro and in vivo validation to confirm the therapeutic potential and safety of these natural products. This study underscores the value of computational approaches in accelerating natural product-based drug discovery and highlights the pharmacological promise of Amazonian biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Cristina Medeiros da Rocha
- Laboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará (IFPA) Campus Bragança, Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Biosolutions and Bioplastics of the Amazon, Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (R.A.d.C.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (E.d.S.B.); (L.d.S.N.d.S.B.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
- Graduate Program in Chemistry, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil
| | - João Augusto Pereira da Rocha
- Laboratory of Modeling and Computational Chemistry, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará (IFPA) Campus Bragança, Bragança 68600-000, PA, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Biosolutions and Bioplastics of the Amazon, Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (R.A.d.C.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (E.d.S.B.); (L.d.S.N.d.S.B.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
- Graduate Program in Chemistry, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil
- Laboratório de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Naturais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil;
| | - Renato Araújo da Costa
- Laboratory of Biosolutions and Bioplastics of the Amazon, Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (R.A.d.C.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (E.d.S.B.); (L.d.S.N.d.S.B.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Evolution and Microbiology, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará (IFPA) Campus Abaetetuba, Abaetetuba 68440-000, PA, Brazil
| | - Andreia do Socorro Silva da Costa
- Laboratory of Biosolutions and Bioplastics of the Amazon, Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (R.A.d.C.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (E.d.S.B.); (L.d.S.N.d.S.B.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Evolution and Microbiology, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará (IFPA) Campus Abaetetuba, Abaetetuba 68440-000, PA, Brazil
| | - Edielson dos Santos Barbosa
- Laboratory of Biosolutions and Bioplastics of the Amazon, Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (R.A.d.C.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (E.d.S.B.); (L.d.S.N.d.S.B.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
| | - Luiz Patrick Cordeiro Josino
- Laboratório de Planejamento e Desenvolvimento de Fármacos, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Naturais, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil;
| | - Luciane do Socorro Nunes dos Santos Brasil
- Laboratory of Biosolutions and Bioplastics of the Amazon, Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (R.A.d.C.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (E.d.S.B.); (L.d.S.N.d.S.B.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
| | - Laura Fernanda Osmari Vendrame
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscana University, Santa Maria 97010-032, RS, Brazil; (L.F.O.V.); (A.K.M.); (S.B.F.)
| | - Alencar Kolinski Machado
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscana University, Santa Maria 97010-032, RS, Brazil; (L.F.O.V.); (A.K.M.); (S.B.F.)
| | - Solange Binotto Fagan
- Graduate Program in Nanosciences, Franciscana University, Santa Maria 97010-032, RS, Brazil; (L.F.O.V.); (A.K.M.); (S.B.F.)
| | - Davi do Socorro Barros Brasil
- Laboratory of Biosolutions and Bioplastics of the Amazon, Graduate Program in Science and Environment, Institute of Exact and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (R.A.d.C.); (A.d.S.S.d.C.); (E.d.S.B.); (L.d.S.N.d.S.B.); (D.d.S.B.B.)
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7
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Wankowicz SA, Ravikumar A, Sharma S, Riley B, Raju A, Hogan DW, Flowers J, van den Bedem H, Keedy DA, Fraser JS. Automated multiconformer model building for X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM. eLife 2024; 12:RP90606. [PMID: 38904665 PMCID: PMC11192534 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In their folded state, biomolecules exchange between multiple conformational states that are crucial for their function. Traditional structural biology methods, such as X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), produce density maps that are ensemble averages, reflecting molecules in various conformations. Yet, most models derived from these maps explicitly represent only a single conformation, overlooking the complexity of biomolecular structures. To accurately reflect the diversity of biomolecular forms, there is a pressing need to shift toward modeling structural ensembles that mirror the experimental data. However, the challenge of distinguishing signal from noise complicates manual efforts to create these models. In response, we introduce the latest enhancements to qFit, an automated computational strategy designed to incorporate protein conformational heterogeneity into models built into density maps. These algorithmic improvements in qFit are substantiated by superior Rfree and geometry metrics across a wide range of proteins. Importantly, unlike more complex multicopy ensemble models, the multiconformer models produced by qFit can be manually modified in most major model building software (e.g., Coot) and fit can be further improved by refinement using standard pipelines (e.g., Phenix, Refmac, Buster). By reducing the barrier of creating multiconformer models, qFit can foster the development of new hypotheses about the relationship between macromolecular conformational dynamics and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Wankowicz
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Ashraya Ravikumar
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Shivani Sharma
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Ph.D. Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNew YorkUnited States
| | - Blake Riley
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Akshay Raju
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research CenterNew YorkUnited States
| | - Daniel W Hogan
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Jessica Flowers
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Atomwise IncSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Daniel A Keedy
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research CenterNew YorkUnited States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New YorkNew YorkUnited States
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry, Biology and Chemistry, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkNew YorkUnited States
| | - James S Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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8
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Woods VA, Abzalimov RR, Keedy DA. Native dynamics and allosteric responses in PTP1B probed by high-resolution HDX-MS. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5024. [PMID: 38801229 PMCID: PMC11129624 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a validated therapeutic target for obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. In particular, allosteric inhibitors hold potential for therapeutic use, but an incomplete understanding of conformational dynamics and allostery in this protein has hindered their development. Here, we interrogate solution dynamics and allosteric responses in PTP1B using high-resolution hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), an emerging and powerful biophysical technique. Using HDX-MS, we obtain a detailed map of backbone amide exchange that serves as a proxy for the solution dynamics of apo PTP1B, revealing several flexible loops interspersed among more constrained and rigid regions within the protein structure, as well as local regions that exchange faster than expected from their secondary structure and solvent accessibility. We demonstrate that our HDX rate data obtained in solution adds value to estimates of conformational heterogeneity derived from a pseudo-ensemble constructed from ~200 crystal structures of PTP1B. Furthermore, we report HDX-MS maps for PTP1B with active-site versus allosteric small-molecule inhibitors. These maps suggest distinct and widespread effects on protein dynamics relative to the apo form, including changes in locations distal (>35 Å) from the respective ligand binding sites. These results illuminate that allosteric inhibitors of PTP1B can induce unexpected changes in dynamics that extend beyond the previously understood allosteric network. Together, our data suggest a model of BB3 allostery in PTP1B that combines conformational restriction of active-site residues with compensatory liberation of distal residues that aid in entropic balancing. Overall, our work showcases the potential of HDX-MS for elucidating aspects of protein conformational dynamics and allosteric effects of small-molecule ligands and highlights the potential of integrating HDX-MS alongside other complementary methods, such as room-temperature X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations, to guide the development of new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virgil A. Woods
- Structural Biology InitiativeCUNY Advanced Science Research CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- PhD Program in BiochemistryCUNY Graduate CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Rinat R. Abzalimov
- Structural Biology InitiativeCUNY Advanced Science Research CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Daniel A. Keedy
- Structural Biology InitiativeCUNY Advanced Science Research CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryCity College of New YorkNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- PhD Programs in Biochemistry, Biology, & ChemistryCUNY Graduate CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
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9
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Zhu J, Gu Z, Pei J, Lai L. DiffBindFR: an SE(3) equivariant network for flexible protein-ligand docking. Chem Sci 2024; 15:7926-7942. [PMID: 38817560 PMCID: PMC11134415 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06803j] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular docking, a key technique in structure-based drug design, plays pivotal roles in protein-ligand interaction modeling, hit identification and optimization, in which accurate prediction of protein-ligand binding mode is essential. Conventional docking approaches perform well in redocking tasks with known protein binding pocket conformation in the complex state. However, in real-world docking scenario without knowing the protein binding conformation for a new ligand, accurately modeling the binding complex structure remains challenging as flexible docking is computationally expensive and inaccurate. Typical deep learning-based docking methods do not explicitly consider protein side chain conformations and fail to ensure the physical plausibility and detailed atomic interactions. In this study, we present DiffBindFR, a full-atom diffusion-based flexible docking model that operates over the product space of ligand overall movements and flexibility and pocket side chain torsion changes. We show that DiffBindFR has higher accuracy in producing native-like binding structures with physically plausible and detailed interactions than available docking methods. Furthermore, in the Apo and AlphaFold2 modeled structures, DiffBindFR demonstrates superior advantages in accurate ligand binding pose and protein binding conformation prediction, making it suitable for Apo and AlphaFold2 structure-based drug design. DiffBindFR provides a powerful flexible docking tool for modeling accurate protein-ligand binding structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jintao Zhu
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Zhonghui Gu
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Jianfeng Pei
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
| | - Luhua Lai
- Center for Quantitative Biology, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
- BNLMS, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 China
- Peking University Chengdu Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Biotechnologies Chengdu Sichuan China
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10
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Wankowicz SA, Ravikumar A, Sharma S, Riley BT, Raju A, Flowers J, Hogan D, van den Bedem H, Keedy DA, Fraser JS. Uncovering Protein Ensembles: Automated Multiconformer Model Building for X-ray Crystallography and Cryo-EM. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.06.28.546963. [PMID: 37425870 PMCID: PMC10327213 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.28.546963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
In their folded state, biomolecules exchange between multiple conformational states that are crucial for their function. Traditional structural biology methods, such as X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), produce density maps that are ensemble averages, reflecting molecules in various conformations. Yet, most models derived from these maps explicitly represent only a single conformation, overlooking the complexity of biomolecular structures. To accurately reflect the diversity of biomolecular forms, there is a pressing need to shift towards modeling structural ensembles that mirror the experimental data. However, the challenge of distinguishing signal from noise complicates manual efforts to create these models. In response, we introduce the latest enhancements to qFit, an automated computational strategy designed to incorporate protein conformational heterogeneity into models built into density maps. These algorithmic improvements in qFit are substantiated by superior R f r e e and geometry metrics across a wide range of proteins. Importantly, unlike more complex multicopy ensemble models, the multiconformer models produced by qFit can be manually modified in most major model building software (e.g. Coot) and fit can be further improved by refinement using standard pipelines (e.g. Phenix, Refmac, Buster). By reducing the barrier of creating multiconformer models, qFit can foster the development of new hypotheses about the relationship between macromolecular conformational dynamics and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A. Wankowicz
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ashraya Ravikumar
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shivani Sharma
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
- Ph.D. Program in Biology, The Graduate Center – City University of New York, New York, NY 10016
| | - Blake T. Riley
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
| | - Akshay Raju
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
| | - Jessica Flowers
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Hogan
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Atomwise, Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Daniel A. Keedy
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031
- Ph.D. Programs in Biochemistry, Biology, and Chemistry, The Graduate Center – City University of New York, New York, NY 10016
| | - James S. Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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11
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Awoonor-Williams E, Abu-Saleh AAAA. Molecular Insights into the Impact of Mutations on the Binding Affinity of Targeted Covalent Inhibitors of BTK. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:2874-2884. [PMID: 38502552 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Targeted covalent inhibitors (TCIs) have witnessed a significant resurgence in recent years, particularly in the kinase drug discovery field for treating diverse clinical indications. The inhibition of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) for treating B-cell cancers is a classic example where TCIs such as ibrutinib have had breakthroughs in targeted therapy. However, selectivity remains challenging, and the emergence of resistance mutations is a critical concern for clinical efficacy. Computational methods that can accurately predict the impact of mutations on inhibitor binding affinity could prove helpful in informing targeted approaches─providing insights into drug resistance mechanisms. In addition, such systems could help guide the systematic evaluation and impact of mutations in disease models for optimal experimental design. Here, we have employed in silico physics-based methods to understand the effects of mutations on the binding affinity and conformational dynamics of select TCIs of BTK. The TCIs studied include ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, and zanubrutinib─all of which are FDA-approved drugs for treating multiple forms of leukemia and lymphoma. Our results offer useful molecular insights into the structural determinants, thermodynamics, and conformational energies that impact ligand binding for this biological target of clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest Awoonor-Williams
- Department of Chemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X7, Canada
| | - Abd Al-Aziz A Abu-Saleh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
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12
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Khan O, Jones G, Lazou M, Joseph-McCarthy D, Kozakov D, Beglov D, Vajda S. Expanding FTMap for Fragment-Based Identification of Pharmacophore Regions in Ligand Binding Sites. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:2084-2100. [PMID: 38456842 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The knowledge of ligand binding hot spots and of the important interactions within such hot spots is crucial for the design of lead compounds in the early stages of structure-based drug discovery. The computational solvent mapping server FTMap can reliably identify binding hot spots as consensus clusters, free energy minima that bind a variety of organic probe molecules. However, in its current implementation, FTMap provides limited information on regions within the hot spots that tend to interact with specific pharmacophoric features of potential ligands. E-FTMap is a new server that expands on the original FTMap protocol. E-FTMap uses 119 organic probes, rather than the 16 in the original FTMap, to exhaustively map binding sites, and identifies pharmacophore features as atomic consensus sites where similar chemical groups bind. We validate E-FTMap against a set of 109 experimentally derived structures of fragment-lead pairs, finding that highly ranked pharmacophore features overlap with the corresponding atoms in both fragments and lead compounds. Additionally, comparisons of mapping results to ensembles of bound ligands reveal that pharmacophores generated with E-FTMap tend to sample highly conserved protein-ligand interactions. E-FTMap is available as a web server at https://eftmap.bu.edu.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omeir Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - George Jones
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Maria Lazou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Diane Joseph-McCarthy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Dima Kozakov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, United States
| | - Dmitri Beglov
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Acpharis Inc., Holliston, Massachusetts 01746, United States
| | - Sandor Vajda
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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13
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Fraser JS, Murcko MA. Structure is beauty, but not always truth. Cell 2024; 187:517-520. [PMID: 38306978 PMCID: PMC10947451 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Structural biology, as powerful as it is, can be misleading. We highlight four fundamental challenges: interpreting raw experimental data; accounting for motion; addressing the misleading nature of in vitro structures; and unraveling interactions between drugs and "anti-targets." Overcoming these challenges will amplify the impact of structural biology on drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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14
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Simanjuntak MV, Jauhar MM, Syaifie PH, Arda AG, Mardliyati E, Shalannanda W, Hermanto BR, Anshori I. Revealing Propolis Potential Activity on Inhibiting Estrogen Receptor and Heat Shock Protein 90 Overexpressed in Breast Cancer by Bioinformatics Approaches. Bioinform Biol Insights 2024; 18:11779322231224187. [PMID: 38274992 PMCID: PMC10809879 DOI: 10.1177/11779322231224187] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer globally, with the highest incidence of breast cancer occurring in Asian countries including Indonesia. Among the types of breast cancer, the estrogen receptor (ER)-positive subtype which is prominent with estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) overexpression genes becomes the most prevalent than the others, approximately 75% of all breast cancer cases. ERα and HSP90 play a role in breast cancer activities including breast tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis mechanism. Propolis, a natural bee product, has been explored for its anticancer activity. However, there is lack of studies that evaluated the potential inhibitor from propolis compounds to the ERα and HSP90 proteins. Therefore, this article focuses on examining the correlation between ERα and HSP90's role in breast cancer and investigating the potential of 93 unique propolis compositions in inhibiting these genes in breast cancer using in silico approaches. This study revealed the positive correlation between ERα and HSP90 genes in breast cancer disease development. Furthermore, we also found novel potential bioactive compounds of propolis against breast cancer through binding with ERα and HSP90; they were 3',4',7-trihydroxyisoflavone and baicalein-7-O-β-D glucopyranoside, respectively. Further research on these compounds is needed to elucidate deeper mechanisms and activity in the real biological system to develop new breast cancer drug treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masriana Vivi Simanjuntak
- Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad Miftah Jauhar
- Center of Excellences Life Sciences, Nano Center Indonesia, South Tangerang, Indonesia
- Biomedical Engineering, The Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Putri Hawa Syaifie
- Center of Excellences Life Sciences, Nano Center Indonesia, South Tangerang, Indonesia
| | - Adzani Gaisani Arda
- Center of Excellences Life Sciences, Nano Center Indonesia, South Tangerang, Indonesia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Etik Mardliyati
- Research Center for Vaccine and Drug, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Wervyan Shalannanda
- Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Beni Rio Hermanto
- Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Isa Anshori
- Biomedical Engineering Department, School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Bandung Institute of Technology, Bandung, Indonesia
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15
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Guerrero L, Ebrahim A, Riley BT, Kim M, Huang Q, Finke AD, Keedy DA. Pushed to extremes: distinct effects of high temperature versus pressure on the structure of STEP. Commun Biol 2024; 7:59. [PMID: 38216663 PMCID: PMC10786866 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05609-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein function hinges on small shifts of three-dimensional structure. Elevating temperature or pressure may provide experimentally accessible insights into such shifts, but the effects of these distinct perturbations on protein structures have not been compared in atomic detail. To quantitatively explore these two axes, we report the first pair of structures at physiological temperature versus. high pressure for the same protein, STEP (PTPN5). We show that these perturbations have distinct and surprising effects on protein volume, patterns of ordered solvent, and local backbone and side-chain conformations. This includes interactions between key catalytic loops only at physiological temperature, and a distinct conformational ensemble for another active-site loop only at high pressure. Strikingly, in torsional space, physiological temperature shifts STEP toward previously reported active-like states, while high pressure shifts it toward a previously uncharted region. Altogether, our work indicates that temperature and pressure are complementary, powerful, fundamental macromolecular perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Guerrero
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- PhD Program in Biochemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Ali Ebrahim
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Blake T Riley
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY, 10031, USA
| | - Minyoung Kim
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY, 10031, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Qingqiu Huang
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Aaron D Finke
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Daniel A Keedy
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
- PhD Programs in Biochemistry, Biology, & Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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16
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Paul SK, Guendouzi A, Banerjee A, Guendouzi A, Haldar R. Identification of approved drugs with ALDH1A1 inhibitory potential aimed at enhancing chemotherapy sensitivity in cancer cells: an in-silico drug repurposing approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38189344 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2300127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1) also known as retinal dehydrogenase, is an enzyme normally involved in the cellular metabolism, development and detoxification processes in healthy cells. However, it's also considered a cancer stem cell marker and its high levels of expression in several cancers, including breast, lung, ovarian, and colon cancer have been associated with poor prognosis and resistance to chemotherapy. Given its crucial role in chemotherapy resistance by detoxification of chemotherapeutic drugs, ALDH1A1 has attracted significant research interest as a potential therapeutic target for cancer. Though a few synthetic inhibitors of ALDH1A1 have been synthesized and their efficacy has been proved in-vitro and in-vivo studies, none of them have passed clinical trials so far. In this scenario, we have performed an in-silico study to verify whether any of the already approved drugs used for various purposes has the ability to inhibit catalytic activity of ALDH1A1, so that they can be repurposed for cancer therapy. Keeping in mind the feasibility of repurposing in a larger population we have selected the approved drugs from five widely used drug categories such as antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, anti diabetic and antihypertensive for screening. Computational techniques like molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and MM-PBSA binding energy calculation have been used in this study to screen the approved drugs. Based on the logical analysis of results, we propose that three drugs - telmisartan, irbesartan and maraviroc can inhibit the catalytic activity of ALDH1A1 and thus can be repurposed to increase chemotherapy sensitivity in cancer cells.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kumar Paul
- Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
- Department of Zoology, Rammohan College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Abdelmadjid Guendouzi
- Center for Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences (CRSP), Constantine, Algeria
- Ecole Normale Supérieure ENS Constantine, Constantine, Algeria
| | | | | | - Rajen Haldar
- Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
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17
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Sharma S, Skaist Mehlman T, Sagabala RS, Boivin B, Keedy DA. High-resolution double vision of the allosteric phosphatase PTP1B. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2024; 80:1-12. [PMID: 38133579 PMCID: PMC10833341 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x23010749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) plays important roles in cellular homeostasis and is a highly validated therapeutic target for multiple human ailments, including diabetes, obesity and breast cancer. However, much remains to be learned about how conformational changes may convey information through the structure of PTP1B to enable allosteric regulation by ligands or functional responses to mutations. High-resolution X-ray crystallography can offer unique windows into protein conformational ensembles, but comparison of even high-resolution structures is often complicated by differences between data sets, including non-isomorphism. Here, the highest resolution crystal structure of apo wild-type (WT) PTP1B to date is presented out of a total of ∼350 PTP1B structures in the PDB. This structure is in a crystal form that is rare for PTP1B, with two unique copies of the protein that exhibit distinct patterns of conformational heterogeneity, allowing a controlled comparison of local disorder across the two chains within the same asymmetric unit. The conformational differences between these chains are interrogated in the apo structure and between several recently reported high-resolution ligand-bound structures. Electron-density maps in a high-resolution structure of a recently reported activating double mutant are also examined, and unmodeled alternate conformations in the mutant structure are discovered that coincide with regions of enhanced conformational heterogeneity in the new WT structure. These results validate the notion that these mutations operate by enhancing local dynamics, and suggest a latent susceptibility to such changes in the WT enzyme. Together, these new data and analysis provide a detailed view of the conformational ensemble of PTP1B and highlight the utility of high-resolution crystallography for elucidating conformational heterogeneity with potential relevance for function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Sharma
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA
- PhD Program in Biology, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Tamar Skaist Mehlman
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA
| | - Reddy Sudheer Sagabala
- Department of Nanobioscience, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY 12203, USA
| | - Benoit Boivin
- Department of Nanobioscience, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany, NY 12203, USA
| | - Daniel A. Keedy
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031, USA
- PhD Programs in Biochemistry, Biology and Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
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18
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Woods VA, Abzalimov RR, Keedy DA. Native dynamics and allosteric responses in PTP1B probed by high-resolution HDX-MS. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.12.548582. [PMID: 37503000 PMCID: PMC10369962 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.12.548582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a validated therapeutic target for obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. In particular, allosteric inhibitors hold potential for therapeutic use, but an incomplete understanding of conformational dynamics and allostery in this protein has hindered their development. Here, we interrogate solution dynamics and allosteric responses in PTP1B using high-resolution hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), an emerging and powerful biophysical technique. Using HDX-MS, we obtain a detailed map of the solution dynamics of apo PTP1B, revealing several flexible loops interspersed among more constrained and rigid regions within the protein structure, as well as local regions that exchange faster than expected from their secondary structure and buriedness. We demonstrate that our HDX rate data obtained in solution adds value to predictions of dynamics derived from a pseudo-ensemble constructed from ~200 crystal structures of PTP1B. Furthermore, we report HDX-MS maps for PTP1B with active-site vs. allosteric small-molecule inhibitors. These maps reveal distinct, dramatic, and widespread effects on protein dynamics relative to the apo form, including changes to dynamics in locations distal (>35 Å) from the respective ligand binding sites. These results help shed light on the allosteric nature of PTP1B and the surprisingly far-reaching consequences of inhibitor binding in this important protein. Overall, our work showcases the potential of HDX-MS for elucidating protein conformational dynamics and allosteric effects of small-molecule ligands, and highlights the potential of integrating HDX-MS alongside other complementary methods to guide the development of new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virgil A. Woods
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
- PhD Program in Biochemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016
| | - Rinat R. Abzalimov
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
| | - Daniel A. Keedy
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031
- PhD Programs in Biochemistry, Biology, & Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016
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19
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Baumann C, Chiang W, Valsecchi R, Jurt S, Deluigi M, Schuster M, Rosengren KJ, Plückthun A, Zerbe O. Side-chain dynamics of the α 1B -adrenergic receptor determined by NMR via methyl relaxation. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4801. [PMID: 37805830 PMCID: PMC10593183 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are medically important membrane proteins that sample inactive, intermediate, and active conformational states characterized by relatively slow interconversions (~μs-ms). On a faster timescale (~ps-ns), the conformational landscape of GPCRs is governed by the rapid dynamics of amino acid side chains. Such dynamics are essential for protein functions such as ligand recognition and allostery. Unfortunately, technical challenges have almost entirely precluded the study of side-chain dynamics for GPCRs. Here, we investigate the rapid side-chain dynamics of a thermostabilized α1B -adrenergic receptor (α1B -AR) as probed by methyl relaxation. We determined order parameters for Ile, Leu, and Val methyl groups in the presence of inverse agonists that bind orthosterically (prazosin, tamsulosin) or allosterically (conopeptide ρ-TIA). Despite the differences in the ligands, the receptor's overall side-chain dynamics are very similar, including those of the apo form. However, ρ-TIA increases the flexibility of Ile1764×56 and possibly of Ile2145×49 , adjacent to Pro2155×50 of the highly conserved P5×50 I3×40 F6×44 motif crucial for receptor activation, suggesting differences in the mechanisms for orthosteric and allosteric receptor inactivation. Overall, increased Ile side-chain rigidity was found for residues closer to the center of the membrane bilayer, correlating with denser packing and lower protein surface exposure. In contrast to two microbial membrane proteins, in α1B -AR Leu exhibited higher flexibility than Ile side chains on average, correlating with the presence of Leu in less densely packed areas and with higher protein-surface exposure than Ile. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of studying receptor-wide side-chain dynamics in GPCRs to gain functional insights.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wan‐Chin Chiang
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Simon Jurt
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Mattia Deluigi
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | | | | | - Oliver Zerbe
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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20
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Chen X, Leyendecker S, van den Bedem H. SARS-CoV-2 main protease mutation analysis via a kinematic method. Proteins 2023; 91:1496-1509. [PMID: 37408369 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 continues to cause millions of deaths globally in part due to immune-evading mutations. SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is an important enzyme for viral replication and potentially an effective drug target. Mutations affect the dynamics of enzymes and thereby their activity and ability to bind ligands. Here, we use kinematic flexibility analysis (KFA) to identify how mutations and ligand binding changes the conformational flexibility of Mpro. KFA decomposes macromolecules into regions of different flexibility near-instantly from a static structure, allowing conformational dynamics analysis at scale. Altogether, we analyzed 47 mutation sites across 69 Mpro-ligand complexes resulting in more than 3300 different structures which includes 69 mutated structures with all 47 sites mutated simultaneously and 3243 single residue mutated structures. We found that mutations generally increased the conformational flexibility of the protein. Understanding the impact of mutations on the flexibility of Mpro is essential for identifying potential drug targets in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Further studies in this area can offer valuable insights into the mechanisms of molecular recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiyu Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Applied Dynamics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sigrid Leyendecker
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Applied Dynamics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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21
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Dalwani S, Wierenga RK. Enzymes of the crotonase superfamily: Diverse assembly and diverse function. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 82:102671. [PMID: 37542911 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
The crotonase fold is generated by a framework of four repeats of a ββα-unit, extended by two helical regions. The active site of crotonase superfamily (CS) enzymes is located at the N-terminal end of the helix of the third repeat, typically being covered by a C-terminal helix. A major subset of CS-enzymes catalyzes acyl-CoA-dependent reactions, allowing for a diverse range of acyl-tail modifications. Most of these enzymes occur as trimers or hexamers (dimers of trimers), but monomeric forms are also observed. A common feature of the active sites of CS-enzymes is an oxyanion hole, formed by two peptide-NH hydrogen bond donors, which stabilises the negatively charged thioester oxygen atom of the reaction intermediate. Structural properties and possible use of these enzymes for biotechnological applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhadra Dalwani
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5400, FI-90014, Finland
| | - Rik K Wierenga
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 5400, FI-90014, Finland.
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22
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Moulick AG, Chakrabarti J. Fluctuation-Dominated Ligand Binding in Molten Globule Protein. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:5583-5591. [PMID: 37646788 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
A molten globule (MG) state is an intermediate state of protein observed during the unfolding of the native structure. In MG states, milk protein α-lactalbumin (aLA) binds to oleic acid (OLA). This MG-aLA-OLA complex, popularly known as XAMLET, performs cytotoxic activities against cancer cell lines. However, the microscopic understanding of ligand recognition ability in the MG state of the protein has not yet been explored. Motivated by this, we explore the binding of bovine aLA with OLA using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We find the binding mode between MG-aLA and OLA using the conformational thermodynamics method. We also estimate the binding free energy using the umbrella sampling (US) method for both the MG state and the neutral state. We find that the binding free energy obtained from US is comparable with earlier experimental results. We characterize the dihedral fluctuations as the ligand is liberated from the active site of the protein using steered MD. The low energy fluctuations occur near the ligand binding site, which eventually transfer toward the Ca2+-binding site as the ligand is taken away from the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhik Ghosh Moulick
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, JD Block, Sector 3, Kolkata 700106, India
| | - Jaydeb Chakrabarti
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, and the Technical Research Centre, S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, JD Block, Sector 3, Kolkata 700106, India
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23
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Guerrero L, Ebrahim A, Riley BT, Kim M, Huang Q, Finke AD, Keedy DA. Pushed to extremes: distinct effects of high temperature vs. pressure on the structure of an atypical phosphatase. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.02.538097. [PMID: 37205580 PMCID: PMC10187168 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.02.538097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Protein function hinges on small shifts of three-dimensional structure. Elevating temperature or pressure may provide experimentally accessible insights into such shifts, but the effects of these distinct perturbations on protein structures have not been compared in atomic detail. To quantitatively explore these two axes, we report the first pair of structures at physiological temperature vs. high pressure for the same protein, STEP (PTPN5). We show that these perturbations have distinct and surprising effects on protein volume, patterns of ordered solvent, and local backbone and side-chain conformations. This includes novel interactions between key catalytic loops only at physiological temperature, and a distinct conformational ensemble for another active-site loop only at high pressure. Strikingly, in torsional space, physiological temperature shifts STEP toward previously reported active-like states, while high pressure shifts it toward a previously uncharted region. Together, our work argues that temperature and pressure are complementary, powerful, fundamental macromolecular perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Guerrero
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
- PhD Program in Biochemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016
| | - Ali Ebrahim
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
| | - Blake T Riley
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
| | - Minyoung Kim
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
| | - Qingqiu Huang
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Aaron D Finke
- Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
| | - Daniel A Keedy
- Structural Biology Initiative, CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, New York, NY 10031
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, City College of New York, New York, NY 10031
- PhD Programs in Biochemistry, Biology, & Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, NY 10016
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24
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Stachowski TR, Fischer M. FLEXR: automated multi-conformer model building using electron-density map sampling. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2023; 79:354-367. [PMID: 37071395 PMCID: PMC10167668 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798323002498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein conformational dynamics that may inform biology often lie dormant in high-resolution electron-density maps. While an estimated ∼18% of side chains in high-resolution models contain alternative conformations, these are underrepresented in current PDB models due to difficulties in manually detecting, building and inspecting alternative conformers. To overcome this challenge, we developed an automated multi-conformer modeling program, FLEXR. Using Ringer-based electron-density sampling, FLEXR builds explicit multi-conformer models for refinement. Thereby, it bridges the gap of detecting hidden alternate states in electron-density maps and including them in structural models for refinement, inspection and deposition. Using a series of high-quality crystal structures (0.8-1.85 Å resolution), we show that the multi-conformer models produced by FLEXR uncover new insights that are missing in models built either manually or using current tools. Specifically, FLEXR models revealed hidden side chains and backbone conformations in ligand-binding sites that may redefine protein-ligand binding mechanisms. Ultimately, the tool facilitates crystallographers with opportunities to include explicit multi-conformer states in their high-resolution crystallographic models. One key advantage is that such models may better reflect interesting higher energy features in electron-density maps that are rarely consulted by the community at large, which can then be productively used for ligand discovery downstream. FLEXR is open source and publicly available on GitHub at https://github.com/TheFischerLab/FLEXR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R. Stachowski
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Marcus Fischer
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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25
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Gutermuth T, Sieg J, Stohn T, Rarey M. Modeling with Alternate Locations in X-ray Protein Structures. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:2573-2585. [PMID: 37018549 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
In many molecular modeling applications, the standard procedure is still to handle proteins as single, rigid structures. While the importance of conformational flexibility is widely known, handling it remains challenging. Even the crystal structure of a protein usually contains variability exemplified in alternate side chain orientations or backbone segments. This conformational variability is encoded in PDB structure files by so-called alternate locations (AltLocs). Most modeling approaches either ignore AltLocs or resolve them with simple heuristics early on during structure import. We analyzed the occurrence and usage of AltLocs in the PDB and developed an algorithm to automatically handle AltLocs in PDB files enabling all structure-based methods using rigid structures to take the alternative protein conformations described by AltLocs into consideration. A respective software tool named AltLocEnumerator can be used as a structure preprocessor to easily exploit AltLocs. While the amount of data makes it difficult to show impact on a statistical level, handling AltLocs has a substantial impact on a case-by-case basis. We believe that the inspection and consideration of AltLocs is a very valuable approach in many modeling scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Gutermuth
- Universität Hamburg, ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Bundesstraße 43, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Sieg
- Universität Hamburg, ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Bundesstraße 43, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Stohn
- Universität Hamburg, ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Bundesstraße 43, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Rarey
- Universität Hamburg, ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Bundesstraße 43, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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26
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Meller A, de Oliveira S, Davtyan A, Abramyan T, Bowman GR, van den Bedem H. Discovery of a cryptic pocket in the AI-predicted structure of PPM1D phosphatase explains the binding site and potency of its allosteric inhibitors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.22.533829. [PMID: 36993233 PMCID: PMC10055338 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.22.533829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Virtual screening is a widely used tool for drug discovery, but its predictive power can vary dramatically depending on how much structural data is available. In the best case, crystal structures of a ligand-bound protein can help find more potent ligands. However, virtual screens tend to be less predictive when only ligand-free crystal structures are available, and even less predictive if a homology model or other predicted structure must be used. Here, we explore the possibility that this situation can be improved by better accounting for protein dynamics, as simulations started from a single structure have a reasonable chance of sampling nearby structures that are more compatible with ligand binding. As a specific example, we consider the cancer drug target PPM1D/Wip1 phosphatase, a protein that lacks crystal structures. High-throughput screens have led to the discovery of several allosteric inhibitors of PPM1D, but their binding mode remains unknown. To enable further drug discovery efforts, we assessed the predictive power of an AlphaFold-predicted structure of PPM1D and a Markov state model (MSM) built from molecular dynamics simulations initiated from that structure. Our simulations reveal a cryptic pocket at the interface between two important structural elements, the flap and hinge regions. Using deep learning to predict the pose quality of each docked compound for the active site and cryptic pocket suggests that the inhibitors strongly prefer binding to the cryptic pocket, consistent with their allosteric effect. The predicted affinities for the dynamically uncovered cryptic pocket also recapitulate the relative potencies of the compounds (τ b =0.70) better than the predicted affinities for the static AlphaFold-predicted structure (τ b =0.42). Taken together, these results suggest that targeting the cryptic pocket is a good strategy for drugging PPM1D and, more generally, that conformations selected from simulation can improve virtual screening when limited structural data is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Meller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 S Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Washington University in St. Louis, 660 S Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63110
| | - Saulo de Oliveira
- Atomwise, Inc., 717 Market Street, Suite 800, San Francisco, California 94103
| | - Aram Davtyan
- Atomwise, Inc., 717 Market Street, Suite 800, San Francisco, California 94103
| | - Tigran Abramyan
- Atomwise, Inc., 717 Market Street, Suite 800, San Francisco, California 94103
| | - Gregory R. Bowman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Atomwise, Inc., 717 Market Street, Suite 800, San Francisco, California 94103
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158
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27
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Wand AJ. Deep mining of the protein energy landscape. STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS (MELVILLE, N.Y.) 2023; 10:020901. [PMID: 37124940 PMCID: PMC10147411 DOI: 10.1063/4.0000180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
For over half a century, it has been known that protein molecules naturally undergo extensive structural fluctuations, and that these internal motions are intimately related to their functional properties. The energy landscape view has provided a powerful framework for describing the various physical states that proteins visit during their lifetimes. This Perspective focuses on the commonly neglected and often disparaged axis of the protein energy landscape: entropy. Initially seen largely as a barrier to functionally relevant states of protein molecules, it has recently become clear that proteins retain considerable conformational entropy in the "native" state, and that this entropy can and often does contribute significantly to the free energy of fundamental protein properties, processes, and functions. NMR spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulations, and emerging crystallographic views have matured in parallel to illuminate dynamic disorder of the "ground state" of proteins and their importance in not only transiting between biologically interesting structures but also greatly influencing their stability, cooperativity, and contribution to critical properties such as allostery.
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28
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Three-Dimensional-QSAR and Relative Binding Affinity Estimation of Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibitors. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031464. [PMID: 36771129 PMCID: PMC9919860 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Precise binding affinity predictions are essential for structure-based drug discovery (SBDD). Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a member of the tyrosine kinase protein family and is overexpressed in a variety of human malignancies. Inhibition of FAK using small molecules is a promising therapeutic option for several types of cancer. Here, we conducted computational modeling of FAK-targeting inhibitors using three-dimensional structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR), molecular dynamics (MD), and hybrid topology-based free energy perturbation (FEP) methods. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies between the physicochemical descriptors and inhibitory activities of the chemical compounds were performed with reasonable statistical accuracy using CoMFA and CoMSIA. These are two well-known 3D-QSAR methods based on the principle of supervised machine learning (ML). Essential information regarding residue-specific binding interactions was determined using MD and MM-PB/GBSA methods. Finally, physics-based relative binding free energy (ΔΔGRBFEA→B) terms of analogous ligands were estimated using alchemical FEP simulation. An acceptable agreement was observed between the experimental and computed relative binding free energies. Overall, the results suggested that using ML and physics-based hybrid approaches could be useful in synergy for the rational optimization of accessible lead compounds with similar scaffolds targeting the FAK receptor.
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29
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Lane
- Center for Free Electron Laser Science, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany.
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30
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Meller A, De Oliveira S, Davtyan A, Abramyan T, Bowman GR, van den Bedem H. Discovery of a cryptic pocket in the AI-predicted structure of PPM1D phosphatase explains the binding site and potency of its allosteric inhibitors. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1171143. [PMID: 37143823 PMCID: PMC10151774 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1171143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtual screening is a widely used tool for drug discovery, but its predictive power can vary dramatically depending on how much structural data is available. In the best case, crystal structures of a ligand-bound protein can help find more potent ligands. However, virtual screens tend to be less predictive when only ligand-free crystal structures are available, and even less predictive if a homology model or other predicted structure must be used. Here, we explore the possibility that this situation can be improved by better accounting for protein dynamics, as simulations started from a single structure have a reasonable chance of sampling nearby structures that are more compatible with ligand binding. As a specific example, we consider the cancer drug target PPM1D/Wip1 phosphatase, a protein that lacks crystal structures. High-throughput screens have led to the discovery of several allosteric inhibitors of PPM1D, but their binding mode remains unknown. To enable further drug discovery efforts, we assessed the predictive power of an AlphaFold-predicted structure of PPM1D and a Markov state model (MSM) built from molecular dynamics simulations initiated from that structure. Our simulations reveal a cryptic pocket at the interface between two important structural elements, the flap and hinge regions. Using deep learning to predict the pose quality of each docked compound for the active site and cryptic pocket suggests that the inhibitors strongly prefer binding to the cryptic pocket, consistent with their allosteric effect. The predicted affinities for the dynamically uncovered cryptic pocket also recapitulate the relative potencies of the compounds (τb = 0.70) better than the predicted affinities for the static AlphaFold-predicted structure (τb = 0.42). Taken together, these results suggest that targeting the cryptic pocket is a good strategy for drugging PPM1D and, more generally, that conformations selected from simulation can improve virtual screening when limited structural data is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Meller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | | | - Aram Davtyan
- Atomwise, Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States
| | | | - Gregory R. Bowman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Gregory R. Bowman, ; Henry van den Bedem,
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Atomwise, Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Gregory R. Bowman, ; Henry van den Bedem,
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31
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McBride JM, Eckmann JP, Tlusty T. General Theory of Specific Binding: Insights from a Genetic-Mechano-Chemical Protein Model. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msac217. [PMID: 36208205 PMCID: PMC9641994 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins need to selectively interact with specific targets among a multitude of similar molecules in the cell. However, despite a firm physical understanding of binding interactions, we lack a general theory of how proteins evolve high specificity. Here, we present such a model that combines chemistry, mechanics, and genetics and explains how their interplay governs the evolution of specific protein-ligand interactions. The model shows that there are many routes to achieving molecular discrimination-by varying degrees of flexibility and shape/chemistry complementarity-but the key ingredient is precision. Harder discrimination tasks require more collective and precise coaction of structure, forces, and movements. Proteins can achieve this through correlated mutations extending far from a binding site, which fine-tune the localized interaction with the ligand. Thus, the solution of more complicated tasks is enabled by increasing the protein size, and proteins become more evolvable and robust when they are larger than the bare minimum required for discrimination. The model makes testable, specific predictions about the role of flexibility and shape mismatch in discrimination, and how evolution can independently tune affinity and specificity. Thus, the proposed theory of specific binding addresses the natural question of "why are proteins so big?". A possible answer is that molecular discrimination is often a hard task best performed by adding more layers to the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M McBride
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Jean-Pierre Eckmann
- Département de Physique Théorique and Section de Mathématiques, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tsvi Tlusty
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
- Departments of Physics and Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
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32
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Stachowski TR, Fischer M. Large-Scale Ligand Perturbations of the Protein Conformational Landscape Reveal State-Specific Interaction Hotspots. J Med Chem 2022; 65:13692-13704. [PMID: 35970514 PMCID: PMC9619398 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Protein flexibility is important for ligand binding but
often ignored
in drug design. Considering proteins as ensembles rather than static
snapshots creates opportunities to target dynamic proteins that lack
FDA-approved drugs, such as the human chaperone, heat shock protein
90 (Hsp90). Hsp90α accommodates ligands with a dynamic lid domain,
yet no comprehensive analysis relating lid conformations to ligand
properties is available. To date, ∼300 ligand-bound Hsp90α
crystal structures are deposited in the Protein Data Bank, which enables
us to consider ligand binding as a perturbation of the protein conformational
landscape. By estimating binding site volumes, we classified structures
into distinct major and minor lid conformations. Supported by retrospective
docking, each conformation creates unique hotspots that bind chemically
distinguishable ligands. Clustering revealed insightful exceptions
and the impact of crystal packing. Overall, Hsp90α’s
plasticity provides a cautionary tale of overinterpreting individual
crystal structures and motivates an ensemble-based view of drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Stachowski
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Marcus Fischer
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States.,Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
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33
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Carmona-Ule N, Gal N, Abuín Redondo C, De La Fuente Freire M, López López R, Dávila-Ibáñez AB. Peptide-Functionalized Nanoemulsions as a Promising Tool for Isolation and Ex Vivo Culture of Circulating Tumor Cells. Bioengineering (Basel) 2022; 9:380. [PMID: 36004905 PMCID: PMC9405120 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering9080380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) are shed from primary tumors and travel through the blood, generating metastases. CTCs represents a useful tool to understand the biology of metastasis in cancer disease. However, there is a lack of standardized protocols to isolate and culture them. In our previous work, we presented oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NEs) composed of lipids and fatty acids, which showed a benefit in supporting CTC cultures from metastatic breast cancer patients. Here, we present Peptide-Functionalized Nanoemulsions (Pept-NEs), with the aim of using them as a tool for CTC isolation and culture in situ. Therefore, NEs from our previous work were surface-decorated with the peptides Pep10 and GE11, which act as ligands towards the specific cell membrane proteins EpCAM and EGFR, respectively. We selected the best surface to deposit a layer of these Pept-NEs through a Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) method. Next, we validated the specific recognition of Pept-NEs for their protein targets EpCAM and EGFR by QCM-D and fluorescence microscopy. Finally, a layer of Pept-NEs was deposited in a culture well-plate, and cells were cultured on for 9 days in order to confirm the feasibility of the Pept-NEs as a cell growth support. This work presents peptide-functionalized nanoemulsions as a basis for the development of devices for the isolation and culture of CTCs in situ due to their ability to specifically interact with membrane proteins expressed in CTCs, and because cells are capable of growing on top of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Carmona-Ule
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Hospital Gil Casares, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Noga Gal
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Carmen Abuín Redondo
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Hospital Gil Casares, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María De La Fuente Freire
- Cancer Network Research (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Nano-Oncology Unit, Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- DIVERSA Technologies S.L., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rafael López López
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Hospital Gil Casares, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Cancer Network Research (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- DIVERSA Technologies S.L., 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ana Belén Dávila-Ibáñez
- Roche-Chus Joint Unit, Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Hospital Gil Casares, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Translational Medical Oncology Group (Oncomet), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), University Clinical Hospital of Santiago de Compostela (SERGAS), 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Cancer Network Research (CIBERONC), 28029 Madrid, Spain
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