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Meher RK, Mir SA, Anisetti SS. In silico and in vitro investigation of dual targeting Prima-1 MET as precision therapeutic against lungs cancer. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4169-4184. [PMID: 37272907 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2219323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study emphasizes the explorations of binding of Prima-1MET with two targets, p53 a tumor suppressor protein, and tyrosine kinase of epidermal growth factor receptor. In silico investigations reveal that Prima-1MET showed robust binding with both targets. Molecular docking simulations demonstrated the binding affinity of Prima-1MET with p53 and tyrosine kinase was found to be -38.601 kJ/mol and -38.976 kJ/mol. In addition, the stability of Prima-1MET was explored by molecular dynamics simulation. Prima-1MET attains stability in the binding site of the respective protein till the simulation period is over. Moreover, the free binding energy ΔGbind was calculated by the molecular mechanics Poisson Boltzmann surface area method. The ΔGbind of Prima-1MET with tyrosine kinase was found to be -58.585 ± 0.327 kJ/mol and with p53 it was -35.910 ± 0.335 kJ/mol. Next, cytotoxicity of the Prima-1MET was evaluated using multiple cancer cell lines and the IC50 value were ranging between 4.5 and 30 μM. The cell death was identified by apoptosis assay. Further, the p53 and tyrosine kinase expression was monitored using immunofluorescence techniques, it was found Prima-1MET induces the expression of p53 protein and mimics the level of tyrosine kinase oncogenic target. Also, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane potential activity of Prima-1MET was evaluated by using a lung cancer cell line. A significant decrease in intracellular ROS was observed and resulted in disruption of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. This study uncovers the underlying mechanism of Prima-1MET and could be helpful to design further leads against lung cancers.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh Kumar Meher
- Advance Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, India
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Sambalpur University, Burla, Odisha, India
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Yu J, Li W, Zhang D, Huang T, Tang H. Aggregation of graphene oxide upon the stripping of oxidized debris: An experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study. Environ Pollut 2024; 348:123884. [PMID: 38548155 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
The most recent structural study of graphene oxide (GO) indicates that the oxidized debris (ODs) adhered to as-prepared GO will strip in certain aquatic settings. The impact of ODs stripping on the characteristics of GO has been widely reported, but its effects on GO aggregation have received less attention. Here, the influence of OD stripping on the GO aggregation property was identified, and the aggregation of as-prepared GO and GO upon OD stripping was compared. Upon ODs stripping, the pKa values of GO shifted from 3.91, 6.25, and 9.84 to 4.54, 6.65, and 10.21, respectively. Further analysis indicated the removal of ODs reduced the net negative charge and improved the hydrophobicity of GO, hence promoting the aggregation of GO. The acceleration of GO-Ca2+-OD aggregate formation was facilitated by the collective effects of ODs stripping, functional group deprotonation, double layer compression, OD bridging, and charge neutralization. The metal ions and stripped ODs attach to GO edges and link GO, which perform like bridges and contribute to further aggregation. In general, the existence of ODs adds complexity to the constructions and characteristics of GO, and it is important to take this into account while evaluating the aggregation characteristic of GO-based materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahai Yu
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Wenli Li
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Tinglin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China
| | - Huan Tang
- Key Laboratory of Northwest Water Resource, Environment and Ecology, MOE, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710055, China.
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103
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Alade AA, Ahmed SA, Mujwar S, Kikiowo B, Akinnusi PA, Olubode SO, Olufemi OM, Ohilebo AA. Identification of levomenthol derivatives as potential dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors: a comparative study with gliptins. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4029-4047. [PMID: 37261796 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2217927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors are a potent therapeutic treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There is a family of compounds used as DPP4 inhibitors (DPP4Is) called gliptins. They bind tightly to DPP4 to form an inactive protein-ligand complex. However, there remains a need to identify novel DPP4Is that are more efficacious and safer due to the increasing prevalence of T2DM and the undesirable side effects of gliptins. To identify potential DPP4Is, we screened over 1800 novel compounds in a comparative study with gliptins. We performed dual-factor molecular docking to assess the binding affinity of the compounds to DPP4 and found four compounds with a higher binding affinity to DPP4 than currently used gliptins. The newly identified compounds interacted with the dyad glutamate (GLU205 and GLU206) and tyrosine (TYR662 and TYR666) residues in DPP4's active site. We performed molecular dynamics simulations to determine the stability of the protein-ligand complexes formed by the compounds and DPP4. Furthermore, we examined the toxicity and pharmacological profile of the compounds. The compounds are drug-like, easy to synthesize, and relatively less toxic than gliptins. Collectively, our results suggest that the novel compounds are potential DPP4Is and should be considered for further studies to develop novel antidiabetics.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adebowale A Alade
- Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo, Nigeria
| | - Samad A Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo, Nigeria
| | - Somdutt Mujwar
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab, Rajpura, India
| | | | | | - Samuel O Olubode
- Department of Biochemistry, Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo, Nigeria
| | | | - Abass A Ohilebo
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma, Edo, Nigeria
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More-Adate P, Lokhande KB, Shrivastava A, Doiphode S, Nagar S, Singh A, Baheti A. Pharmacoinformatics approach for the screening of Kovidra (Bauhinia variegata) phytoconstituents against tumor suppressor protein in triple negative breast cancer. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4263-4282. [PMID: 37288734 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2219744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Globally, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer, with 6,85000 mortalities in year 2021; making it the world's most prevalent cancer. This growing global burden necessitates a new treatment option, and plant-based medicines offers a promising alternative to conventional cancer treatment. In this work, screening of phytoconstituents of an indigenous therapeutic plant, Bauhinia variegata carried out for potential regulator of tumor suppressor protein p53. Here, an in-silico analysis was employed to develop more effective, pharmaceutically potent small drug-like compounds that target tumor suppressor protein p53. The methanol and aqueous powdered extracts of Bauhinia variegata were prepared and phytochemically evaluated along with antioxidant property evaluation. The LC50 of methanol (325.33 µg/ml) and aqueous extract (361.15 µg/ml) showed their cytotoxic characteristics. Further, GCMS analysis of both the extracts reveals total 57 secondary metabolites. Among these, four lead compounds; compound 1, compound 2, compound 3 and compound 4 were found to have the highest binding ability (-8.15 to -5.40 kcal/mol) with p53. MD simulation and binding free energy validates these findings with highest binding free energy (-67.09 ± 4.87 kcal/mol) towards p53 by the lead phytocompound 2. Selected compounds exhibit excellent pharmacokinetic features and drug-like characteristics. The acute toxicity (LD50) values of the lead phytocompounds ranges from 670 mg/kg to 3100 mg/kg, with toxicity classes of IV and V. As a result, these druggable phytochemicals could serve as potential lead applicants for triple negative breast cancer treatment. However, more in vitro and in vivo research is planned to produce future breast cancer medicine. HIGHLIGHTSScreening of phytoconstituents of an indigenous therapeutic plant, Bauhinia variegata, for potential regulator of tumor suppressor protein p53.The LC50 of methanol (325.33µg/ml) and aqueous extract (361.15µg/ml) showed their cytotoxic characteristics.GCMS analysis of both the extracts reveals total 57 secondary metabolites. Among these, four lead compounds were found to have the highest binding affinity (-8.153 to -5.401 kcal/mol) with tumor suppressor protein p53.MD simulation along with the Prime MM/GBSA binding free energy validates this discovery with highest binding free energy (-67.09 ± 4.87 kcal/mol) towards p53 by the lead compound 2.The acute toxicity (LD50) values of the lead phytocompounds ranges from 670 mg/kg to 3100 mg/kg, with toxicity classes of IV and V.As a result, these druggable phytochemicals could serve as potential lead applicants for triple negative breast cancer treatment.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi More-Adate
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune, India
| | - Kiran Bharat Lokhande
- Translational Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Research Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
- Bioinformatics Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India
| | - Ashish Shrivastava
- Translational Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Research Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Sayali Doiphode
- Bioinformatics Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India
| | - Shuchi Nagar
- Bioinformatics Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India
| | - Ashutosh Singh
- Translational Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Research Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, Greater Noida, India
| | - Akshay Baheti
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Pune, India
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Chinnamadhu A, Ramakrishnan J, Suresh S, Poomani K. Binding properties of selective inhibitors of P323L mutated RdRp of SARS-CoV-2: a combined molecular screening, docking and dynamics simulation study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4283-4296. [PMID: 37301607 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2219762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Since 2019 the SARS-CoV-2 and its variants caused COVID-19, such incidents brought the world in pandemic situation. This happened due to furious mutations in SARS-CoV-2, in which some variants had high transmissibility and infective, this led the virus emerged as virulent and worsened the COVID-19 situation. Among the variants, P323L is one of the important mutants of RdRp in SARS-CoV-2. To inhibit the erroneous function of this mutated RdRp, we have screened 943 molecules against the P323L mutated RdRp with the criteria that the molecules with 90% similar to the structure of remdesivir (control drug) resulted nine molecules. Further, these molecules were evaluated by induced fit docking (IFD) identified two molecules (M2 & M4) which are forming strong intermolecular interactions with the key residues of mutated RdRp and has high binding affinity. Docking score of the M2 and M4 molecules with mutated RdRp are -9.24 and -11.87 kcal/mol, respectively. Further, to understand the intermolecular interactions, conformational stability, the molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy calculations were performed. The binding free energy values of M2 and M4 molecules with the P323L mutated RdRp complexes are -81.60 and -83.07 kcal/mol, respectively. The results of this in silico study confirm that M4 is a potential molecule; hence, it may be considered as the potential inhibitor of P323L mutated RdRp to treat COVID-19 after clinical investigation.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archana Chinnamadhu
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Jaganathan Ramakrishnan
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Suganya Suresh
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
| | - Kumaradhas Poomani
- Laboratory of Biocrystallography and Computational Molecular Biology, Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, India
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106
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Abdulabbas HT, Mohammad Ali AN, Farjadfar A, Arabfard M, Najafipour S, Kouhpayeh A, Ghasemian A, Behmard E. Design of a novel multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Chlamydia trachomatis using structural and nonstructural proteins: an immunoinformatics study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4356-4369. [PMID: 37288800 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2220812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is an obligate intracellular bacterium which causes eye and sexually transmitted infections. During pregnancy, the bacterium is associated with preterm complications, low weight of neonates, fetal demise and endometritis leading to infertility. The aim of our study was design of a multi-epitope vaccine (MEV) candidate against C. trachomatis. After protein sequence adoption from the NCBI, potential epitopes toxicity, antigenicity, allergenicity, MHC-I and MHC-II binding, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), Helper T lymphocytes (HTLs) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ)- induction were predicted. The adopted epitopes were fused together using appropriate linkers. In the next step, the MEV structural mapping and characterization, three-dimensional (3D) structure homology modeling and refinement were also performed. The MEV candidate interaction with the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) was also docked. The immune responses simulation was assessed using the C-IMMSIM server. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulation verified the structural stability of the TLR4-MEV complex. The Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MMPBSA) approach demonstrated the MEV high affinity of binding to the TLR4, MHC-I and MHC-II. The MEV construct was also stable and water soluble and had enough antigenicity and lacked allergenicity with stimulation of T cells and B cells and INF-γ release. The immune simulation confirmed acceptable responses of both the humoral and cellular arms. It is proposed that in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to evaluate the findings of this study.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein T Abdulabbas
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical College, Al Muthanna University, Al Muthanna, Iraq
| | | | - Akbar Farjadfar
- Department of medical Biotechnology, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Masoud Arabfard
- Chemical Injuries Research Center, Systems Biology and Poisonings Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sohrab Najafipour
- School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Amin Kouhpayeh
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Abdolmajid Ghasemian
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Esmaeil Behmard
- School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
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107
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Sandhya KS, Kishore AA, Unni A, Sunitha P, Sajithra CV, Nair AS. Interaction analysis of SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA1 and BA2 of RBD with fifty monoclonal antibodies: Molecular dynamics approach. J Mol Graph Model 2024; 128:108719. [PMID: 38324968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2024.108719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
This report provides detailed insights into the interaction of fifty monoclonal antibodies with two recent Omicron variants, BA1 and BA2. It has been observed that numerous mutations in the receptor binding domain (RBD) result in significant structural changes in Omicron, enhancing its ability to mediate viral infections compared to other variants of concern. The following antibodies, namely JX3S304, 7KMG, 7CH4, 7BELCOVOX45, 7CDJ, 7C01, 7JX3S2H14, 6XCA, 7CDI, 7JMO, 7B3O, 6ZER, 6XC7CR3022, JX3S309, 6XC7CC123, 7CM4, 7KMI, 7L7EAZD8895, exhibit a superior binding affinity towards the Spike when compared to the reference CR3022. Four best-docked systems were subjected to further testing through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MM/GBSA free energy for the top-scored complexes of BA1 variant are BA1_JX3S3O4, BA1_7KMI, BA1_7CH4, and BA1_7KMG, with respective values of -56.120 kcal/mol, -41.30 kcal/mol, -17.546 kcal/mol, and -8.527 kcal/mol; and of BA2 variant are BA2_JX3S3O4, BA2_7CM4, BA2_KMG, and BA2_7CH4, with respective values of -40.903 kcal/mol, -23.416 kcal/mol, -17.350 kcal/mol, and -5.460 kcal/mol. Detailed structural/energetic parameters, principal component analysis, and free energy landscape (FEL) studies reveal a significant decrease in antibody resistance due to the disappearance of numerous hydrogen bond interactions and various metastable states. We believe that these crucial mechanistic insights will contribute to breakthroughs in SARS-CoV-2 research.
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Affiliation(s)
- K S Sandhya
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, India; Department of Chemistry, University of Kerala, Kerala, India.
| | | | - Arun Unni
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, India
| | - P Sunitha
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, India
| | - C V Sajithra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Kerala, Kerala, India
| | - Achuthsankar S Nair
- Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Kerala, India
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108
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Xiao Y, Yan Y, Do H, Rankin R, Zhao H, Qian P, Song K, Wu T, Pang CH. Understanding cellulose pyrolysis via ab initio deep learning potential field. Bioresour Technol 2024; 399:130590. [PMID: 38490462 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Comprehensive and dynamic studies of cellulose pyrolysis reaction mechanisms are crucial in designing experiments and processes with enhanced safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The details of the pyrolysis mechanism are not readily available from experiments but can be better described via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. However, the large size of cellulose molecules challenges accurate ab initio MD simulations, while existing reactive force field parameters lack precision. In this work, precise ab initio deep learning potentials field (DPLF) are developed and applied in MD simulations to facilitate the study of cellulose pyrolysis mechanisms. The formation mechanism and production rate of both valuable and greenhouse products from cellulose at temperatures larger than 1073 K are comprehensively described. This study underscores the critical role of advanced simulation techniques, particularly DLPF, in achieving efficient and accurate understanding of cellulose pyrolysis mechanisms, thus promoting wider industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqin Xiao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo 315100, China; Center for Intelligent and Biomimetic Systems, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuxin Yan
- College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China
| | - Hainam Do
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo 315100, China; Key Laboratory for Carbonaceous Wastes Processing and Process Intensification Research of Zhejiang Province, University of Nottingham, Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Richard Rankin
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Haitao Zhao
- Center for Intelligent and Biomimetic Systems, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ping Qian
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Keke Song
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Tao Wu
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo 315100, China; Key Laboratory for Carbonaceous Wastes Processing and Process Intensification Research of Zhejiang Province, University of Nottingham, Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Cheng Heng Pang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo 315100, China; Key Laboratory for Carbonaceous Wastes Processing and Process Intensification Research of Zhejiang Province, University of Nottingham, Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China; Municipal Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Conversion Technologies, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Ningbo 315100, China.
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109
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Singh A, Varadarajan A, Pant P, Singh TP, Vikram NK, Sharma S, Sharma P. Identification of potential anti-mucor agents by targeting endothelial cell receptor glucose-regulated protein-78 using in silico approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:4344-4355. [PMID: 37288794 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2220809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mucormycosis is a fungal infection of the sinuses, brain and lungs that is the cause of approximately 50% mortality rate despite the available first-line therapy. Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 (GRP78) is already reported to be a novel host receptor that mediates invasion and damage of human endothelial cells by Rhizopus oryzae and Rhizopus delemar, the most common etiologic species of Mucorales. The expression of GRP78 is also regulated by the levels of iron and glucose in the blood. There are several antifungal drugs in the market but they pose a serious side effect to the vital organs of the body. Therefore, there is an immediate need to discover effective drug molecules having increased efficacy with no side effects. With the help of various computational tools, the current study was attempted to determine potential antimucor agents against GRP78. The receptor molecule GRP78 was screened against 8820 known drugs deposited in DrugBank library using high-throughput virtual screening method. Total top 10 compounds were selected based on the binding energies greater than the reference co-crystal molecule. Furthermore, molecular dynamic (MD) simulations using AMBER were performed to calculate the stability of the top-ranked compounds in the active site of GRP78. After extensive computational studies, we propose that two compounds (CID439153 and CID5289104) have inhibitory potency against mucormycosis and can serve as potential drugs that can form the basis of treating mucormycosis disease.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamika Singh
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ashwin Varadarajan
- Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Pradeep Pant
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India
| | - Tej P Singh
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Naval K Vikram
- Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sujata Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Pradeep Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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110
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Nguyen VT, Thu Nhu VT, Vo XT. Explosive weld joint characteristics of Copper-Tantalum via simulation. Comput Biol Med 2024; 174:108471. [PMID: 38608324 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
This report aims to examine the effects of impact velocity, impact depth, and impact orientation on the Cu-Ta weld joint of the explosive welding process via MD simulation. The findings indicate that the residual shear stress in the welded block mostly increases as the impact velocity rises. The bottom Ta block is more severely distorted than the higher Cu block due to the impact direction. During the tensile test, three stress zones can be identified including the low-stress Cu block, the high-stress Ta block, and the medium-stress weld joint in the middle of the samples. The weld joint position is lower than the median line of the welded block. The Cu-Ta welded block with 500 m/s impact velocities had the highest ultimate tensile strength (UTS) value of 6.49 GPa. With increasing impact depth, the atomic strain level, residual shear stress, and weld joint dimensions all noticeably increase. The Cu-Ta welded block with an impact depth of 7.5 Å has the greatest UTS values, measuring 11.65 GPa, because of its well-crystal structure. Changing the impact orientation does not result in a dramatic change in atomic strain. Orientation (001) vs (001) has the highest strain and stress rates. With an impact orientation of (110) vs. (111), the Cu-Ta welded block gets the highest UTS value of 8.03 GPa compared to other orientations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van-Thuc Nguyen
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, HCMC University of Technology and Education, Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Viet Nam.
| | - Vo Thi Thu Nhu
- Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, HCMC University of Technology and Education, Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Viet Nam
| | - Xuan-Tien Vo
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, HCMC University of Technology and Education, Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Viet Nam
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111
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Tasleem M, Pelletier J, Sévigny J, Hussain Z, Khan A, Al-Harrasi A, El-Kott AF, Taslimi P, Negm S, Shafiq Z, Iqbal J. Synthesis, in vitro, and in silico studies of morpholine-based thiosemicarbazones as ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1 and -3 inhibitors. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 266:131068. [PMID: 38531526 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
An extensive range of new biologically active morpholine based thiosemicarbazones derivatives 3a-r were synthesized, characterized by spectral techniques and evaluated as inhibitors of ENPP isozymes. Most of the novel thiosemicarbazones exhibit potent inhibition towards NPP1 and NPP3 isozymes. Compound 3 h was potent inhibitor of NPP1 with IC50 value of 0.55 ± 0.02. However, the most powerful inhibitor of NPP3 was 3e with an IC50 value of 0.24 ± 0.02. Furthermore, Lineweaver-Burk plot for compound 3 h against NPP1 and for compound 3e against NPP3 was devised through enzymes kinetics studies. Molecular docking and in silico studies was also done for analysis of interaction pattern of all newly synthesized compounds. The results were further validated by molecular dynamic (MD) simulation where the stability of conformational transformation of the best protein-ligand complex (3e) were justified on the basis of RMSD and RMSF analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mussarat Tasleem
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan
| | - Julie Pelletier
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec G1V 4G2, Canada
| | - Jean Sévigny
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec G1V 4G2, Canada; Département de Microbiologie-infectiologie et d'immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Zahid Hussain
- Centre for Advanced Drug Research, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan
| | - Ajmal Khan
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, P.O. Box 33, PC 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, P.O. Box 33, PC 616, Birkat Al Mauz, Nizwa, Sultanate of Oman.
| | - Attalla F El-Kott
- Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia; Department of Zoology, College of Science, Damanhour University, Egypt
| | - Parham Taslimi
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Bartin University, 74100 Bartin, Türkiye
| | - Sally Negm
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science and Art Mahyel Aseer, King Khalid University, Abha 62529, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zahid Shafiq
- Institute of Chemical Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan; Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Jamshed Iqbal
- Centre for Advanced Drug Research, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad 22060, Pakistan.
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112
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Zhang Q, Fan S, Tang M, Wang C, Li X, Jin Y, Yang Z. Computation-Guided Rational Design of Cysteine-Less Protein Variants in Engineered hCGL. J Agric Food Chem 2024; 72:9937-9946. [PMID: 38651303 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c06821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The engineered human cystathionine-γ-lyase (hCGL) resulting in enhanced activity toward both cysteine and cystine unveils a potential robust antitumor activity. However, the presence of cysteine residues has the potential to induce oligomerization or incorrect disulfide bonding, which may decrease the bioavailability of biopharmaceuticals. Through a meticulous design process targeting the cysteine residues within engineered hCGL, a set of potential beneficial mutants were obtained by virtual screening employing Rosetta and ABACUS. Experimental measurements have revealed that most of the mutants showed increased activity toward both substrates l-Cys and CSSC. Furthermore, mutants C109V and C229D demonstrated Tm value increases of 8.2 and 1.8 °C, respectively. After an 80 min incubation at 60 °C, mutant C229D still maintained high residual activity. Unexpectedly, mutant C109V, displaying activity approximately 2-fold higher than the activity of wild type (WT) for both substrates, showed disappointing instability in plasma, which suggests that computational design still requires further consideration. Analysis of their structure and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation revealed the impact of hydrophobic interaction, hydrogen bonds, and near-attack conformation (NAC) stability on activity and stability. This study acquired information about mutants that exhibit enhanced activity or thermal resistance and serve as valuable guidance for subsequent specific cysteine modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Shuai Fan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Mengjia Tang
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, Hebei, China
| | - Chenyu Wang
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Li
- School of Pharmacy, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan 063210, Hebei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Jin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Zhaoyong Yang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Biotechnology of Antibiotics, Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
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113
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Brodmerkel MN, Thiede L, De Santis E, Uetrecht C, Caleman C, Marklund EG. Collision induced unfolding and molecular dynamics simulations of norovirus capsid dimers reveal strain-specific stability profiles. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:13094-13105. [PMID: 38628116 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06344e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Collision induced unfolding (CIU) is a method used with ion mobility mass spectrometry to examine protein structures and their stability. Such experiments yield information about higher order protein structures, yet are unable to provide details about the underlying processes. That information can however be provided using molecular dynamics simulations. Here, we investigate the gas-phase unfolding of norovirus capsid dimers from the Norwalk and Kawasaki strains by employing molecular dynamics simulations over a range of temperatures, representing different levels of activation, together with CIU experiments. The dimers have highly similar structures, but their CIU reveals different stability that can be explained by the different dynamics that arises in response to the activation seen in the simulations, including a part of the sequence with previously observed strain-specific dynamics in solution. Our findings show how similar protein variants can be examined using mass spectrometric techniques in conjunction with atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to reveal differences in stability as well as differences in how and where unfolding takes place upon activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim N Brodmerkel
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Lars Thiede
- CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Metabolomics, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Emiliano De Santis
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden.
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Uetrecht
- CSSB Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Metabolomics, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23562 Lübeck, Germany
| | - Carl Caleman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Erik G Marklund
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, 75123 Uppsala, Sweden.
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114
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Hellsberg E, Boytsov D, Chen Q, Niello M, Freissmuth M, Rudnick G, Zhang YW, Sandtner W, Forrest LR. Identification of the potassium-binding site in serotonin transporter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2319384121. [PMID: 38652746 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319384121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Clearance of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) from the synaptic cleft after neuronal signaling is mediated by serotonin transporter (SERT), which couples this process to the movement of a Na+ ion down its chemical gradient. After release of 5-HT and Na+ into the cytoplasm, the transporter faces a rate-limiting challenge of resetting its conformation to be primed again for 5-HT and Na+ binding. Early studies of vesicles containing native SERT revealed that K+ gradients can provide an additional driving force, via K+ antiport. Moreover, under appropriate conditions, a H+ ion can replace K+. Intracellular K+ accelerates the resetting step. Structural studies of SERT have identified two binding sites for Na+ ions, but the K+ site remains enigmatic. Here, we show that K+ antiport can drive substrate accumulation into vesicles containing SERT extracted from a heterologous expression system, allowing us to study the residues responsible for K+ binding. To identify candidate binding residues, we examine many cation binding configurations using molecular dynamics simulations, predicting that K+ binds to the so-called Na2 site. Site-directed mutagenesis of residues in this site can eliminate the ability of both K+ and H+ to drive 5-HT accumulation into vesicles and, in patch clamp recordings, prevent the acceleration of turnover rates and the formation of a channel-like state by K+ or H+. In conclusion, the Na2 site plays a pivotal role in orchestrating the sequential binding of Na+ and then K+ (or H+) ions to facilitate 5-HT uptake in SERT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Hellsberg
- Computational Structural Biology Section, National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Danila Boytsov
- Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Qingyang Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Marco Niello
- Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Michael Freissmuth
- Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Gary Rudnick
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510
| | - Yuan-Wei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Walter Sandtner
- Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Lucy R Forrest
- Computational Structural Biology Section, National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892
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115
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Yoshidome T. Four-dimensional imaging for cryo-electron microscopy experiments using molecular simulations and manifold learning. J Comput Chem 2024; 45:738-751. [PMID: 38112413 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Elucidating protein conformational changes is essential because conformational changes are closely related to the functions of proteins. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) experiment can be used to reconstruct protein conformational changes via a method that involves using the experimental data (two-dimensional protein images). In this study, a reconstruction method, referred to as the "four-dimensional imaging," was proposed. In our four-dimensional imaging technique, the protein conformational change was obtained using the two-dimensional protein images (the three-dimensional electron density maps used in previously proposed techniques were not used). The protein conformation for each two-dimensional protein image was obtained using our original protocol with molecular dynamics simulations. Using a manifold-learning technique and two-dimensional protein images, the protein conformations were arranged according to the conformational change of the protein. By arranging the protein conformations according to the arrangement of the protein images, four-dimensional imaging is constructed. A simulation for a cryo-EM experiment demonstrated the validity of our four-dimensional imaging technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Yoshidome
- Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan
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116
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Agarwal T, Manandhar S, B HK, Famurewa AC, Gurram PC, Suggala RS, Sankhe R, Mudgal J, Pai KSR. Oxyresveratrol-β-cyclodextrin mitigates streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's model cognitive impairment, histone deacetylase activity in rats: in silico & in vivo studies. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9897. [PMID: 38688962 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57188-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with cognitive deficits and epigenetic deacetylation that can be modulated by natural products. The role of natural oxyresveratrol-β-cyclodextrin (ORV) on cognition and histone deacetylase activity in AD is unclear. Herein, in-silico docking and molecular dynamics simulation analysis determined that oxyresveratrol potentially targets histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2). We therefore evaluated the in vivo ameliorative effect of ORV against cognitive deficit, cerebral and hippocampal expression of HDAC in experimental AD rats. Intracerebroventricular injection of STZ (3 mg/kg) induced experimental AD and the rats were treated with low dose (200 mg/kg), high dose (400 mg/kg) of ORV and donepezil (10 mg/kg) for 21 days. The STZ-induced AD caused cognitive and behavioural deficits demonstrated by considerable increases in acetylcholinesterase activity and escape latency compared to sham control. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and HDAC activity were significantly increased in AD disease group comparison to the sham. Interestingly, the ORV reversed the cognitive-behavioural deficit and prominently reduced the MDA and HDAC levels comparable to the effect of the standard drug, donepezil. The findings suggest anti-AD role of ORV via antioxidant effect and inhibition of HDAC in the hippocampal and frontal cortical area of rats for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Agarwal
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Suman Manandhar
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Harish Kumar B
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Ademola C Famurewa
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
| | - Prasada Chowdari Gurram
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Ramya Shri Suggala
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Runali Sankhe
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Jayesh Mudgal
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - K Sreedhara Ranganath Pai
- Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
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117
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Aderinto SO, John T, Onawole A, Galleh RP, Thomas JA. Iridium(III)-based minor groove binding complexes as DNA photocleavage agents. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:7282-7291. [PMID: 38466178 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt00171k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Transition metal complexes containing the qtpy ligand (2':4,4'':4',4'''-quaterpyridyl) are known to be DNA intercalators or minor groove binders. In this study, new tricationic iridium(III) complexes of qtpy are reported. Both [Ir(bpy)2(qtpy)]3+1 and [Ir(phen)2(qtpy)]3+2 display good water solubility as chloride salts. The complexes possess high-energy excited states, which are quenched in the presence of duplex DNA and even by the mononucleotides guanosine monophosphate and adenosine monophosphate. Further studies reveal that although the complexes bind to quadruplex DNA, they display a preference for duplex structures, which are bound with an order of magnitude higher affinities than their isostructural dicationic RuII-analogues. Detailed molecular dynamics simulations confirm that the complexes are groove binders through the insertion of, predominantly, the qtpy ligand into the minor groove. Photoirradiation of 1 in the presence of plasmid DNA confirms that this class of complexes can function as synthetic photonucleases by cleaving DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen O Aderinto
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK.
| | - Torsten John
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Abdulmujeeb Onawole
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | | | - Jim A Thomas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S3 7HF, UK.
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118
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Vikhar Danish Ahmad A, Khan SW, Ali SA, Yasar Q. Network pharmacology combined with molecular docking and experimental verification to elucidate the effect of flavan-3-ols and aromatic resin on anxiety. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9799. [PMID: 38684743 PMCID: PMC11058257 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58877-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the potential anxiolytic properties of flavan-3-ols and aromatic resins through a combined computational and experimental approach. Network pharmacology techniques were utilized to identify potential anxiolytic targets and compounds by analyzing protein-protein interactions and KEGG pathway data. Molecular docking and simulation studies were conducted to evaluate the binding interactions and stability of the identified targets. Behavioral tests, including the elevated plus maze test, open field test, light-dark test, actophotometer, and holeboard test, were used to assess anxiolytic activity. The compound-target network analysis revealed complex interactions involving 306 nodes and 526 edges, with significant interactions observed and an average node degree of 1.94. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted pathways such as neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, dopaminergic synapses, and serotonergic synapses as being involved in anxiety modulation. Docking studies on EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) showed binding energies of -9.5 kcal/mol for MAOA, -9.2 kcal/mol for SLC6A4, and -7.4 kcal/mol for COMT. Molecular dynamic simulations indicated minimal fluctuations, suggesting the formation of stable complexes between small molecules and proteins. Behavioral tests demonstrated a significant reduction in anxiety-like behavior, as evidenced by an increased number of entries into and time spent in the open arm of the elevated plus maze test, light-dark test, open field center activity, hole board head dips, and actophotometer beam interruptions (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). This research provides a comprehensive understanding of the multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway intervention mechanisms of flavan-3-ols and aromatic resins in anxiety treatment. Integrated network and behavioral analyses collectively support the anxiolytic potential of these compounds and offer valuable insights for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Subur W Khan
- Y. B. Chavan College of Pharmacy, Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
| | - Syed Ayaz Ali
- Y. B. Chavan College of Pharmacy, Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
| | - Qazi Yasar
- Y. B. Chavan College of Pharmacy, Dr. Rafiq Zakaria Campus, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
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119
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Thomas J, Ghosh A, Ranjan S, Satija J. Cheminformatics approach to identify andrographolide derivatives as dual inhibitors of methyltransferases (nsp14 and nsp16) of SARS-CoV-2. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9801. [PMID: 38684706 PMCID: PMC11058777 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58532-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic outbreak has accelerated tremendous efforts to discover a therapeutic strategy that targets severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to control viral infection. Various viral proteins have been identified as potential drug targets, however, to date, no specific therapeutic cure is available against the SARS-CoV-2. To address this issue, the present work reports a systematic cheminformatic approach to identify the potent andrographolide derivatives that can target methyltransferases of SARS-CoV-2, i.e. nsp14 and nsp16 which are crucial for the replication of the virus and host immune evasion. A consensus of cheminformatics methodologies including virtual screening, molecular docking, ADMET profiling, molecular dynamics simulations, free-energy landscape analysis, molecular mechanics generalized born surface area (MM-GBSA), and density functional theory (DFT) was utilized. Our study reveals two new andrographolide derivatives (PubChem CID: 2734589 and 138968421) as natural bioactive molecules that can form stable complexes with both proteins via hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. The toxicity analysis predicts class four toxicity for both compounds with LD50 value in the range of 500-700 mg/kg. MD simulation reveals the stable formation of the complex for both the compounds and their average trajectory values were found to be lower than the control inhibitor and protein alone. MMGBSA analysis corroborates the MD simulation result and showed the lowest energy for the compounds 2734589 and 138968421. The DFT and MEP analysis also predicts the better reactivity and stability of both the hit compounds. Overall, both andrographolide derivatives exhibit good potential as potent inhibitors for both nsp14 and nsp16 proteins, however, in-vitro and in vivo assessment would be required to prove their efficacy and safety in clinical settings. Moreover, the drug discovery strategy aiming at the dual target approach might serve as a useful model for inventing novel drug molecules for various other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jobin Thomas
- Centre for Nanobiotechnology (CNBT), Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India
| | - Anupam Ghosh
- NanoBio Research Lab, School of Nano Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721301, India
| | - Shivendu Ranjan
- NanoBio Research Lab, School of Nano Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721301, India
| | - Jitendra Satija
- Centre for Nanobiotechnology (CNBT), Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, 632014, India.
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120
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Islam MR, Islam Sovon MS, Amena U, Rahman M, Hosen ME, Kumer A, Bourhia M, Bin Jardan YA, Ibenmoussa S, Wondmie GF. Ligand-based drug design against Herpes Simplex Virus-1 capsid protein by modification of limonene through in silico approaches. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9828. [PMID: 38684729 PMCID: PMC11058824 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59577-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The pharmacological effects of limonene, especially their derivatives, are currently at the forefront of research for drug development and discovery as well and structure-based drug design using huge chemical libraries are already widespread in the early stages of therapeutic and drug development. Here, various limonene derivatives are studied computationally for their potential utilization against the capsid protein of Herpes Simplex Virus-1. Firstly, limonene derivatives were designed by structural modification followed by conducting a molecular docking experiment against the capsid protein of Herpes Simplex Virus-1. In this research, the obtained molecular docking score exhibited better efficiency against the capsid protein of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 and hence we conducted further in silico investigation including molecular dynamic simulation, quantum calculation, and ADMET analysis. Molecular docking experiment has documented that Ligands 02 and 03 had much better binding affinities (- 7.4 kcal/mol and - 7.1 kcal/mol) to capsid protein of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 than Standard Acyclovir (- 6.5 kcal/mol). Upon further investigation, the binding affinities of primary limonene were observed to be slightly poor. But including the various functional groups also increases the affinities and capacity to prevent viral infection of the capsid protein of Herpes Simplex Virus-1. Then, the molecular dynamic simulation confirmed that the mentioned ligands might be stable during the formation of drug-protein complexes. Finally, the analysis of ADMET was essential in establishing them as safe and human-useable prospective chemicals. According to the present findings, limonene derivatives might be a promising candidate against the capsid protein of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 which ultimately inhibits Herpes Simplex Virus-induced encephalitis that causes interventions in brain inflammation. Our findings suggested further experimental screening to determine their practical value and utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Rezaul Islam
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1207
- Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Md Shafiqul Islam Sovon
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh
- Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Ummy Amena
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Life & Earth Sciences, Jagannath University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Miadur Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North South University, Dhaka, 1219, Bangladesh
- Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Md Eram Hosen
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, 6205, Bangladesh
- Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Ajoy Kumer
- Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), Dhaka, 1216, Bangladesh
- Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences in Saveetha Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India
- Department of Biology, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Mohammed Bourhia
- Laboratory of Biotechnology and Natural Resources Valorization, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, 80060, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Yousef A Bin Jardan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samir Ibenmoussa
- Laboratory of Therapeutic and Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Montpellier, 34000, Montpellier, France
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Park P, Matsubara DK, Barzotto DR, Lima FS, Chaimovich H, Marrink SJ, Cuccovia IM. Vesicle protrusion induced by antimicrobial peptides suggests common carpet mechanism for short antimicrobial peptides. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9701. [PMID: 38678109 PMCID: PMC11055889 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60601-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Short-cationic alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides (SCHAMPs) are promising candidates to combat the growing global threat of antimicrobial resistance. They are short-sequenced, selective against bacteria, and have rapid action by destroying membranes. A full understanding of their mechanism of action will provide key information to design more potent and selective SCHAMPs. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations are invaluable tools that provide detailed insights into the peptide-membrane interaction at the atomic- and meso-scale level. We use atomistic and coarse-grained MD to look into the exact steps that four promising SCHAMPs-BP100, Decoralin, Neurokinin-1, and Temporin L-take when they interact with membranes. Following experimental set-ups, we explored the effects of SCHAMPs on anionic membranes and vesicles at multiple peptide concentrations. Our results showed all four peptides shared similar binding steps, initially binding to the membrane through electrostatic interactions and then flipping on their axes, dehydrating, and inserting their hydrophobic moieties into the membrane core. At higher concentrations, fully alpha-helical peptides induced membrane budding and protrusions. Our results suggest the carpet mode of action is fit for the description of SCHAMPs lysis activity and discuss the importance of large hydrophobic residues in SCHAMPs design and activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Park
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Danilo K Matsubara
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Domenico R Barzotto
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Filipe S Lima
- Departamento de Química Fundamental, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Hernan Chaimovich
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, 9747 AG, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Iolanda M Cuccovia
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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122
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Rauf A, Rashid U, Shah ZA, Khalil AA, Shah M, Tufail T, Rehman G, Rahman A, Naz S, Alsahammari A, Alharbi M, Al-Shahrani A, Formanowicz D. Anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties of indanone derivative isolated from Fernandoa adenophylla in vitro and in silico studies. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9624. [PMID: 38671030 PMCID: PMC11053151 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59703-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fernandoa adenophylla, due to the presence of phytochemicals, has various beneficial properties and is used in folk medicine to treat many conditions. This study aimed to isolate indanone derivative from F. adenophylla root heartwood and assess in-vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic characteristics at varying concentrations. Heat-induced hemolysis and glucose uptake by yeast cells assays were conducted to evaluate these properties. Besides, docking analyses were performed on four molecular targets. These studies were combined with molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the time-evolving inhibitory effect of selected inhibitors within the active pockets of the target proteins (COX-1 and COX-2). Indanone derivative (10-100 µM) inhibited the lysis of human red blood cells from 9.12 ± 0.75 to 72.82 ± 4.36% and, at 5-100 µM concentrations, it significantly increased the yeast cells' glucose uptake (5.16 ± 1.28% to 76.59 ± 1.62%). Concluding, the isolated indanone might act as an anti-diabetic agent by interacting with critical amino acid residues of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and it showed a binding affinity with anti-inflammatory targets COX-1, COX-2, and TNF-α. Besides, the obtained results may help to consider the indanone derivative isolated from F. adenophylla as a promising candidate for drug delivery, subject to outcomes of further in vivo and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdur Rauf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Swabi, Anbar, 23430, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan.
| | - Umer Rashid
- Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Islamabad, 22060, Pakistan
| | - Zafar Ali Shah
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Anees Ahmed Khalil
- University Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Shah
- Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Islamabad, 22060, Pakistan
| | - Tabussam Tufail
- University Institute of Diet and Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Gauhar Rehman
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan
| | - Abdur Rahman
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan
| | - Saima Naz
- Institute of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan
| | - Abdulrahman Alsahammari
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Metab Alharbi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulmajeed Al-Shahrani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Post Box 2455, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Laboratory Department, Almadah General Hospital, Ministry of Health, Khamis Mushait, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dorota Formanowicz
- Chair and Department of Medical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806, Poznan, Poland.
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants, National Research Institute, Kolejowa 2, 62-064, Plewiska, Poland.
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123
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Qi Z, Lei B, Xiong M, Li W, Liao Y, Cai D, Ma X, Zhang R, Chen S. High-level production of chitinase by multi-strategy combination optimization in Bacillus licheniformis. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 40:181. [PMID: 38668833 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-024-03995-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
In view of the extensive potential applications of chitinase (ChiA) in various fields such as agriculture, environmental protection, medicine, and biotechnology, the development of a high-yielding strain capable of producing chitinase with enhanced activity holds significant importance. The objective of this study was to utilize the extracellular chitinase from Bacillus thuringiensis as the target, and Bacillus licheniformis as the expression host to achieve heterologous expression of ChiA with enhanced activity. Initially, through structural analysis and molecular dynamics simulation, we identified key amino acids to improve the enzymatic performance of chitinase, and the specific activity of chitinase mutant D116N/E118N was 48% higher than that of the natural enzyme, with concomitant enhancements in thermostability and pH stability. Subsequently, the expression elements of ChiA(D116N/E118N) were screened and modified in Bacillus licheniformis, resulting in extracellular ChiA activity reached 89.31 U/mL. Further efforts involved the successful knockout of extracellular protease genes aprE, bprA and epr, along with the gene clusters involved in the synthesis of by-products such as bacitracin and lichenin from Bacillus licheniformis. This led to the development of a recombinant strain, DW2△abelA, which exhibited a remarkable improvement in chitinase activity, reaching 145.56 U/mL. To further improve chitinase activity, a chitinase expression frame was integrated into the genome of DW2△abelA, resulting in a significant increas to 180.26 U/mL. Optimization of fermentation conditions and medium components further boosted shake flask enzyme activity shake flask enzyme activity, achieving 200.28 U/mL, while scale-up fermentation experiments yielded an impressive enzyme activity of 338.79 U/mL. Through host genetic modification, expression optimization and fermentation optimization, a high-yielding ChiA strain was successfully constructed, which will provide a solid foundation for the extracellular production of ChiA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China
| | - Bo Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China
| | - Min Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China
| | - Weijia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China
| | - Yongqing Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China
| | - Dongbo Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China
| | - Xin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China
| | - Ruibin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China.
| | - Shouwen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Environmental Microbial Technology Center of Hubei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hubei University, 368 Youyi Avenue, Wuhan, Hubei, 430062, PR China.
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124
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Roy P, Maturano J, Hasdemir H, Lopez A, Xu F, Hellman J, Tajkhorshid E, Sarlah D, Das A. Elucidating the Mechanism of Metabolism of Cannabichromene by Human Cytochrome P450s. J Nat Prod 2024; 87:639-651. [PMID: 38477310 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Cannabichromene (CBC) is a nonpsychoactive phytocannabinoid well-known for its wide-ranging health advantages. However, there is limited knowledge regarding its human metabolism following CBC consumption. This research aimed to explore the metabolic pathways of CBC by various human liver cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and support the outcomes using in vivo data from mice. The results unveiled two principal CBC metabolites generated by CYPs: 8'-hydroxy-CBC and 6',7'-epoxy-CBC, along with a minor quantity of 1″-hydroxy-CBC. Notably, among the examined CYPs, CYP2C9 demonstrated the highest efficiency in producing these metabolites. Moreover, through a molecular dynamics simulation spanning 1 μs, it was observed that CBC attains stability at the active site of CYP2J2 by forming hydrogen bonds with I487 and N379, facilitated by water molecules, which specifically promotes the hydroxy metabolite's formation. Additionally, the presence of cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) amplified CBC's binding affinity to CYPs, particularly with CYP2C8 and CYP3A4. Furthermore, the metabolites derived from CBC reduced cytokine levels, such as IL6 and NO, by approximately 50% in microglia cells. This investigation offers valuable insights into the biotransformation of CBC, underscoring the physiological importance and the potential significance of these metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pritam Roy
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Sciences, and Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (IBB), Georgia Institute of Technology (GaTech), Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Jonathan Maturano
- Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Hale Hasdemir
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Angel Lopez
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Sciences, and Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (IBB), Georgia Institute of Technology (GaTech), Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Fengyun Xu
- Judith Hellman Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Judith Hellman
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, United States
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - David Sarlah
- Roger Adams Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Aditi Das
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Sciences, and Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences (IBB), Georgia Institute of Technology (GaTech), Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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125
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Sehit E, Yao G, Battocchio G, Radfar R, Trimpert J, Mroginski MA, Süssmuth R, Altintas Z. Computationally Designed Epitope-Mediated Imprinted Polymers versus Conventional Epitope Imprints for the Detection of Human Adenovirus in Water and Human Serum Samples. ACS Sens 2024; 9:1831-1841. [PMID: 38489767 PMCID: PMC11059108 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c02374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Detection of pathogenic viruses for point-of-care applications has attracted great attention since the COVID-19 pandemic. Current virus diagnostic tools are laborious and expensive, while requiring medically trained staff. Although user-friendly and cost-effective biosensors are utilized for virus detection, many of them rely on recognition elements that suffer major drawbacks. Herein, computationally designed epitope-imprinted polymers (eIPs) are conjugated with a portable piezoelectric sensing platform to establish a sensitive and robust biosensor for the human pathogenic adenovirus (HAdV). The template epitope is selected from the knob part of the HAdV capsid, ensuring surface accessibility. Computational simulations are performed to evaluate the conformational stability of the selected epitope. Further, molecular dynamics simulations are executed to investigate the interactions between the epitope and the different functional monomers for the smart design of eIPs. The HAdV epitope is imprinted via the solid-phase synthesis method to produce eIPs using in silico-selected ingredients. The synthetic receptors show a remarkable detection sensitivity (LOD: 102 pfu mL-1) and affinity (dissociation constant (Kd): 6.48 × 10-12 M) for HAdV. Moreover, the computational eIPs lead to around twofold improved binding behavior than the eIPs synthesized with a well-established conventional recipe. The proposed computational strategy holds enormous potential for the intelligent design of ultrasensitive imprinted polymer binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekin Sehit
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- Institute
of Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Guiyang Yao
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Giovanni Battocchio
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rahil Radfar
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- Institute
of Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, 24143 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jakob Trimpert
- Institute
of Virology, Free University of Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria A. Mroginski
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Roderich Süssmuth
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Zeynep Altintas
- Institute
of Chemistry, Technical University of Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- Institute
of Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, 24143 Kiel, Germany
- Kiel
Nano, Surface and Interface Science (KiNSIS), Kiel University, 24118 Kiel, Germany
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126
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Mills KR, Misra J, Torabifard H. Allosteric Modulation of the YAP/TAZ-TEAD Interaction by Palmitoylation and Small-Molecule Inhibitors. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3795-3806. [PMID: 38606592 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The Hippo signaling pathway is a highly conserved signaling network that plays a central role in regulating cellular growth, proliferation, and organ size. This pathway consists of a kinase cascade that integrates various upstream signals to control the activation or inactivation of YAP/TAZ proteins. Phosphorylated YAP/TAZ is sequestered in the cytoplasm; however, when the Hippo pathway is deactivated, it translocates into the nucleus, where it associates with TEAD transcription factors. This partnership is instrumental in regulating the transcription of progrowth and antiapoptotic genes. Thus, in many cancers, aberrantly hyperactivated YAP/TAZ promotes oncogenesis by contributing to cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and therapy resistance. Because YAP and TAZ exert their oncogenic effects by binding with TEAD, it is critical to understand this key interaction to develop cancer therapeutics. Previous research has indicated that TEAD undergoes autopalmitoylation at a conserved cysteine, and small molecules that inhibit TEAD palmitoylation disrupt effective YAP/TAZ binding. However, how exactly palmitoylation contributes to YAP/TAZ-TEAD interactions and how the TEAD palmitoylation inhibitors disrupt this interaction remains unknown. Utilizing molecular dynamics simulations, our investigation not only provides detailed atomistic insight into the YAP/TAZ-TEAD dynamics but also unveils that the inhibitor studied influences the binding of YAP and TAZ to TEAD in distinct manners. This discovery has significant implications for the design and deployment of future molecular interventions targeting this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira R Mills
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Jyoti Misra
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
| | - Hedieh Torabifard
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
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127
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Vasseur L, Barbault F, Monari A. Interaction between Yersinia pestis Ail Outer Membrane Protein and the C-Terminal Domain of Human Vitronectin. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3929-3936. [PMID: 38619541 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is capable of evading the human immune system response by recruiting the plasma circulating vitronectin proteins, which act as a shield and avoid its lysis. Vitronectin recruitment is mediated by its interaction with the bacterial transmembrane protein Ail, protruding from the Y. pestis outer membrane. By using all-atom long-scale molecular dynamic simulations of Ail embedded in a realistic model of the bacterial membrane, we have shown that vitronectin forms a stable complex, mediated by interactions between the disordered moieties of the two proteins. The main amino acids driving the complexation have also been evidenced, thus favoring the possible rational design of specific peptides which, by inhibiting vitronectin recruitment, could act as original antibacterial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurine Vasseur
- Université Paris Cité and CNRS, ITODYS, F-75006 Paris, France
| | | | - Antonio Monari
- Université Paris Cité and CNRS, ITODYS, F-75006 Paris, France
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128
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Schuhmann F, Ramsay JL, Kattnig DR, Solov’yov IA. Structural Rearrangements of Pigeon Cryptochrome 4 Undergoing a Complete Redox Cycle. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3844-3855. [PMID: 38568745 PMCID: PMC11056986 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Cryptochrome is currently the major contender of a protein to underpin magnetoreception, the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field. Among various types of cryptochromes, cryptochrome 4 has been identified as the likely magnetoreceptor in migratory birds. All-atom molecular dynamics (MD) studies have offered first insights into the structural dynamics of cryptochrome but are limited to a short time scale due to large computational demands. Here, we employ coarse-grained MD simulations to investigate the emergence of long-lived states and conformational changes in pigeon cryptochrome 4. Our coarse-grained simulations complete the picture by permitting observation on a significantly longer time scale. We observe conformational transitions in the phosphate-binding loop of pigeon cryptochrome 4 upon activation and identify prominent motions in residues 440-460, suggesting a possible role as a signaling state of the protein or as a gated interaction site for forming protein complexes that might facilitate downstream processes. The findings highlight the importance of considering longer time scales in studying cryptochrome dynamics and magnetoreception. Coarse-grained MD simulations offer a valuable tool to unravel the complex behavior of cryptochrome proteins and shed new light on the mechanisms underlying their role in magnetoreception. Further exploration of these conformational changes and their functional implications may contribute to a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms of magnetoreception in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Schuhmann
- Institute
of Physics, Carl von Ossietzky Universität
Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky Str. 9-11, Oldenburg 26129, Germany
- Niels
Bohr International Academy, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 17, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Jessica L. Ramsay
- Living
Systems Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Rd., Exeter EX4
4QD, U.K.
| | - Daniel R. Kattnig
- Living
Systems Institute and Department of Physics, University of Exeter, Stocker Rd., Exeter EX4
4QD, U.K.
| | - Ilia A. Solov’yov
- Institute
of Physics, Carl von Ossietzky Universität
Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky Str. 9-11, Oldenburg 26129, Germany
- Research
Centre for Neurosensory Science, Carl von
Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, Oldenburg 26129, Germany
- Center
for Nanoscale Dynamics (CENAD), Carl von
Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstr. 114-118, Oldenburg 26129, Germany
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129
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Orlikowska-Rzeznik H, Krok E, Domanska M, Setny P, Lągowska A, Chattopadhyay M, Piatkowski L. Dehydration of Lipid Membranes Drives Redistribution of Cholesterol Between Lateral Domains. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:4515-4522. [PMID: 38634827 PMCID: PMC11056968 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Cholesterol-rich lipid rafts are found to facilitate membrane fusion, central to processes like viral entry, fertilization, and neurotransmitter release. While the fusion process involves local, transient membrane dehydration, the impact of reduced hydration on cholesterol's structural organization in biological membranes remains unclear. Here, we employ confocal fluorescence microscopy and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate cholesterol behavior in phase-separated lipid bilayers under controlled hydration. We unveiled that dehydration prompts cholesterol release from raft-like domains into the surrounding fluid phase. Unsaturated phospholipids undergo more significant dehydration-induced structural changes and lose more hydrogen bonds with water than sphingomyelin. The results suggest that cholesterol redistribution is driven by the equalization of biophysical properties between phases and the need to satisfy lipid hydrogen bonds. This underscores the role of cholesterol-phospholipid-water interplay in governing cholesterol affinity for a specific lipid type, providing a new perspective on the regulatory role of cell membrane heterogeneity during membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Orlikowska-Rzeznik
- Faculty of
Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Emilia Krok
- Faculty of
Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Maria Domanska
- Biomolecular
Modelling Group, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Setny
- Biomolecular
Modelling Group, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Lągowska
- Faculty of
Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Madhurima Chattopadhyay
- Faculty of
Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
| | - Lukasz Piatkowski
- Faculty of
Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
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130
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Mistry J, Notman R. Mechanisms of the Drug Penetration Enhancer Propylene Glycol Interacting with Skin Lipid Membranes. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3885-3897. [PMID: 38622775 PMCID: PMC11056976 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Very few drugs have the necessary physicochemical properties to cross the skin's main permeability barrier, the stratum corneum (SC), in sufficient amounts. Propylene glycol (PG) is a chemical penetration enhancer that could be included in topical formulations in order to overcome the barrier properties of the skin and facilitate the transport of drugs across it. Experiments have demonstrated that PG increases the mobility and disorder of SC lipids and may extract cholesterol from the SC, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms of drug permeation enhancement by PG. In this work, we have performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the molecular-level effects of PG on the structure and properties of model SC lipid bilayers. The model bilayers were simulated in the presence of PG concentrations over the range of 0-100% w/w PG, using both an all-atom and a united atom force field. PG was found to localize in the hydrophilic headgroup regions at the bilayer interface, to occupy the lipid-water hydrogen-bonding sites, and to slightly increase lipid tail disorder in a concentration-dependent manner. We showed with MD simulation that PG enhances the permeation of small molecules such as water by interacting with the bilayer interface; the results of our study may be used to guide the design of formulations for transdermal drug delivery with enhanced skin permeation, as well as topical formulations and cosmetic products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Mistry
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
| | - Rebecca Notman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL, U.K.
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131
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Niu P, Tao Y, Lin G, Xu H, Meng Q, Yang K, Huang W, Song M, Ding K, Ma D, Fan M. Design and Synthesis of Novel Macrocyclic Derivatives as Potent and Selective Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 7 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:6099-6118. [PMID: 38586950 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The duality of function (cell cycle regulation and gene transcription) of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) makes it an attractive oncology target and the discovery of CDK7 inhibitors has been a long-term pursuit by academia and pharmaceutical companies. However, achieving selective leading compounds is still difficult owing to the similarities among the ATP binding pocket. Herein, we detail the design and synthesis of a series of macrocyclic derivatives with pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine core structure as potent and selective CDK7 inhibitors. The diverse manners of macrocyclization led to distinguished selectivity profiles of the CDK family. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation explained the binding difference between 15- and 16-membered macrocyclic compounds. Further optimization generated compound 37 exhibiting good CDK7 inhibitory activity and high selectivity over other CDKs. This work clearly demonstrated macrocyclization is a versatile method to finely tune the selectivity profile of small molecules and MD simulation can be a valuable tool in prioritizing designs of the macrocycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengpeng Niu
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine (AMT), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Yanxin Tao
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Guohao Lin
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Huiqi Xu
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Qingyuan Meng
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Kang Yang
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Weixue Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Meiru Song
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Ke Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Dawei Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Mengyang Fan
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
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132
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Jaufer AM, Bouhadana A, Fanucci GE. Hydrophobic Clusters Regulate Surface Hydration Dynamics of Bacillus subtilis Lipase A. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3919-3928. [PMID: 38628066 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The surface hydration diffusivity of Bacillus subtilis Lipase A (BSLA) has been characterized by low-field Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization (ODNP) relaxometry using a series of spin-labeled constructs. Sites for spin-label incorporation were previously designed via an atomistic computational approach that screened for surface exposure, reflective of the surface hydration comparable to other proteins studied by this method, as well as minimal impact on protein function, dynamics, and structure of BSLA by excluding any surface site that participated in greater than 30% occupancy of a hydrogen bonding network within BSLA. Experimental ODNP relaxometry coupling factor results verify the overall surface hydration behavior for these BSLA spin-labeled sites similar to other globular proteins. Here, by plotting the ODNP parameters of relative diffusive water versus the relative bound water, we introduce an effective "phase-space" analysis, which provides a facile visual comparison of the ODNP parameters of various biomolecular systems studied to date. We find notable differences when comparing BSLA to other systems, as well as when comparing different clusters on the surface of BSLA. Specifically, we find a grouping of sites that correspond to the spin-label surface location within the two main hydrophobic core clusters of the branched aliphatic amino acids isoleucine, leucine, and valine cores observed in the BSLA crystal structure. The results imply that hydrophobic clustering may dictate local surface hydration properties, perhaps through modulation of protein conformations and samplings of the unfolded states, providing insights into how the dynamics of the hydration shell is coupled to protein motion and fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afnan M Jaufer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117200, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
- George and Josephine Butler Polymer Research Laboratory, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Adam Bouhadana
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117200, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
| | - Gail E Fanucci
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, P.O. Box 117200, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
- George and Josephine Butler Polymer Research Laboratory, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, United States
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133
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Huang H, Zhao DX, Zhao J, Chen X, Liu C, Yang ZZ. Origin of Enantioselectivity in Engineered Cytochrome c-Catalyzed Carbon-Radical FePP Hydrolysis Revealed Using QM/MM (ABEEM Polarizable Force Field) and MD Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3807-3823. [PMID: 38605466 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c07158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The origin of highly efficient asymmetric aminohydroxylation of styrene catalyzed by engineered cytochrome c is investigated by the developed Atom-Bond Electronegativity Equalization Method polarizable force field (ABEEM PFF), which is a combined outcome of electronic and steric effects. Model molecules were used to establish the charge parameters of the ABEEM PFF, for which the bond-stretching and angle-bending parameters were obtained by using a combination of modified Seminario and scan methods. The interactions between carbon-radical Fe-porphyrin (FePP) and waters are simulated by molecular dynamics, which shows a clear preference for the pre-R over the pre-S. This preference is attributed to the hydrogen-bond between the mutated 100S and 101P residues as well as van der Waals interactions, enforcing a specific conformation of the carbon-radical FePP complex within the binding pocket. Meanwhile, the hydrogen-bond between water and the nitrogen atom in the active intermediate dictates the stereochemical outcome. Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM (ABEEM PFF)) and free-energy perturbation calculations elucidate that the 3RTS is characterized by sandwich-like structure among adjacent amino acid residues, which exhibits greater stability than crowed arrangement in 3STS and enables the R enantiomer to form more favorably. Thus, this study provides mechanistic insight into the catalytic reaction of hemoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Huang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, P. R. China
| | - Dong-Xia Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, P. R. China
| | - Jian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, P. R. China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, P. R. China
| | - Cui Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, P. R. China
| | - Zhong-Zhi Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, P. R. China
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134
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Duran T, Naik S, Sharifi L, DiLuzio WR, Chanda A, Chaudhuri B. Studying the ssDNA loaded adeno-associated virus aggregation using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Int J Pharm 2024; 655:123985. [PMID: 38484860 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.123985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The aggregation of adeno-associated viral (AAV) capsids in an aqueous environment was investigated via coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations. The primary driving force and mechanism of the aggregation were investigated with or without single-strand DNA (ssDNA) loaded at various process temperatures. Capsid aggregation appeared to involve multiple residue interactions (i.e., hydrophobic, polar and charged residues) leading to complex protein aggregation. In addition, two aggregation mechanisms (i.e., the fivefold face-to-face contact and the edge-to-edge contact) were identified from this study. The ssDNA with its asymmetric structure could be the reason for destabilizing protein subunits and enhancing the interaction between the charged residues, and further result in the non-reversible face-to-face contact. At higher temperature, the capsid structure was found to be unstable with the significant size expansion of the loaded ssDNA which could be attributed to reduced number of intramolecular hydrogen bonds, the increased conformational deviations of protein subunits and the higher residue fluctuations. The CG-MD model was further validated with previous experimental and simulation data, including the full capsid size measurement and the capsid internal pressure. Thus, a good understanding of AAV capsid aggregation, instability and the role of ssDNA were revealed by applying the developed computational model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibo Duran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Shivangi Naik
- Technical Operations, Sarepta Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Leila Sharifi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Willow R DiLuzio
- Technical Operations, Sarepta Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Arani Chanda
- Technical Operations, Sarepta Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bodhisattwa Chaudhuri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Institute of Material Sciences (IMS), University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
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135
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Frezza E, Laage D, Duboué-Dijon E. Molecular Origin of Distinct Hydration Dynamics in Double Helical DNA and RNA Sequences. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:4351-4358. [PMID: 38619551 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Water molecules are essential to determine the structure of nucleic acids and mediate their interactions with other biomolecules. Here, we characterize the hydration dynamics of analogous DNA and RNA double helices with unprecedented resolution and elucidate the molecular origin of their differences: first, the localization of the slowest hydration water molecules─in the minor groove in DNA, next to phosphates in RNA─and second, the markedly distinct hydration dynamics of the two phosphate oxygen atoms OR and OS in RNA. Using our Extended Jump Model for water reorientation, we assess the relative importance of previously proposed factors, including the local topography, water bridges, and the presence of ions. We show that the slow hydration dynamics at RNA OR sites is not due to bridging water molecules but is caused by both the larger excluded volume and the stronger initial H-bond next to OR, due to the different phosphate orientations in A-form double helical RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Frezza
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, CiTCoM, Paris 75006, France
| | - Damien Laage
- PASTEUR, Department of Chemistry, École Normale Supérieure-PSL, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris 75005, France
| | - Elise Duboué-Dijon
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, 13 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 75005, France
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136
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Świątek A, Kuczera K, Szoszkiewicz R. Effects of Proline on Internal Friction in Simulated Folding Dynamics of Several Alanine-Based α-Helical Peptides. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3856-3869. [PMID: 38606880 PMCID: PMC11056985 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
We have studied in silico the effect of proline, a model cosolvent, on local and global friction coefficients in (un)folding of several typical alanine-based α-helical peptides. Local friction is related to dwell times of a single, ensemble-averaged hydrogen bond (HB) within each peptide. Global friction is related to energy dissipated in a series of configurational changes of each peptide experienced by increasing the number of HBs during folding. Both of these approaches are important in relation to future atomic force microscopic-based measurements of internal friction via force-clamp single-molecule force spectroscopy. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for six peptides, namely, ALA5, ALA8, ALA15, ALA21, (AAQAA)3, and H2N-GN(AAQAA)2G-COONH2, have been conducted at 2 and 5 M proline solutions in water. Using previously obtained MD data for these peptides in pure water as well as upgraded theoretical models, we obtained variations of local and global internal friction coefficients as a function of solution viscosity. The results showed the substantial role of proline in stabilizing the folded state and slowing the overall folding dynamics. Consequently, larger friction coefficients were obtained at larger viscosities. The local and global internal friction, i.e., respective, friction coefficients approximated to zero viscosity, was also obtained. The evolution of friction coefficients with viscosity was weakly dependent on the number of concurrent folding pathways but was rather dominated by a stabilizing effect of proline on the folded states. Obtained values of local and global internal friction showed qualitatively similar results and a clear dependency on the structure of the studied peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Świątek
- Faculty of Chemistry,
Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kuczera
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, United States
| | - Robert Szoszkiewicz
- Faculty of Chemistry,
Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland
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137
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Jiang Z, Liu S, Yuan S, Zhang H, Yuan S. Models of the Three-Component Bilayer of Stratum Corneum: A Molecular Simulation Study. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3833-3843. [PMID: 38603528 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c08461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The construction of the stratum corneum (SC) is crucial to the problems of transdermal drug delivery. SC consists of the keratinocyte layers and the lipid matrix surrounding it. Among them, the lipid matrix is the barrier for many exogenous molecules, mainly composed of ceramides (CERs), free fatty acids (FFA), and cholesterol (CHOL). In this work, we developed single-component (CERs, CER-NS, and CER-EOS) and six three-component models, and each model was simulated by using the GROMOS-54A7 force field. Short-period phase (SPP) and long-period phase (LPP) systems were established separately, and area per lipid (APL), thickness, order of carbon chain (SCD), and density distribution were analyzed. The transition of CER-NS and CER-EOS in LPP was observed. The results of hydrogen bonds in the lipid systems indicated that a strong hydrogen-bond network was formed between the skin-lipid bilayers. Umbrella sampling method simulations were performed to calculate the free energy change of ethanol moving into the skin-lipid bilayer. The results revealed that ethanol molecules pulled some water molecules into the membrane when they passed through SPP-1. Our findings provided some insights and models of the stratum corneum that could be used for the subsequent mechanism of macromolecule permeation through membranes in drugs, cosmetics, and so on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoli Jiang
- Key Lab of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, P. R. China
| | - Shasha Liu
- Key Lab of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250013, P. R. China
| | - Shideng Yuan
- Key Lab of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, P. R. China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Key Lab of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, P. R. China
| | - Shiling Yuan
- Key Lab of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, P. R. China
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138
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林 琳, 常 静, 田 耀, 陈 姣. [Computer-aided prediction and molecular mechanism investigation of active components in compound Kushen injection inhibiting p21-activated kinase 1]. Sheng Wu Yi Xue Gong Cheng Xue Za Zhi 2024; 41:313-320. [PMID: 38686412 PMCID: PMC11058487 DOI: 10.7507/1001-5515.202306011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Targeting p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is a novel strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment. Compound Kushen injection contains many anti-pancreatic cancer components, but the specific targets are unknown. In this study, 14α-hydroxymatrine, an active component of Kushen injection, was found to possess high binding free energy with the allosteric site of PAK1 by molecular docking based virtual screening. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that 14α-hydroxymatrine caused the α1 and α2 helices of the allosteric site of PAK1 to extend outward to form a deep allosteric regulatory pocket. Meanwhile, 14α-hydroxymatrine induced the β-folding region at the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding pocket of PAK1 to close inward, resulting in the ATP-binding pocket in a "semi-closed" state which caused the inactivation of PAK1. After removal of 14α-hydroxymatrine, PAK1 showed a tendency to change from the inactive conformation to the active conformation. We supposed that 14α-hydroxymatrine of compound Kushen injection might be a reversible allosteric inhibitor of PAK1. This study used modern technologies and methods to study the active components of traditional Chinese medicine, which laid a foundation for the development and utilization of natural products and the search for new treatments for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- 琳 林
- 南京中医药大学 附属中西医结合医院(南京 210028)Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, P. R. China
- 江苏省中医药研究院(南京 210028)Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, P. R. China
- 广州中医药大学 深圳医院(福田)(广东深圳 518000)Shenzhen Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, P. R. China
| | - 静杰 常
- 南京中医药大学 附属中西医结合医院(南京 210028)Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, P. R. China
| | - 耀洲 田
- 南京中医药大学 附属中西医结合医院(南京 210028)Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, P. R. China
- 江苏省中医药研究院(南京 210028)Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, P. R. China
| | - 姣 陈
- 南京中医药大学 附属中西医结合医院(南京 210028)Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, P. R. China
- 江苏省中医药研究院(南京 210028)Jiangsu Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210028, P. R. China
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139
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Prašnikar M, Proj M, Bjelošević Žiberna M, Lebar B, Knez B, Kržišnik N, Roškar R, Gobec S, Grabnar I, Žula A, Ahlin Grabnar P. The search for novel proline analogs for viscosity reduction and stabilization of highly concentrated monoclonal antibody solutions. Int J Pharm 2024; 655:124055. [PMID: 38554741 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Administration of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is currently focused on subcutaneous injection associated with increased patient adherence and reduced treatment cost, leading to sustainable healthcare. The main bottleneck is low volume that can be injected, requiring highly concentrated mAb solutions. The latter results in increased solution viscosity with pronounced mAb aggregation propensity because of intensive protein-protein interactions. Small molecule excipients have been proposed to restrict the protein-protein interactions, contributing to reduced viscosity. The aim of the study was to discover novel compounds that reduce the viscosity of highly concentrated mAb solution. First, the chemical space of proline analogs was explored and 35 compounds were determined. Viscosity measurements revealed that 18 proline analogs reduced the mAb solution viscosity similar to or more than proline. The compounds forming both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions with mAb reduced the viscosity of the formulation more efficiently without detrimentally effecting mAb physical stability. A correlation between the level of interaction and viscosity-reducing effect was confirmed with molecular dynamic simulations. Structure rigidity of the compounds and aromaticity contributed to their viscosity-reducing effect, dependent on molecule size. The study results highlight the novel proline analogs as an effective approach in viscosity reduction in development of biopharmaceuticals for subcutaneous administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Prašnikar
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matic Proj
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Blaž Lebar
- Biologics Drug Product, Technical Research and Development, Global Drug Development, Novartis, Slovenia
| | - Benjamin Knez
- Biologics Drug Product, Technical Research and Development, Global Drug Development, Novartis, Slovenia
| | - Nika Kržišnik
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robert Roškar
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Stanislav Gobec
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Iztok Grabnar
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleš Žula
- Biologics Drug Product, Technical Research and Development, Global Drug Development, Novartis, Slovenia
| | - Pegi Ahlin Grabnar
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva cesta 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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140
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Ruppelt D, Trollmann MFW, Dema T, Wirtz SN, Flegel H, Mönnikes S, Grond S, Böckmann RA, Steinem C. The antimicrobial fibupeptide lugdunin forms water-filled channel structures in lipid membranes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3521. [PMID: 38664456 PMCID: PMC11045845 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47803-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, a novel cyclo-heptapeptide composed of alternating D,L-amino acids and a unique thiazolidine heterocycle, called lugdunin, was discovered, which is produced by the nasal and skin commensal Staphylococcus lugdunensis. Lugdunin displays potent antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of Gram-positive bacteria, including challenging-to-treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Lugdunin specifically inhibits target bacteria by dissipating their membrane potential. However, the precise mode of action of this new class of fibupeptides remains largely elusive. Here, we disclose the mechanism by which lugdunin rapidly destabilizes the bacterial membrane potential using an in vitro approach. The peptide strongly partitions into lipid compositions resembling Gram-positive bacterial membranes but less in those harboring the eukaryotic membrane component cholesterol. Upon insertion, lugdunin forms hydrogen-bonded antiparallel β-sheets by the formation of peptide nanotubes, as demonstrated by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. These hydrophilic nanotubes filled with a water wire facilitate not only the translocation of protons but also of monovalent cations as demonstrated by voltage-clamp experiments on black lipid membranes. Collectively, our results provide evidence that the natural fibupeptide lugdunin acts as a peptidic channel that is spontaneously formed by an intricate stacking mechanism, leading to the dissipation of a bacterial cell's membrane potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Ruppelt
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg-August-Universität, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marius F W Trollmann
- Computational Biology, Department Biologie & Erlangen National High Perfomance Computing Center (NHR@FAU), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstraße 5, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Taulant Dema
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sebastian N Wirtz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hendrik Flegel
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg-August-Universität, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sophia Mönnikes
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg-August-Universität, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie Grond
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rainer A Böckmann
- Computational Biology, Department Biologie & Erlangen National High Perfomance Computing Center (NHR@FAU), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstraße 5, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Claudia Steinem
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg-August-Universität, Tammannstraße 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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141
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Proske M, Janowski R, Bacher S, Kang HS, Monecke T, Koehler T, Hutten S, Tretter J, Crois A, Molitor L, Varela-Rial A, Fino R, Donati E, De Fabritiis G, Dormann D, Sattler M, Niessing D. PURA syndrome-causing mutations impair PUR-domain integrity and affect P-body association. eLife 2024; 13:RP93561. [PMID: 38655849 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the human PURA gene cause the neurodevelopmental PURA syndrome. In contrast to several other monogenetic disorders, almost all reported mutations in this nucleic acid-binding protein result in the full disease penetrance. In this study, we observed that patient mutations across PURA impair its previously reported co-localization with processing bodies. These mutations either destroyed the folding integrity, RNA binding, or dimerization of PURA. We also solved the crystal structures of the N- and C-terminal PUR domains of human PURA and combined them with molecular dynamics simulations and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. The observed unusually high dynamics and structural promiscuity of PURA indicated that this protein is particularly susceptible to mutations impairing its structural integrity. It offers an explanation why even conservative mutations across PURA result in the full penetrance of symptoms in patients with PURA syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Proske
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Robert Janowski
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Bacher
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Hyun-Seo Kang
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chemistry Department, Biomolecular NMR and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Technical University of Munich, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Monecke
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tony Koehler
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Saskia Hutten
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität (JGU), Mainz, Germany
| | - Jana Tretter
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Anna Crois
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Lena Molitor
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Dorothee Dormann
- Biocenter, Institute of Molecular Physiology, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität (JGU), Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Sattler
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Chemistry Department, Biomolecular NMR and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich, Technical University of Munich, Mainz, Germany
| | - Dierk Niessing
- Institute of Structural Biology, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Helmholtz Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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142
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Chathoth NE, S HK, Krishna M, Anjukandi P. Exceptional stability of ultrasmall cubic copper metal nanoclusters - a molecular dynamics study. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:3908-3916. [PMID: 38567452 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02474a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The fabrication of shape-selective coinage metal nanoclusters (MNCs) has promising applications due to their exceptional physical and chemical molecule-like properties. However, the stability of the specific geometry of the nanoclusters, such as their cubic shapes, is unclear and has been unraveled by assessing the nanoclusters' interactions with different environments. In this work, we investigate the morphological stability of cubic structured, coinage metal nanoclusters of varying sizes ranging from 14 to 1099 atoms. The impact of solvent environments like water and the presence of ionic liquids (IL) on the stabilization of the MNCs were assessed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In general, smaller MNCs composed of less than 256 atoms encountered structural distortion easily compared to the larger ones, which preserved their cubic morphology with minimal surface aberrations in water. However, in the presence of 4M 1-butyl-1,1,1-trimethyl ammonium methane sulfonate [N1114][C1SO3] IL solution, the overall cubic shape of the MNCs was successfully preserved. Strikingly, it is observed that in contrast to the noble MNCs like Au and Ag, the cubic morphology for Cu MNCs with sizes less than 256 atoms exhibited significant stability even in the absence of IL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayana Edavan Chathoth
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad-678623, Kerala, India.
| | - Hafila Khairun S
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad-678623, Kerala, India.
| | - Manya Krishna
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Meghalaya, Shillong, 793003, Meghalaya, India
| | - Padmesh Anjukandi
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad-678623, Kerala, India.
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143
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Johnson S, Rothlisberger U. Oxidative Defect Detection Within Free and Packed DNA Systems: A Quantum Mechanical/Molecular Mechanics (QM/ MM) Approach. Chimia (Aarau) 2024; 78:243-250. [PMID: 38676618 DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2024.243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Base excision repair enzymes (BERs) detect and repair oxidative DNA damage with efficacy despite the small size of the defects and their often only minor structural impact. A charge transfer (CT) model for rapid scanning of DNA stretches has been evoked to explain the high detection rate in the face of numerous, small lesions. The viability of CT DNA defect detection is explored via hybrid QM/MM computational studies that leverage the accuracy of quantum mechanics (QM) for a region of interest and the descriptive power of molecularmechanics (MM) for the remainder of the system. We find that the presence of an oxidative lesion lowers theredox free energy of oxidation by approximately 1.0 eV regardless of DNA compaction (free DNA versus packed DNA in nucleosome core particles) and damage location indicating the high feasibility of a CT-based process for defect detection in DNA.
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144
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Sabino YNV, de Araújo Domingues KC, O'Connor PM, Marques PH, Santos EH, Tótola MR, Abreu LM, de Queiroz MV, Cotter PD, Mantovani HC. Bacillus velezensis iturins inhibit the hemolytic activity of Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9469. [PMID: 38658583 PMCID: PMC11043418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58973-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus has a major economic impact on the dairy sector. With the crucial need for new therapies, anti-virulence strategies have gained attention as alternatives to antibiotics. Here we aimed to identify novel compounds that inhibit the production/activity of hemolysins, a virulence factor of S. aureus associated with mastitis severity. We screened Bacillus strains obtained from diverse sources for compounds showing anti-hemolytic activity. Our results demonstrate that lipopeptides produced by Bacillus spp. completely prevented the hemolytic activity of S. aureus at certain concentrations. Following purification, both iturins, fengycins, and surfactins were able to reduce hemolysis caused by S. aureus, with iturins showing the highest anti-hemolytic activity (up to 76% reduction). The lipopeptides showed an effect at the post-translational level. Molecular docking simulations demonstrated that these compounds can bind to hemolysin, possibly interfering with enzyme action. Lastly, molecular dynamics analysis indicated general stability of important residues for hemolysin activity as well as the presence of hydrogen bonds between iturins and these residues, with longevous interactions. Our data reveals, for the first time, an anti-hemolytic activity of lipopeptides and highlights the potential application of iturins as an anti-virulence therapy to control bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Pedro Henrique Marques
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, MG, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Horta Santos
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Paul D Cotter
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, Cork, Ireland
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145
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Lyu Y, Chen S, Zhao Y, Yuan H, Zhang C, Zhang C, Meng Q. Effect of GM1 concentration change on plasma membrane: molecular dynamics simulation and analysis. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:12552-12563. [PMID: 38595108 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06161b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Ganglioside GM1 is a class of glycolipids predominantly located in the nervous system. Comprising a ceramide anchor and an oligosaccharide chain containing sialic acid, GM1 plays a pivotal role in various cellular processes, including signal transduction, cell adhesion, and membrane organization. Moreover, GM1 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and stroke. In this study, by creating a neural cell model membrane simulation system and employing rigorous molecular models, we utilize a coarse-grained molecular dynamics approach to explore the structural and dynamic characteristics of multi-component neuronal plasma membranes at varying GM1 ganglioside concentrations. The simulation results reveal that as GM1 concentration increases, a greater number of hydrogen bonds form between GM1 molecules, resulting in the formation of larger clusters, which leads to reduced membrane fluidity, increased lipid ordering, decreased membrane thickness and surface area and higher levels of GM1 dissociation. Through a meticulous analysis, while considering GM1's structural attributes, we offer valuable insights into the structural and dynamic traits of the cell membrane. This study provides a robust methodology for exploring membrane characteristics and enhances our comprehension of GM1 molecules, serving as a resource for both experimental and computational researchers in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Lyu
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
| | - Shuo Chen
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yu Zhao
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
| | - Hongxiu Yuan
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chenyang Zhang
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
| | - Changzhe Zhang
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qingtian Meng
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China.
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146
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Li L, Han J, Lo HYG, Tam WWL, Jia H, Tse ECM, Taliaferro JM, Li Y. Symmetry-breaking malachite green as a near-infrared light-activated fluorogenic photosensitizer for RNA proximity labeling. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:e36. [PMID: 38407347 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Cellular RNA is asymmetrically distributed in cells and the regulation of RNA localization is crucial for proper cellular functions. However, limited chemical tools are available to capture dynamic RNA localization in complex biological systems with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we developed a new method for RNA proximity labeling activated by near-infrared (NIR) light, which holds the potential for deep penetration. Our method, termed FAP-seq, utilizes a genetically encoded fluorogen activating protein (FAP) that selectively binds to a set of substrates known as malachite green (MG). FAP binding restricts the rotation of MG and rapidly activates its fluorescence in a wash-free manner. By introducing a monoiodo modification to MG, we created a photosensitizer (MG-HI) with the highest singlet oxygen generation ability among various MG derivatives, enabling both protein and RNA proximity labeling in live cells. New insights are provided in the transcriptome analysis with FAP-seq, while a deeper understanding of the symmetry-breaking structural arrangement of FAP-MG-HI was obtained through molecular dynamics simulations. Overall, our wash-free and NIR light-inducible RNA proximity labeling method (FAP-seq) offers a powerful and versatile approach for investigating complex mechanisms underlying RNA-related biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jinghua Han
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Hei-Yong G Lo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Winnie Wai Ling Tam
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Laboratory for Synthetic Chemistry and Chemical Biology Limited, New Territories, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Han Jia
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Edmund Chun Ming Tse
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Laboratory for Synthetic Chemistry and Chemical Biology Limited, New Territories, Hong Kong 999077, China
- CAS-HKU Joint Laboratory of Metallomics on Health and Environment, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - J Matthew Taliaferro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Laboratory for Synthetic Chemistry and Chemical Biology Limited, New Territories, Hong Kong 999077, China
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147
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Agbaglo DA, Summers TJ, Cheng Q, DeYonker NJ. The influence of model building schemes and molecular dynamics sampling on QM-cluster models: the chorismate mutase case study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:12467-12482. [PMID: 38618904 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp06100k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Most QM-cluster models of enzymes are constructed based on X-ray crystal structures, which limits comparison to in vivo structure and mechanism. The active site of chorismate mutase from Bacillus subtilis and the enzymatic transformation of chorismate to prephenate is used as a case study to guide construction of QM-cluster models built first from the X-ray crystal structure, then from molecular dynamics (MD) simulation snapshots. The Residue Interaction Network ResidUe Selector (RINRUS) software toolkit, developed by our group to simplify and automate the construction of QM-cluster models, is expanded to handle MD to QM-cluster model workflows. Several options, some employing novel topological clustering from residue interaction network (RIN) information, are evaluated for generating conformational clustering from MD simulation. RINRUS then generates a statistical thermodynamic framework for QM-cluster modeling of the chorismate mutase mechanism via refining 250 MD frames with density functional theory (DFT). The 250 QM-cluster models sampled provide a mean ΔG‡ of 10.3 ± 2.6 kcal mol-1 compared to the experimental value of 15.4 kcal mol-1 at 25 °C. While the difference between theory and experiment is consequential, the level of theory used is modest and therefore "chemical" accuracy is unexpected. More important are the comparisons made between QM-cluster models designed from the X-ray crystal structure versus those from MD frames. The large variations in kinetic and thermodynamic properties arise from geometric changes in the ensemble of QM-cluster models, rather from the composition of the QM-cluster models or from the active site-solvent interface. The findings open the way for further quantitative and reproducible calibration in the field of computational enzymology using the model construction framework afforded with the RINRUS software toolkit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatus A Agbaglo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
| | - Thomas J Summers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
| | - Qianyi Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
| | - Nathan J DeYonker
- Department of Chemistry, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
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148
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Li X, Zhang FG, Ma JA, Liu Y. Computational insights into the binding modes, keto-enol tautomerization and stereo-electronically controlled decarboxylation of oxaloacetate in the active site of macrophomate synthase. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:12331-12344. [PMID: 38598177 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00716f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Oxaloacetic acid (OAA) is a β-ketocarboxylic acid, which plays an important role as an intermediate in some metabolic pathways, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle, gluconeogenesis and fatty acid biosynthesis. Animal studies have indicated that supplementing oxaloacetic acid shows an increase of lifespan and other substantial health benefits including mitochondrial DNA protection, and protection of retinal, neural and pancreatic tissues. Most of the chemical transformations of OAA in the metabolic pathways have been extensively studied; however, the understanding of decarboxylation of OAA at the atomic level is relatively lacking. Here, we carried out MD simulations and combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations as an example to systematically elucidate the binding modes, keto-enol tautomerization and decarboxylation of OAA in the active site of macrophomate synthase (MPS), which is a Mg(II)-dependent bifunctional enzyme that catalyzes both the decarboxylation of OAA and [4+2] cycloaddition of 2-pyrone with the decarboxylated intermediate of OAA (pyruvate enolate). On the basis of our calculations, it was found that the Mg2+-coordinated oxaloacetate may exist in enol forms and keto forms. The four keto forms can be transformed into each other by simply rotating the C2-C3 single bond, nevertheless, the keto-enol tautomerization strictly requires the assistance of pocket water molecules. In addition, the decarboxylation is stereo-electronically controlled, i.e., it is the relative orientation of the terminal carboxyl anion that determines the rate of decarboxylation. As such, the chemistry of oxaloacetate in the active site of MPS is complex. On one hand, the most stable binding mode (K-I) may undergo enol-keto tautomerization to isomerize to the enol form, which may further react with the second substrate; on the other hand, K-I may isomerize to another binding mode K-II to proceed decarboxylation to generate pyruvate enolate and CO2. Starting from K-I, the enol-keto tautomerization corresponds to a barrier of 16.2 kcal mol-1, whereas the decarboxylation is associated with an overall barrier of 19.7 kcal mol-1. These findings may provide useful information for understanding the chemistry of OAA and the catalysis of related enzymes, and they are basically in agreement with the available experimental kinetic data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China.
| | - Fa-Guang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Jun-An Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Optoelectronic Sciences, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Yongjun Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, China.
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149
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Sherwani ZA, Tariq SS, Mushtaq M, Siddiqui AR, Nur-E-Alam M, Ahmed A, Ul-Haq Z. Predicting FFAR4 agonists using structure-based machine learning approach based on molecular fingerprints. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9398. [PMID: 38658642 PMCID: PMC11043068 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60056-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Free Fatty Acid Receptor 4 (FFAR4), a G-protein-coupled receptor, is responsible for triggering intracellular signaling pathways that regulate various physiological processes. FFAR4 agonists are associated with enhancing insulin release and mitigating the atherogenic, obesogenic, pro-carcinogenic, and pro-diabetogenic effects, normally associated with the free fatty acids bound to FFAR4. In this research, molecular structure-based machine-learning techniques were employed to evaluate compounds as potential agonists for FFAR4. Molecular structures were encoded into bit arrays, serving as molecular fingerprints, which were subsequently analyzed using the Bayesian network algorithm to identify patterns for screening the data. The shortlisted hits obtained via machine learning protocols were further validated by Molecular Docking and via ADME and Toxicity predictions. The shortlisted compounds were then subjected to MD Simulations of the membrane-bound FFAR4-ligand complexes for 100 ns each. Molecular analyses, encompassing binding interactions, RMSD, RMSF, RoG, PCA, and FEL, were conducted to scrutinize the protein-ligand complexes at the inter-atomic level. The analyses revealed significant interactions of the shortlisted compounds with the crucial residues of FFAR4 previously documented. FFAR4 as part of the complexes demonstrated consistent RMSDs, ranging from 3.57 to 3.64, with minimal residue fluctuations 5.27 to 6.03 nm, suggesting stable complexes. The gyration values fluctuated between 22.8 to 23.5 nm, indicating structural compactness and orderliness across the studied systems. Additionally, distinct conformational motions were observed in each complex, with energy contours shifting to broader energy basins throughout the simulation, suggesting thermodynamically stable protein-ligand complexes. The two compounds CHEMBL2012662 and CHEMBL64616 are presented as potential FFAR4 agonists, based on these insights and in-depth analyses. Collectively, these findings advance our comprehension of FFAR4's functions and mechanisms, highlighting these compounds as potential FFAR4 agonists worthy of further exploration as innovative treatments for metabolic and immune-related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaid Anis Sherwani
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Syeda Sumayya Tariq
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Mamona Mushtaq
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Ali Raza Siddiqui
- H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Mohammad Nur-E-Alam
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Aftab Ahmed
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, 92618, USA
| | - Zaheer Ul-Haq
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
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150
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Frazee N, Billlings KR, Mertz B. Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations facilitate prediction of the permeability of cyclic peptides. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300688. [PMID: 38652734 PMCID: PMC11037548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite their widespread use as therapeutics, clinical development of small molecule drugs remains challenging. Among the many parameters that undergo optimization during the drug development process, increasing passive cell permeability (i.e., log(P)) can have some of the largest impact on potency. Cyclic peptides (CPs) have emerged as a viable alternative to small molecules, as they retain many of the advantages of small molecules (oral availability, target specificity) while being highly effective at traversing the plasma membrane. However, the relationship between the dominant conformations that typify CPs in an aqueous versus a membrane environment and cell permeability remain poorly characterized. In this study, we have used Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations to characterize the effect of solvent on the free energy landscape of lariat peptides, a subset of CPs that have recently shown potential for drug development (Kelly et al., JACS 2021). Differences in the free energy of lariat peptides as a function of solvent can be used to predict permeability of these molecules, and our results show that permeability is most greatly influenced by N-methylation and exposure to solvent. Our approach lays the groundwork for using GaMD as a way to virtually screen large libraries of CPs and drive forward development of CP-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Frazee
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States of America
| | - Kyle R. Billlings
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States of America
| | - Blake Mertz
- C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States of America
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