Ligand chirality effects on the dynamics of human 3-phosphoglycerate kinase: comparison between D- and L-nucleotides

Highly Efficient Chiral Separation Based on Alkali-proof Protein Immobilization by Covalent Organic Frameworks

Chiral separation plays a pivotal role in both practical applications and industrial productions. However, traditional chiral stationary phases (CSPs) exhibit inherent instability in alkaline environments, presenting a significant challenge despite their importance. Herein, basophilic alcalase is creatively developed to fabricate ultrastable protein-based CSPs that can efficiently work under alkaline conditions. An in-depth theoretical simulation is conducted to unveil the unique three-dimensional conformation of alcalase, showing selective affinity towards various enantiomers of chiral amino acids and drugs, especially acidic substrates. Subsequently, an in situ assembly strategy is used to immobilize alcalase within a hydrazone-linked covalent organic framework (COF) platform. The generated protein-based CSPs enable successful baseline separation (Rs≥1.50) for various value-added compounds (e.g., non-steroidal drug, RS-flurbiprofen; nucleotide analog, RS-tenofovir) via high-performance liquid chromatography, surpassing the commercial chiral column. Furthermore, a systematic study reveals that increasing hydrophilicity and pore sizes of COFs can enhance the separation performance. Remarkably, the obtained CSPs demonstrated exceptional durability, maintaining performance for >2,400 runs. This study provides a new member to the protein library for CSPs, and represents an innovative and effective platform for CSPs with immense potential for the enantioseparation of acidic drugs.

Computational engineering of cellulase Cel9A-68 functional motions through mutations in its linker region

Cellulase collective motions design through linker mutations leads to the enhancement of protein flexibility and function.

The impact of molecular dynamics on drug design: applications for the characterization of ligand-macromolecule complexes

Among all tools available to design new drugs, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have become an essential technique. Initially developed to investigate molecular models with a limited number of atoms, computers now enable investigations of large macromolecular systems with a simulation time reaching the microsecond range. The reviewed articles cover four years of research to give an overview on the actual impact of MD on the current medicinal chemistry landscape with a particular emphasis on studies of ligand-protein interactions. With a special focus on studies combining computational approaches with data gained from other techniques, this review shows how deeply embedded MD simulations are in drug design strategies and articulates what the future of this technique could be.