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Rojas-Prats E, Martinez-Gonzalez L, Gil C, Ramírez D, Martinez A. Druggable cavities and allosteric modulators of the cell division cycle 7 (CDC7) kinase. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2024; 39:2301767. [PMID: 38205514 PMCID: PMC10786434 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2024.2301767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cell division cycle 7 kinase (CDC7) has been found overexpressed in many cancer cell lines being also one of the kinases involved in the nuclear protein TDP-43 phosphorylation in vivo. Thus, inhibitors of CDC7 are emerging drug candidates for the treatment of oncological and neurodegenerative unmet diseases. All the known CDC7 inhibitors are ATP-competitives, lacking of selectivity enough for success in clinical trials. As allosteric sites are less conserved among kinase proteins, discovery of allosteric modulators of CDC7 is a great challenge and opportunity in this field.Using different computational approaches, we have here identified new druggable cavities on the human CDC7 structure and subsequently selective CDC7 inhibitors with allosteric modulation mainly targeting the pockets where the interaction between this kinase and its activator DBF4 takes place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Rojas-Prats
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas -Margarita Salas-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Loreto Martinez-Gonzalez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas -Margarita Salas-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de 13 Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Gil
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas -Margarita Salas-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ramírez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ana Martinez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas -Margarita Salas-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de 13 Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Kotzampasi DM, Papadourakis M, Burke JE, Cournia Z. Free energy landscape of the PI3Kα C-terminal activation. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:3118-3131. [PMID: 39229338 PMCID: PMC11369385 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The gene PIK3CA, encoding the catalytic subunit p110α of PI3Kα, is the second most frequently mutated gene in cancer, with the highest frequency oncogenic mutants occurring in the C-terminus of the kinase domain. The C-terminus has a dual function in regulating the kinase, playing a putative auto-inhibitory role for kinase activity and being absolutely essential for binding to the cell membrane. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these C-terminal oncogenic mutations cause PI3Kα overactivation remain unclear. To understand how a spectrum of C-terminal mutations of PI3Kα alter kinase activity compared to the WT, we perform unbiased and biased Molecular Dynamics simulations of several C-terminal mutants and report the free energy landscapes for the C-terminal "closed-to-open" transition in the WT, H1047R, G1049R, M1043L and N1068KLKR mutants. Results are consistent with HDX-MS experimental data and provide a molecular explanation why H1047R and G1049R reorient the C-terminus with a different mechanism compared to the WT and M1043L and N1068KLKR mutants. Moreover, we show that in the H1047R mutant, the cavity, where the allosteric ligands STX-478 and RLY-2608 bind, is more accessible contrary to the WT. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying activation of oncogenic PI3Kα by C-terminal mutations and represents a valuable resource for continued efforts in the development of mutant selective inhibitors as therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danai Maria Kotzampasi
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion 71500, Greece
| | | | - John E. Burke
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Zoe Cournia
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
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3
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Carpenter KA, Altman RB. Databases of ligand-binding pockets and protein-ligand interactions. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1320-1338. [PMID: 38585646 PMCID: PMC10997877 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Many research groups and institutions have created a variety of databases curating experimental and predicted data related to protein-ligand binding. The landscape of available databases is dynamic, with new databases emerging and established databases becoming defunct. Here, we review the current state of databases that contain binding pockets and protein-ligand binding interactions. We have compiled a list of such databases, fifty-three of which are currently available for use. We discuss variation in how binding pockets are defined and summarize pocket-finding methods. We organize the fifty-three databases into subgroups based on goals and contents, and describe standard use cases. We also illustrate that pockets within the same protein are characterized differently across different databases. Finally, we assess critical issues of sustainability, accessibility and redundancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristy A. Carpenter
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Russ B. Altman
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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4
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Pham C, Stogios PJ, Savchenko A, Mahadevan R. Computation-guided transcription factor biosensor specificity engineering for adipic acid detection. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:2211-2219. [PMID: 38817964 PMCID: PMC11137364 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor (TF)-based biosensors that connect small-molecule sensing with readouts such as fluorescence have proven to be useful synthetic biology tools for applications in biotechnology. However, the development of specific TF-based biosensors is hindered by the limited repertoire of TFs specific for molecules of interest since current construction methods rely on a limited set of characterized TFs. In this study, we present an approach for engineering the specificity of TFs through a computation-based workflow using molecular docking that enables targeted alteration of TF ligand specificity. Using this method, we engineer the LysR family BenM TF to alter its specificity from its cognate ligand cis,cis-muconic acid to adipic acid through a single amino acid substitution identified by our computational workflow. When implemented in a cell-free system, the engineered biosensor shows higher ligand sensitivity, expanding the potential applications of this circuit. We further investigate ligand binding through molecular dynamics to analyze the substitution, elucidating the impact of modulating a single amino acid position on the mechanism of BenM ligand binding. This study represents the first application of biomolecular modeling methods for altering BenM specificity and for gaining insights into how mutations influence the structural dynamics of BenM. Such methods can potentially be applied to other TFs to alter specificity and analyze the dynamics responsible for these changes, highlighting the applicability of computational tools for informing experiments. In addition, our developed adipic acid biosensor can be applied for the identification and engineering of enzymes to produce adipic acid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chester Pham
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Peter J. Stogios
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexei Savchenko
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Radhakrishnan Mahadevan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- The Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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5
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Ma T, Jiang Y, Chen P, Xiao F, Zhang J, Ma Y, Chen T. PFOS and PFOSA induce oxidative stress-mediated cardiac defects in zebrafish via PPARγ and AHR pathways, respectively. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175716. [PMID: 39181253 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 08/03/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and its precursor, perfluorooctane sulfonamide (PFOSA), are widespread in the environment. Evidence suggests a strong link between maternal exposure to PFOS/PFOSA and congenital heart diseases in the offspring, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that PFOS and PFOSA induce cardiac defects through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathways, respectively. In this study, we demonstrated that exposing zebrafish embryos to either PFOSA or PFOS caused cardiac malformations and dysfunction. Both PFOS and PFOSA induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction, mitochondrial damage, and apoptosis in zebrafish larvae hearts. Blockade of PPARγ through either pharmaceutical inhibition or genetic knockdown only attenuated the changes caused by PFOS, but not those elicited by PFOSA. Conversely, inhibition of AHR alleviated the adverse effects induced by PFOSA but not by PFOS. Both PFOSA and PFOS exhibited similar binding affinities to AHR using molecular docking techniques. The varying ability of PFOS and PFOSA to induce AHR activity in zebrafish embryonic hearts can be attributed to their different capabilities for activating PPARγ. In summary, our findings indicate that PFOS and PFOSA induce excessive ROS production in zebrafish larvae via the PPARγ and AHR pathways, respectively. This oxidative stress in turn causes mitochondrial damage and apoptosis, leading to cardiac defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianchi Ma
- School of public health, Suzhou medical college of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou medical college of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Pinyi Chen
- School of public health, Suzhou medical college of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou, China
| | - Fei Xiao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Suzhou medical college of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of public health, Suzhou medical college of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Major Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, China
| | - Yuqin Ma
- Suzhou Industrial Park Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Suzhou, China
| | - Tao Chen
- School of public health, Suzhou medical college of Soochow University, Suzhou, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, Suzhou, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Preventive and Translational Medicine for Major Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, China.
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6
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Tsedilin A, Schmidtke M, Monakhova N, Leneva I, Falynskova I, Khrenova M, Lane TR, Ekins S, Makarov V. Indole-core inhibitors of influenza a neuraminidase: iterative medicinal chemistry and molecular modeling. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 277:116768. [PMID: 39163780 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Influenza viruses that cause seasonal and pandemic flu are a permanent health threat. The surface glycoprotein, neuraminidase, is crucial for the infectivity of the virus and therefore an attractive target for flu drug discovery campaigns. We have designed and synthesized more than 40 3-indolinone derivatives. We mainly investigated the role of substituents at the 2 position of the core as well as the introduction of substituents or a nitrogen atom in the fused phenyl ring of the core for inhibition of influenza virus neuraminidase activity and replication in vitro and in vivo. After evaluating the compounds for their ability to inhibit the viral neuraminidase, six potent inhibitors 3c, 3e, 7c, 12o, 12v, 18d were progressed to evaluate for cytotoxicity and inhibition of influenza virus A/PR/8/34 replication in in MDCK cells. Two hit compounds 3e and 12o were tested in an animal model of influenza virus infection. Molecular mechanism of the 3-indolinone derivatives interactions with the neuraminidase was revealed in molecular dynamic simulations. Proposed inhibitors bind to the 430-cavity that is different from the conventional binding site of commercial compounds. The most promising 3-indolinone inhibitors demonstrate stronger interactions with the neuraminidase in molecular models that supports proposed binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Tsedilin
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Leninsky prospect, 33, build. 2, 119071, Moscow, Russia
| | - Michaela Schmidtke
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Section of Experimental Virology, Jena University Hospital, Hans-Knöll-Straße 2, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Natalia Monakhova
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Leninsky prospect, 33, build. 2, 119071, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina Leneva
- Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera, Department of Virology, 105064, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina Falynskova
- Mechnikov Research Institute of Vaccines and Sera, Department of Virology, 105064, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Khrenova
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Leninsky prospect, 33, build. 2, 119071, Moscow, Russia; Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Thomas R Lane
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, NC27606, USA
| | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, NC27606, USA
| | - Vadim Makarov
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Leninsky prospect, 33, build. 2, 119071, Moscow, Russia.
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7
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Monaco V, Iacobucci I, Canè L, Cipollone I, Ferrucci V, de Antonellis P, Quaranta M, Pascarella S, Zollo M, Monti M. SARS-CoV-2 uses Spike glycoprotein to control the host's anaerobic metabolism by inhibiting LDHB. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 278:134638. [PMID: 39147351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, responsible for approximately 7 million deaths worldwide, highlights the urgent need to understand the molecular mechanisms of the virus in order to prevent future outbreaks. The Spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, which is critical for viral entry through its interaction with ACE2 and other host cell receptors, has been a focus of this study. The present research goes beyond receptor recognition to explore Spike's influence on cellular metabolism. AP-MS interactome analysis revealed an interaction between the Spike S1 domain and lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB), which was further confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence, indicating colocalisation in cells expressing the S1 domain. The study showed that Spike inhibits the catalytic activity of LDHB, leading to increased lactate levels in HEK-293T cells overexpressing the S1 subunit. In the hypothesised mechanism, Spike deprives LDHB of NAD+, facilitating a metabolic switch from aerobic to anaerobic energy production during infection. The Spike-NAD+ interacting region was characterised and mainly involves the W436 within the RDB domain. This novel hypothesis suggests that the Spike protein may play a broader role in altering host cell metabolism, thereby contributing to the pathophysiology of viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Monaco
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate "Franco Salvatore" S.c.a r.l., 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Ilaria Iacobucci
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate "Franco Salvatore" S.c.a r.l., 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Luisa Canè
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Irene Cipollone
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate "Franco Salvatore" S.c.a r.l., 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Veronica Ferrucci
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate "Franco Salvatore" S.c.a r.l., 80131 Naples, Italy; Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Pasqualino de Antonellis
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate "Franco Salvatore" S.c.a r.l., 80131 Naples, Italy; Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Miriana Quaranta
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Stefano Pascarella
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Massimo Zollo
- CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate "Franco Salvatore" S.c.a r.l., 80131 Naples, Italy; Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche (DMMBM), "Federico II" University of Naples, Naples 80131, Italy
| | - Maria Monti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy; CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate "Franco Salvatore" S.c.a r.l., 80131 Naples, Italy.
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8
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Sebastiano MR, Hadano S, Cesca F, Ermondi G. Preclinical alternative drug discovery programs for monogenic rare diseases. Should small molecules or gene therapy be used? The case of hereditary spastic paraplegias. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104138. [PMID: 39154774 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Patients diagnosed with rare diseases and their and families search desperately to organize drug discovery campaigns. Alternative models that differ from default paradigms offer real opportunities. There are, however, no clear guidelines for the development of such models, which reduces success rates and raises costs. We address the main challenges in making the discovery of new preclinical treatments more accessible, using rare hereditary paraplegia as a paradigmatic case. First, we discuss the necessary expertise, and the patients' clinical and genetic data. Then, we revisit gene therapy, de novo drug development, and drug repurposing, discussing their applicability. Moreover, we explore a pool of recommended in silico tools for pathogenic variant and protein structure prediction, virtual screening, and experimental validation methods, discussing their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we focus on successful case applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Rossi Sebastiano
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, CASSMedChem, Piazza Nizza, 10138 Torino, Italy
| | - Shinji Hadano
- Molecular Neuropathobiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Fabrizia Cesca
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ermondi
- University of Torino, Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, CASSMedChem, Piazza Nizza, 10138 Torino, Italy.
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9
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Lee D, Hwang W, Byun J, Shin B. Turbocharging protein binding site prediction with geometric attention, inter-resolution transfer learning, and homology-based augmentation. BMC Bioinformatics 2024; 25:306. [PMID: 39304807 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-024-05923-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Locating small molecule binding sites in target proteins, in the resolution of either pocket or residue, is critical in many drug-discovery scenarios. Since it is not always easy to find such binding sites using conventional methods, different deep learning methods to predict binding sites out of protein structures have been developed in recent years. The existing deep learning based methods have several limitations, including (1) the inefficiency of the CNN-only architecture, (2) loss of information due to excessive post-processing, and (3) the under-utilization of available data sources. METHODS We present a new model architecture and training method that resolves the aforementioned problems. First, by layering geometric self-attention units on top of residue-level 3D CNN outputs, our model overcomes the problems of CNN-only architectures. Second, by configuring the fundamental units of computation as residues and pockets instead of voxels, our method reduced the information loss from post-processing. Lastly, by employing inter-resolution transfer learning and homology-based augmentation, our method maximizes the utilization of available data sources to a significant extent. RESULTS The proposed method significantly outperformed all state-of-the-art baselines regarding both resolutions-pocket and residue. An ablation study demonstrated the indispensability of our proposed architecture, as well as transfer learning and homology-based augmentation, for achieving optimal performance. We further scrutinized our model's performance through a case study involving human serum albumin, which demonstrated our model's superior capability in identifying multiple binding sites of the protein, outperforming the existing methods. CONCLUSIONS We believe that our contribution to the literature is twofold. Firstly, we introduce a novel computational method for binding site prediction with practical applications, substantiated by its strong performance across diverse benchmarks and case studies. Secondly, the innovative aspects in our method- specifically, the design of the model architecture, inter-resolution transfer learning, and homology-based augmentation-would serve as useful components for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Bonggun Shin
- Deargen, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- SK Life Science, Inc., Paramus, NJ, USA.
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10
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Shi D, Zhu X, Zhang H, Yan J, Bai C. Catalytic mechanism study of ATP-citrate lyase during citryl-CoA synthesis process. iScience 2024; 27:110605. [PMID: 39220258 PMCID: PMC11365397 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) is a critical metabolic enzyme and promising target for drug development. The structure determinations of ACLY have revealed its homotetramer states with various subunit symmetries, but catalytic mechanism of ACLY tetramer and the importance of subunit symmetry have not been clarified. Here, we constructed the free energy landscape of ACLY tetramer with arbitrary subunit symmetries and investigated energetic and conformational coupling of subunits during citryl-CoA synthesis process. The optimal conformational pathway indicates that ACLY tetramer encounters three critical conformational barriers and undergoes a loss of rigid-D2 symmetry to gain an energetic advantage. Energetic coupling of conformational changes and biochemical reactions suggests that these biological events are not independent but rather coupled with each other, showing a comparable energy barrier to the experimental data for the rate-limiting step. These findings could contribute to further research on catalytic mechanism, functional modulation, and inhibitor design of ACLY.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Shi
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Xuzhou College of Industrial Technology, Xuzhou 221140, China
| | - Xiaohong Zhu
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Honghui Zhang
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Junfang Yan
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Bai
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518172, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
- Chenzhu Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou 310005, China
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11
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Comajuncosa-Creus A, Jorba G, Barril X, Aloy P. Comprehensive detection and characterization of human druggable pockets through binding site descriptors. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7917. [PMID: 39256431 PMCID: PMC11387482 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52146-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Druggable pockets are protein regions that have the ability to bind organic small molecules, and their characterization is essential in target-based drug discovery. However, deriving pocket descriptors is challenging and existing strategies are often limited in applicability. We introduce PocketVec, an approach to generate pocket descriptors via inverse virtual screening of lead-like molecules. PocketVec performs comparably to leading methodologies while addressing key limitations. Additionally, we systematically search for druggable pockets in the human proteome, using experimentally determined structures and AlphaFold2 models, identifying over 32,000 binding sites across 20,000 protein domains. We then generate PocketVec descriptors for each site and conduct an extensive similarity search, exploring over 1.2 billion pairwise comparisons. Our results reveal druggable pocket similarities not detected by structure- or sequence-based methods, uncovering clusters of similar pockets in proteins lacking crystallized inhibitors and opening the door to strategies for prioritizing chemical probe development to explore the druggable space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Comajuncosa-Creus
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Guillem Jorba
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Xavier Barril
- Facultat de Farmàcia and Institut de Biomedicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Patrick Aloy
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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12
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García-Cuesta EM, Martínez P, Selvaraju K, Ulltjärn G, Gómez Pozo AM, D'Agostino G, Gardeta S, Quijada-Freire A, Blanco Gabella P, Roca C, Hoyo DD, Jiménez-Saiz R, García-Rubia A, Soler Palacios B, Lucas P, Ayala-Bueno R, Santander Acerete N, Carrasco Y, Oscar Sorzano C, Martinez A, Campillo NE, Jensen LD, Rodriguez Frade JM, Santiago C, Mellado M. Allosteric modulation of the CXCR4:CXCL12 axis by targeting receptor nanoclustering via the TMV-TMVI domain. eLife 2024; 13:RP93968. [PMID: 39248648 PMCID: PMC11383527 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
CXCR4 is a ubiquitously expressed chemokine receptor that regulates leukocyte trafficking and arrest in both homeostatic and pathological states. It also participates in organogenesis, HIV-1 infection, and tumor development. Despite the potential therapeutic benefit of CXCR4 antagonists, only one, plerixafor (AMD3100), which blocks the ligand-binding site, has reached the clinic. Recent advances in imaging and biophysical techniques have provided a richer understanding of the membrane organization and dynamics of this receptor. Activation of CXCR4 by CXCL12 reduces the number of CXCR4 monomers/dimers at the cell membrane and increases the formation of large nanoclusters, which are largely immobile and are required for correct cell orientation to chemoattractant gradients. Mechanistically, CXCR4 activation involves a structural motif defined by residues in TMV and TMVI. Using this structural motif as a template, we performed in silico molecular modeling followed by in vitro screening of a small compound library to identify negative allosteric modulators of CXCR4 that do not affect CXCL12 binding. We identified AGR1.137, a small molecule that abolishes CXCL12-mediated receptor nanoclustering and dynamics and blocks the ability of cells to sense CXCL12 gradients both in vitro and in vivo while preserving ligand binding and receptor internalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M García-Cuesta
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Martínez
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Karthik Selvaraju
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medical and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Gabriel Ulltjärn
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medical and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Gianluca D'Agostino
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sofia Gardeta
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adriana Quijada-Freire
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Carlos Roca
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Del Hoyo
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Jiménez-Saiz
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Universitario de La Princesa (IIS-Princesa), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, McMaster Immunology Research Centre (MIRC), Schroeder Allergy and Immunology Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Blanca Soler Palacios
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Lucas
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Ayala-Bueno
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Noelia Santander Acerete
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Carrasco
- B Lymphocyte Dynamics, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB)/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Oscar Sorzano
- Biocomputing Unit, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Martinez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Biomedical Research Network Center (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nuria E Campillo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Lasse D Jensen
- Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine, Department of Health, Medical and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jose Miguel Rodriguez Frade
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - César Santiago
- X-ray Crystallography Unit, Department of Macromolecules Structure, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Mellado
- Chemokine Signaling group, Department of Immunology and Oncology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
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Mai TT, Lam TP, Pham LHD, Nguyen KH, Nguyen QT, Le MT, Thai KM. Toward Unveiling Putative Binding Sites of Interleukin-33: Insights from Mixed-Solvent Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Interleukin-1 Family. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:8362-8375. [PMID: 39178050 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c03057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2024]
Abstract
The interleukin (IL)-1 family is a major proinflammatory cytokine family, ranging from the well-studied IL-1s to the most recently discovered IL-33. As a new focus, IL-33 has attracted extensive research for its crucial immunoregulatory roles, leading to the development of notable monoclonal antibodies as clinical candidates. Efforts to develop small molecules disrupting IL-33/ST2 interaction remain highly desired but encounter challenges due to the shallow and featureless interfaces. The information from relative cytokines has shown that traditional binding site identification methods still struggle in mapping cryptic sites, necessitating dynamic approaches to uncover druggable pockets on IL-33. Here, we employed mixed-solvent molecular dynamics (MixMD) simulations with diverse-property probes to map the hotspots of IL-33 and identify potential binding sites. The protocol was first validated using the known binding sites of two IL-1 family members and then applied to the structure of IL-33. Our simulations revealed several binding sites and proposed side-chain rearrangements essential for the binding of a known inhibitor, aligning well with experimental NMR findings. Further microsecond-time scale simulations of this IL-33-protein complex unveiled distinct binding modes with varying occurrences. These results could facilitate future efforts in developing ligands to target challenging flexible pockets of IL-33 and IL-1 family cytokines in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan Thanh Mai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Thua-Phong Lam
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75124, Sweden
| | - Long-Hung Dinh Pham
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, United Kingdom
| | - Kim-Hung Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Quoc-Thai Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Minh-Tri Le
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- University of Health Sciences, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Research Center for Discovery and Development of Healthcare Products, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
| | - Khac-Minh Thai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
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14
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Craig O, Lee S, Pilcher C, Saoud R, Abdirahman S, Salazar C, Williams N, Ascher D, Vary R, Luu J, Cowley K, Ramm S, Li MX, Thio N, Li J, Semple T, Simpson K, Gorringe K, Holien J. A new method for network bioinformatics identifies novel drug targets for mucinous ovarian carcinoma. NAR Genom Bioinform 2024; 6:lqae096. [PMID: 39184376 PMCID: PMC11344246 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqae096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mucinous ovarian carcinoma (MOC) is a subtype of ovarian cancer that is distinct from all other ovarian cancer subtypes and currently has no targeted therapies. To identify novel therapeutic targets, we developed and applied a new method of differential network analysis comparing MOC to benign mucinous tumours (in the absence of a known normal tissue of origin). This method mapped the protein-protein network in MOC and then utilised structural bioinformatics to prioritise the proteins identified as upregulated in the MOC network for their likelihood of being successfully drugged. Using this protein-protein interaction modelling, we identified the strongest 5 candidates, CDK1, CDC20, PRC1, CCNA2 and TRIP13, as structurally tractable to therapeutic targeting by small molecules. siRNA knockdown of these candidates performed in MOC and control normal fibroblast cell lines identified CDK1, CCNA2, PRC1 and CDC20, as potential drug targets in MOC. Three targets (TRIP13, CDC20, CDK1) were validated using known small molecule inhibitors. Our findings demonstrate the utility of our pipeline for identifying new targets and highlight potential new therapeutic options for MOC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Craig
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Samuel Lee
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC 3010, Australia
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
- Bioinformatics Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Courtney Pilcher
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3082, Australia
| | - Rita Saoud
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Suad Abdirahman
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Carolina Salazar
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Nathan Williams
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3082, Australia
| | - David B Ascher
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
- Computational Biology and Clinical Informatics, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Robert Vary
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- The Victorian Centre for Functional Genomics, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jennii Luu
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- The Victorian Centre for Functional Genomics, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Karla J Cowley
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- The Victorian Centre for Functional Genomics, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Susanne Ramm
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- The Victorian Centre for Functional Genomics, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Mark Xiang Li
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- The Victorian Centre for Functional Genomics, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Niko Thio
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jason Li
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Tim Semple
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Kaylene J Simpson
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
- The Victorian Centre for Functional Genomics, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Kylie L Gorringe
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 305 Grattan St, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Jessica K Holien
- The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC 3010, Australia
- St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3082, Australia
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15
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Gamarra MD, Dieterle ME, Ortigosa J, Lannot JO, Blanco Capurro JI, Di Paola M, Radusky L, Duette G, Piuri M, Modenutti CP. Unveiling crucial amino acids in the carbohydrate recognition domain of a viral protein through a structural bioinformatic approach. Glycobiology 2024; 34:cwae068. [PMID: 39214076 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwae068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 08/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) are protein domains that typically reside near catalytic domains, increasing substrate-protein proximity by constraining the conformational space of carbohydrates. Due to the flexibility and variability of glycans, the molecular details of how these protein regions recognize their target molecules are not always fully understood. Computational methods, including molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations, have been employed to investigate lectin-carbohydrate interactions. In this study, we introduce a novel approach that integrates multiple computational techniques to identify the critical amino acids involved in the interaction between a CBM located at the tip of bacteriophage J-1's tail and its carbohydrate counterparts. Our results highlight three amino acids that play a significant role in binding, a finding we confirmed through in vitro experiments. By presenting this approach, we offer an intriguing alternative for pinpointing amino acids that contribute to protein-sugar interactions, leading to a more thorough comprehension of the molecular determinants of protein-carbohydrate interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo D Gamarra
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Maria Eugenia Dieterle
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, United States
| | - Juan Ortigosa
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Jorge O Lannot
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Juan I Blanco Capurro
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Matias Di Paola
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Leandro Radusky
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Gabriel Duette
- The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Centre for Virus Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Mariana Piuri
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Carlos P Modenutti
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEyN-UBA) e Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN) CONICET, Pabellón 2 de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
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16
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Zhao Y, He S, Xing Y, Li M, Cao Y, Wang X, Zhao D, Bo X. A Point Cloud Graph Neural Network for Protein-Ligand Binding Site Prediction. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9280. [PMID: 39273227 PMCID: PMC11394757 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2024] [Revised: 08/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Predicting protein-ligand binding sites is an integral part of structural biology and drug design. A comprehensive understanding of these binding sites is essential for advancing drug innovation, elucidating mechanisms of biological function, and exploring the nature of disease. However, accurately identifying protein-ligand binding sites remains a challenging task. To address this, we propose PGpocket, a geometric deep learning-based framework to improve protein-ligand binding site prediction. Initially, the protein surface is converted into a point cloud, and then the geometric and chemical properties of each point are calculated. Subsequently, the point cloud graph is constructed based on the inter-point distances, and the point cloud graph neural network (GNN) is applied to extract and analyze the protein surface information to predict potential binding sites. PGpocket is trained on the scPDB dataset, and its performance is verified on two independent test sets, Coach420 and HOLO4K. The results show that PGpocket achieves a 58% success rate on the Coach420 dataset and a 56% success rate on the HOLO4K dataset. These results surpass competing algorithms, demonstrating PGpocket's advancement and practicality for protein-ligand binding site prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpeng Zhao
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Song He
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yuting Xing
- Defense Innovation Institute, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Mengfan Li
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xuanze Wang
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Dongsheng Zhao
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Xiaochen Bo
- Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
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17
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Li L, Li H, Su T, Ming D. Quantitative Characterization of the Impact of Protein-Protein Interactions on Ligand-Protein Binding: A Multi-Chain Dynamics Perturbation Analysis Method. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:9172. [PMID: 39273122 PMCID: PMC11394879 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25179172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Many protein-protein interactions (PPIs) affect the ways in which small molecules bind to their constituent proteins, which can impact drug efficacy and regulatory mechanisms. While recent advances have improved our ability to independently predict both PPIs and ligand-protein interactions (LPIs), a comprehensive understanding of how PPIs affect LPIs is still lacking. Here, we examined 63 pairs of ligand-protein complexes in a benchmark dataset for protein-protein docking studies and quantified six typical effects of PPIs on LPIs. A multi-chain dynamics perturbation analysis method, called mcDPA, was developed to model these effects and used to predict small-molecule binding regions in protein-protein complexes. Our results illustrated that the mcDPA can capture the impact of PPI on LPI to varying degrees, with six similar changes in its predicted ligand-binding region. The calculations showed that 52% of the examined complexes had prediction accuracy at or above 50%, and 55% of the predictions had a recall of not less than 50%. When applied to 33 FDA-approved protein-protein-complex-targeting drugs, these numbers improved to 60% and 57% for the same accuracy and recall rates, respectively. The method developed in this study may help to design drug-target interactions in complex environments, such as in the case of protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Li
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 South Puzhu Road, Jiangbei New District, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Hao Li
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 South Puzhu Road, Jiangbei New District, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Ting Su
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 South Puzhu Road, Jiangbei New District, Nanjing 211816, China
| | - Dengming Ming
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 South Puzhu Road, Jiangbei New District, Nanjing 211816, China
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18
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Nieto-Fabregat F, Lenza MP, Marseglia A, Di Carluccio C, Molinaro A, Silipo A, Marchetti R. Computational toolbox for the analysis of protein-glycan interactions. Beilstein J Org Chem 2024; 20:2084-2107. [PMID: 39189002 PMCID: PMC11346309 DOI: 10.3762/bjoc.20.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein-glycan interactions play pivotal roles in numerous biological processes, ranging from cellular recognition to immune response modulation. Understanding the intricate details of these interactions is crucial for deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying various physiological and pathological conditions. Computational techniques have emerged as powerful tools that can help in drawing, building and visualising complex biomolecules and provide insights into their dynamic behaviour at atomic and molecular levels. This review provides an overview of the main computational tools useful for studying biomolecular systems, particularly glycans, both in free state and in complex with proteins, also with reference to the principles, methodologies, and applications of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Herein, we focused on the programs that are generally employed for preparing protein and glycan input files to execute molecular dynamics simulations and analyse the corresponding results. The presented computational toolbox represents a valuable resource for researchers studying protein-glycan interactions and incorporates advanced computational methods for building, visualising and predicting protein/glycan structures, modelling protein-ligand complexes, and analyse MD outcomes. Moreover, selected case studies have been reported to highlight the importance of computational tools in studying protein-glycan systems, revealing the capability of these tools to provide valuable insights into the binding kinetics, energetics, and structural determinants that govern specific molecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferran Nieto-Fabregat
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126, Italy
| | - Maria Pia Lenza
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126, Italy
| | - Angela Marseglia
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126, Italy
| | - Cristina Di Carluccio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126, Italy
| | - Antonio Molinaro
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126, Italy
| | - Alba Silipo
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126, Italy
| | - Roberta Marchetti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 4, 80126, Italy
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19
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Hu F, Chang F, Tao L, Sun X, Liu L, Zhao Y, Han Z, Li C. Prediction of Protein Allosteric Sites with Transfer Entropy and Spatial Neighbor-Based Evolutionary Information Learned by an Ensemble Model. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:6197-6204. [PMID: 39075972 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Allostery is one of the most direct and efficient ways to regulate protein functions. The diverse allosteric sites make it possible to design allosteric modulators of differential selectivity and improved safety compared with those of orthosteric drugs targeting conserved orthosteric sites. Here, we develop an ensemble machine learning method AllosES to predict protein allosteric sites in which the new and effective features are utilized, including the entropy transfer-based dynamic property, secondary structure features, and our previously proposed spatial neighbor-based evolutionary information besides the traditional physicochemical properties. To overcome the class imbalance problem, the multiple grouping strategy is proposed, which is applied to feature selection and model construction. The ensemble model is constructed where multiple submodels are trained on multiple training subsets, respectively, and their results are then integrated to be the final output. AllosES achieves a prediction performance of 0.556 MCC on the independent test set D24, and additionally, AllosES can rank the real allosteric sites in the top three for 83.3/89.3% of allosteric proteins from the test set D24/D28, outperforming the state-of-the-art peer methods. The comprehensive results demonstrate that AllosES is a promising method for protein allosteric site prediction. The source code is available at https://github.com/ChunhuaLab/AllosES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangrui Hu
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Fubin Chang
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Lianci Tao
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Lamei Liu
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Yingchun Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Zhongjie Han
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Chunhua Li
- College of Chemistry and Life Science, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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20
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Ishitani R, Takemoto M, Tomii K. Protein ligand binding site prediction using graph transformer neural network. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308425. [PMID: 39106255 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Ligand binding site prediction is a crucial initial step in structure-based drug discovery. Although several methods have been proposed previously, including those using geometry based and machine learning techniques, their accuracy is considered to be still insufficient. In this study, we introduce an approach that leverages a graph transformer neural network to rank the results of a geometry-based pocket detection method. We also created a larger training dataset compared to the conventionally used sc-PDB and investigated the correlation between the dataset size and prediction performance. Our findings indicate that utilizing a graph transformer-based method alongside a larger training dataset could enhance the performance of ligand binding site prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuichiro Ishitani
- Division of Computational Drug Discovery and Design, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- Preferred Networks, Inc., Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mizuki Takemoto
- Division of Computational Drug Discovery and Design, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kentaro Tomii
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center (AIRC), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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Wu J, Wang Y, Cai W, Chen D, Peng X, Dong H, Li J, Liu H, Shi S, Tang S, Li Z, Sui H, Wang Y, Wu C, Zhang Y, Fu X, Yin Y. Ribosomal translation of fluorinated non-canonical amino acids for de novo biologically active fluorinated macrocyclic peptides. Chem Sci 2024:d4sc04061a. [PMID: 39129776 PMCID: PMC11310889 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc04061a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorination has emerged as a promising strategy in medicinal chemistry to improve the pharmacological profiles of drug candidates. Similarly, incorporating fluorinated non-canonical amino acids into macrocyclic peptides expands chemical diversity and enhances their pharmacological properties, from improved metabolic stability to enhanced cell permeability and target interactions. However, only a limited number of fluorinated non-canonical amino acids, which are canonical amino acid analogs, have been incorporated into macrocyclic peptides by ribosomes for de novo construction and target-based screening of fluorinated macrocyclic peptides. In this study, we report the ribosomal translation of a series of distinct fluorinated non-canonical amino acids, including mono-to tri-fluorinated variants, as well as fluorinated l-amino acids, d-amino acids, β-amino acids, etc. This enabled the de novo discovery of fluorinated macrocyclic peptides with high affinity for EphA2, and particularly the identification of those exhibiting broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative bacteria by targeting the BAM complex. This study not only expands the scope of ribosomally translatable fluorinated amino acids but also underscores the versatility of fluorinated macrocyclic peptides as potent therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Yuchan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University Fuzhou 350117 China
| | - Wenfeng Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Danyan Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University Fuzhou 350117 China
| | - Xiangda Peng
- Shanghai Zelixir Biotech Company Ltd Shanghai 200030 China
| | - Huilei Dong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Jinjing Li
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Hongtan Liu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Shuting Shi
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University Fuzhou 350117 China
| | - Sen Tang
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University Fuzhou 350117 China
| | - Zhifeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Haiyan Sui
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Yan Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University Fuzhou 350117 China
| | - Chuanliu Wu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Xiamen 361005 China
| | - Youming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
| | - Xinmiao Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University Fuzhou 350117 China
| | - Yizhen Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Institute of Microbial Technology, Shandong University Qingdao 266237 China
- Shandong Research Institute of Industrial Technology Jinan 250101 China
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22
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Zhang Z, Li Y, Yang J, Li J, Lin X, Liu T, Yang S, Lin J, Xue S, Yu J, Tang C, Li Z, Liu L, Ye Z, Deng Y, Li Z, Chen K, Ding H, Luo C, Lin H. Dual-site molecular glues for enhancing protein-protein interactions of the CDK12-DDB1 complex. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6477. [PMID: 39090085 PMCID: PMC11294606 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50642-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) stabilization with molecular glues plays a crucial role in drug discovery, albeit with significant challenges. In this study, we propose a dual-site approach, targeting the PPI region and its dynamic surroundings. We conduct molecular dynamics simulations to identify critical sites on the PPI that stabilize the cyclin-dependent kinase 12 - DNA damage-binding protein 1 (CDK12-DDB1) complex, resulting in further cyclin K degradation. This exploration leads to the creation of LL-K12-18, a dual-site molecular glue, which enhances the glue properties to augment degradation kinetics and efficiency. Notably, LL-K12-18 demonstrates strong inhibition of gene transcription and anti-proliferative effects in tumor cells, showing significant potency improvements in MDA-MB-231 (88-fold) and MDA-MB-468 cells (307-fold) when compared to its precursor compound SR-4835. These findings underscore the potential of dual-site approaches in disrupting CDK12 function and offer a structural insight-based framework for the design of cyclin K molecular glues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zemin Zhang
- The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuanqing Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Pathogenesis and Interventions of Fujian Province University, the Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology of Fujian Province, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiacheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiongqiang Lin
- The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ting Liu
- The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shiling Yang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Pathogenesis and Interventions of Fujian Province University, the Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology of Fujian Province, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jin Lin
- The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shengyu Xue
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiamin Yu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Cailing Tang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziteng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Liu
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China
| | - Zhengzheng Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanan Deng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhihai Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kaixian Chen
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Cheng Luo
- The School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.
| | - Hua Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Pathogenesis and Interventions of Fujian Province University, the Key Laboratory of Innate Immune Biology of Fujian Province, Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, China.
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China.
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23
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Hou XQ, Jia Z, Zhang DD, Wang G. Odorant receptor orthologues from moths display conserved responses to cis-jasmone. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:1107-1120. [PMID: 38009986 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
In insects, the odorant receptor (OR) multigene family evolves by the birth-and-death evolutionary model, according to which the OR repertoire of each species has undergone specific gene gains and losses depending on their chemical environment, resulting in taxon-specific OR lineage radiations with different sizes in the phylogenetic trees. Despite the general divergence in the gene family across different insect orders, the ORs in moths seem to be genetically conserved across species, clustered into 23 major clades containing multiple orthologous groups with single-copy gene from each species. We hypothesized that ORs in these orthologous groups are tuned to ecologically important compounds and functionally conserved. cis-Jasmone is one of the compounds that not only primes the plant defense of neighboring receiver plants, but also functions as a behavior regulator to various insects. To test our hypothesis, using Xenopus oocyte recordings, we functionally assayed the orthologues of BmorOR56, which has been characterized as a specific receptor for cis-jasmone. Our results showed highly conserved response specificity of the BmorOR56 orthologues, with all receptors within this group exclusively responding to cis-jasmone. This is supported by the dN/dS analysis, showing that strong purifying selection is acting on this group. Moreover, molecular docking showed that the ligand binding pockets of BmorOR56 orthologues to cis-jasmone are similar. Taken together, our results suggest the high conservation of OR for ecologically important compounds across Heterocera.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Qing Hou
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Synthetic Biology Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Zhongqiang Jia
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Synthetic Biology Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Dan-Dan Zhang
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Guirong Wang
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Synthetic Biology Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
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24
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Azevedo LG, Sosa E, de Queiroz ATL, Barral A, Wheeler RJ, Nicolás MF, Farias LP, Do Porto DF, Ramos PIP. High-throughput prioritization of target proteins for development of new antileishmanial compounds. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 25:100538. [PMID: 38669848 PMCID: PMC11068527 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a vector-borne disease, is caused by the infection of Leishmania spp., obligate intracellular protozoan parasites. Presently, human vaccines are unavailable, and the primary treatment relies heavily on systemic drugs, often presenting with suboptimal formulations and substantial toxicity, making new drugs a high priority for LMIC countries burdened by the disease, but a low priority in the agenda of most pharmaceutical companies due to unattractive profit margins. New ways to accelerate the discovery of new, or the repositioning of existing drugs, are needed. To address this challenge, our study aimed to identify potential protein targets shared among clinically-relevant Leishmania species. We employed a subtractive proteomics and comparative genomics approach, integrating high-throughput multi-omics data to classify these targets based on different druggability metrics. This effort resulted in the ranking of 6502 ortholog groups of protein targets across 14 pathogenic Leishmania species. Among the top 20 highly ranked groups, metabolic processes known to be attractive drug targets, including the ubiquitination pathway, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and purine synthesis, were rediscovered. Additionally, we unveiled novel promising targets such as the nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase enzyme and dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferases. These groups exhibited appealing druggability features, including less than 40% sequence identity to the human host proteome, predicted essentiality, structural classification as highly druggable or druggable, and expression levels above the 50th percentile in the amastigote form. The resources presented in this work also represent a comprehensive collection of integrated data regarding trypanosomatid biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas G Azevedo
- Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Bahia), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
| | - Ezequiel Sosa
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Artur T L de Queiroz
- Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Bahia), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
| | - Aldina Barral
- Laboratório de Medicina e Saúde Pública de Precisão (MeSP2), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Bahia), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
| | - Richard J Wheeler
- Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Marisa F Nicolás
- Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Leonardo P Farias
- Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Laboratório de Medicina e Saúde Pública de Precisão (MeSP2), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Bahia), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
| | | | - Pablo Ivan P Ramos
- Center for Data and Knowledge Integration for Health (CIDACS), Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Bahia), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil; Post-graduate Program in Biotechnology and Investigative Medicine, Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
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25
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Guvench O. Effect of Lipid Bilayer Anchoring on the Conformational Properties of the Cytochrome P450 2D6 Binding Site. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:7188-7198. [PMID: 39016537 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c03097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Human cytochrome P450 (CYP) proteins metabolize 75% of small-molecule pharmaceuticals, which makes structure-based modeling of CYP metabolism and inhibition, bolstered by the current availability of X-ray crystal structures of CYP globular catalytic domains, an attractive prospect. Accounting for this broad metabolic capacity is a combination of the existence of multiple different CYP proteins and the capacity of a single CYP protein to metabolize multiple different small molecules. It is thought that structural plasticity and flexibility contribute to this latter property; therefore, incorporating diverse conformational states of a particular CYP is likely an important consideration in structure-based CYP metabolism and inhibition modeling. While all-atom explicit-solvent molecular dynamics simulations can be used to generate conformational ensembles under biologically relevant conditions, existing CYP crystal structures are of the globular domain only, whereas human CYPs contain N-terminal transmembrane and linker peptides that anchor the globular catalytic domain to the endoplasmic reticulum. To determine whether this can cause significant differences in the sampled binding site conformations, microsecond scale all-atom explicit-solvent molecular dynamics simulations of the CYP2D6 globular domain in an aqueous environment were compared with those of the full-length protein anchored in a POPC lipid bilayer. While bilayer-anchoring damped some structural fluctuations in the globular domain relative to the aqueous simulations, none of the affected residues included binding site pocket residues. Furthermore, clustering of molecular dynamics snapshots based on either pairwise binding site pocket RMSD or volume differences demonstrated a lack of separation of snapshots from the two simulation conditions into different clusters. These results suggest the substantially simpler and computationally cheaper aqueous simulation approach can be used to generate a relevant conformational ensemble of the CYP2D6 binding site for structure-based metabolism and inhibition modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olgun Guvench
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Administration, School of Pharmacy, Westbrook College of Health Professions, University of New England, 716 Stevens Ave, Portland, Maine 04103, United States
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26
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Liu Q, Yu Y, Wei G. Oncogenic R248W mutation induced conformational perturbation of the p53 core domain and the structural protection by proteomimetic amyloid inhibitor ADH-6. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:20068-20086. [PMID: 39007865 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp02046d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The involvement of p53 aggregation in cancer pathogenesis emphasizes the importance of unraveling the mechanisms underlying mutation-induced p53 destabilization. And understanding how small molecule inhibitors prevent the conversion of p53 into aggregation-primed conformations is pivotal for the development of therapeutics targeting p53-aggregation-associated cancers. A recent experimental study highlights the efficacy of the proteomimetic amyloid inhibitor ADH-6 in stabilizing R248W p53 and inhibiting its aggregation in cancer cells by interacting with the p53 core domain (p53C). However, it remains mostly unclear how R248W mutation induces destabilization of p53C and how ADH-6 stabilizes this p53C mutant and inhibits its aggregation. Herein, we conducted all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of R248W p53C in the absence and presence of ADH-6, as well as that of wild-type (WT) p53C. Our simulations reveal that the R248W mutation results in a shift of helix H2 and β-hairpin S2-S2' towards the mutation site, leading to the destruction of their neighboring β-sheet structure. This further facilitates the formation of a cavity in the hydrophobic core, and reduces the stability of the β-sandwich. Importantly, two crucial aggregation-prone regions (APRs) S9 and S10 are disturbed and more exposed to solvent in R248W p53C, which is conducive to p53C aggregation. Intriguingly, ADH-6 dynamically binds to the mutation site and multiple destabilized regions in R248W p53C, partially inhibiting the shift of helix H2 and β-hairpin S2-S2', thus preventing the disruption of the β-sheets and the formation of the cavity. ADH-6 also reduces the solvent exposure of APRs S9 and S10, which disfavors the aggregation of R248W p53C. Moreover, ADH-6 can preserve the WT-like dynamical network of R248W p53C. Our study elucidates the mechanisms underlying the oncogenic R248W mutation induced p53C destabilization and the structural protection of p53C by ADH-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Liu
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yawei Yu
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
| | - Guanghong Wei
- Department of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, and Key Laboratory for Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China.
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27
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Lu D, Luo D, Zhang Y, Wang B. A Robust Induced Fit Docking Approach with the Combination of the Hybrid All-Atom/United-Atom/Coarse-Grained Model and Simulated Annealing. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:6414-6423. [PMID: 38966989 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Molecular docking remains an indispensable tool in computational biology and structure-based drug discovery. However, the correct prediction of binding poses remains a major challenge for molecular docking, especially for target proteins where a substrate binding induces significant reorganization of the active site. Here, we introduce an Induced Fit Docking (IFD) approach named AA/UA/CG-SA-IFD, which combines a hybrid All-Atom/United-Atom/Coarse-Grained model with Simulated Annealing. In this approach, the core region is represented by the All-Atom(AA) model, while the protein environment beyond the core region and the solvent are treated with either the United-Atom (UA) or the Coarse-Grained (CG) model. By combining the Elastic Network Model (ENM) for the CG region, the hybrid model ensures a reasonable description of ligand binding and the environmental effects of the protein, facilitating highly efficient and reliable sampling of ligand binding through Simulated Annealing (SA) at a high temperature. Upon validation with two testing sets, the AA/UA/CG-SA-IFD approach demonstrates remarkable accuracy and efficiency in induced fit docking, even for challenging cases where the docked poses significantly deviate from crystal structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dexin Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 360015, P. R. China
| | - Ding Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 360015, P. R. China
| | - Yuwei Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Centre of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Binju Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 360015, P. R. China
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28
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Martí-Centelles V, Piskorz TK, Duarte F. CageCavityCalc ( C3): A Computational Tool for Calculating and Visualizing Cavities in Molecular Cages. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:5604-5616. [PMID: 38980812 PMCID: PMC11267575 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Organic(porous) and metal-organic cages are promising biomimetic platforms with diverse applications spanning recognition, sensing, and catalysis. The key to the emergence of these functions is the presence of well-defined inner cavities capable of binding a wide range of guest molecules and modulating their properties. However, despite the myriad cage architectures currently available, the rational design of structurally diverse and functional cages with specific host-guest properties remains challenging. Efficiently predicting such properties is critical for accelerating the discovery of novel functional cages. Herein, we introduce CageCavityCalc (C3), a Python-based tool for calculating the cavity size of molecular cages. The code is available on GitHub at https://github.com/VicenteMartiCentelles/CageCavityCalc. C3 utilizes a novel algorithm that enables the rapid calculation of cavity sizes for a wide range of molecular structures and porous systems. Moreover, C3 facilitates easy visualization of the computed cavity size alongside hydrophobic and electrostatic potentials, providing insights into host-guest interactions within the cage. Furthermore, the calculated cavity can be visualized using widely available visualization software, such as PyMol, VMD, or ChimeraX. To enhance user accessibility, a PyMol plugin has been created, allowing nonspecialists to use this tool without requiring computer programming expertise. We anticipate that the deployment of this computational tool will significantly streamline cage cavity calculations, thereby accelerating the discovery of functional cages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Martí-Centelles
- Instituto
Interuniversitario de Investigación de Reconocimiento Molecular
y Desarrollo Tecnológico (IDM), Universitat
Politècnica de València, Universitat de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain
- CIBER
de Bioingeniería Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid 28029, Spain
- Departamento
de Química, Universitat Politècnica
de València, Camino de Vera
s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain
| | - Tomasz K. Piskorz
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - Fernanda Duarte
- Chemistry
Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, U.K.
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Estevam GO, Linossi EM, Rao J, Macdonald CB, Ravikumar A, Chrispens KM, Capra JA, Coyote-Maestas W, Pimentel H, Collisson EA, Jura N, Fraser JS. Mapping kinase domain resistance mechanisms for the MET receptor tyrosine kinase via deep mutational scanning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.16.603579. [PMID: 39071407 PMCID: PMC11275805 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.16.603579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Mutations in the kinase and juxtamembrane domains of the MET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase are responsible for oncogenesis in various cancers and can drive resistance to MET-directed treatments. Determining the most effective inhibitor for each mutational profile is a major challenge for MET-driven cancer treatment in precision medicine. Here, we used a deep mutational scan (DMS) of ~5,764 MET kinase domain variants to profile the growth of each mutation against a panel of 11 inhibitors that are reported to target the MET kinase domain. We identified common resistance sites across type I, type II, and type I ½ inhibitors, unveiled unique resistance and sensitizing mutations for each inhibitor, and validated non-cross-resistant sensitivities for type I and type II inhibitor pairs. We augment a protein language model with biophysical and chemical features to improve the predictive performance for inhibitor-treated datasets. Together, our study demonstrates a pooled experimental pipeline for identifying resistance mutations, provides a reference dictionary for mutations that are sensitized to specific therapies, and offers insights for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella O. Estevam
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Tetrad Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Edmond M. Linossi
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jingyou Rao
- Department of Computer Science, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Christian B. Macdonald
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Ashraya Ravikumar
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Karson M. Chrispens
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Biophysics Graduate Program, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - John A. Capra
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Willow Coyote-Maestas
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Harold Pimentel
- Department of Computer Science, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Computational Medicine and Human Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Eric A. Collisson
- Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Natalia Jura
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - James S. Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
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30
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Brajon L, Comte A, Capoduro R, Meslin C, Antony B, Al-Saleh MA, Pain A, Jacquin-Joly E, Montagné N. A conserved pheromone receptor in the American and the Asian palm weevils is also activated by host plant volatiles. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 6:100090. [PMID: 39193175 PMCID: PMC11345504 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2024.100090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of chemosensory receptors is key for the adaptation of animals to their environment. Recent knowledge acquired on the tri-dimensional structure of insect odorant receptors makes it possible to study the link between modifications in the receptor structure and evolution of response spectra in more depth. We investigated this question in palm weevils, several species of which are well-known invasive pests of ornamental or cultivated palm trees worldwide. These insects use aggregation pheromones to gather on their host plants for feeding and reproduction. An odorant receptor detecting the aggregation pheromone components was characterised in the Asian palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. This study compared the response spectra of this receptor, RferOR1, and its ortholog in the American palm weevil R. palmarum, RpalOR1. Sequences of these two receptors exhibit more than 70 amino acid differences, but modelling of their 3D structures revealed that their putative binding pockets differ by only three amino acids, suggesting possible tuning conservation. Further functional characterization of RpalOR1 confirmed this hypothesis, as RpalOR1 and RferOR1 exhibited highly similar responses to coleopteran aggregation pheromones and chemically related molecules. Notably, we showed that R. ferrugineus pheromone compounds strongly activated RpalOR1, but we did not evidence any response to the R. palmarum pheromone compound rhynchophorol. Moreover, we discovered that several host plant volatiles also activated both pheromone receptors, although with lower sensitivity. This study not only reveals evolutionary conservation of odorant receptor tuning across the two palm weevil species, but also questions the specificity of pheromone detection usually observed in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludvine Brajon
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Versailles and Paris, France
| | - Arthur Comte
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Versailles and Paris, France
| | - Rémi Capoduro
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Versailles and Paris, France
| | - Camille Meslin
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Versailles and Paris, France
| | - Binu Antony
- King Saud University, Chair of Date Palm Research, Center for Chemical Ecology and Functional Genomics, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Ali Al-Saleh
- King Saud University, Chair of Date Palm Research, Center for Chemical Ecology and Functional Genomics, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arnab Pain
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Bioscience Programme, BESE Division, Thuwal, Jeddah 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Emmanuelle Jacquin-Joly
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Versailles and Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Montagné
- INRAE, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, UPEC, Université Paris Cité, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (iEES-Paris), Versailles and Paris, France
- Institut universitaire de France (IUF)
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31
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Pereira GP, Alessandri R, Domínguez M, Araya-Osorio R, Grünewald L, Borges-Araújo L, Wu S, Marrink SJ, Souza PCT, Mera-Adasme R. Bartender: Martini 3 Bonded Terms via Quantum Mechanics-Based Molecular Dynamics. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:5763-5773. [PMID: 38924075 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have grown in applicability over the years. The recently released version of the Martini CG force field (Martini 3) has been successfully applied to simulate many processes, including protein-ligand binding. However, the current ligand parametrization scheme is manual and requires an a priori reference all-atom (AA) simulation for benchmarking. For systems with suboptimal AA parameters, which are often unknown, this translates into a CG model that does not reproduce the true dynamical behavior of the underlying molecule. Here, we present Bartender, a quantum mechanics (QM)/MD-based parametrization tool written in Go. Bartender harnesses the power of QM simulations and produces reasonable bonded terms for Martini 3 CG models of small molecules in an efficient and user-friendly manner. For small, ring-like molecules, Bartender generates models whose properties are indistinguishable from the human-made models. For more complex, drug-like ligands, it is able to fit functional forms beyond simple harmonic dihedrals and thus better captures their dynamical behavior. Bartender has the power to both increase the efficiency and the accuracy of Martini 3-based high-throughput applications by producing numerically stable and physically realistic CG models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilberto P Pereira
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule, CNRS, UMR 5239, Inserm, U1293, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69364, France
- Centre Blaise Pascal de Simulation et de Modélisation Numérique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69364, France
| | - Riccardo Alessandri
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Moisés Domínguez
- Departamento de Ciencias del Ambiente, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH), Av. Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 3363, Estacion Central, Santiago 9170022, Chile
| | - Rocío Araya-Osorio
- Departamento de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. Gral. Velasquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile
| | - Linus Grünewald
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Luís Borges-Araújo
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule, CNRS, UMR 5239, Inserm, U1293, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69364, France
- Centre Blaise Pascal de Simulation et de Modélisation Numérique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69364, France
| | - Sangwook Wu
- PharmCADD, Busan 48792, Republic of Korea
- Department of Physics, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Paulo C T Souza
- Laboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule, CNRS, UMR 5239, Inserm, U1293, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69364, France
- Centre Blaise Pascal de Simulation et de Modélisation Numérique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69364, France
| | - Raul Mera-Adasme
- Departamento de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. Gral. Velasquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile
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32
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Wang Q, Liu X, Zhang H, Chu H, Shi C, Zhang L, Bai J, Liu P, Li J, Zhu X, Liu Y, Chen Z, Huang R, Chang H, Liu T, Chang Z, Cheng J, Jiang H. Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Design by Constraining the Catalytic Pocket in a Diffusion Model. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0413. [PMID: 38979516 PMCID: PMC11227911 DOI: 10.34133/research.0413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Although cytochrome P450 enzymes are the most versatile biocatalysts in nature, there is insufficient comprehension of the molecular mechanism underlying their functional innovation process. Here, by combining ancestral sequence reconstruction, reverse mutation assay, and progressive forward accumulation, we identified 5 founder residues in the catalytic pocket of flavone 6-hydroxylase (F6H) and proposed a "3-point fixation" model to elucidate the functional innovation mechanisms of P450s in nature. According to this design principle of catalytic pocket, we further developed a de novo diffusion model (P450Diffusion) to generate artificial P450s. Ultimately, among the 17 non-natural P450s we generated, 10 designs exhibited significant F6H activity and 6 exhibited a 1.3- to 3.5-fold increase in catalytic capacity compared to the natural CYP706X1. This work not only explores the design principle of catalytic pockets of P450s, but also provides an insight into the artificial design of P450 enzymes with desired functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Xiaonan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Hejian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
- College of Biotechnology,
Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Huanyu Chu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chao Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences,
Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- College of Life Science and Technology,
Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, Hubei 430023, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Pi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
- State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry,
Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
- College of Life Science,
Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xiaoxi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Yuwan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Zhangxin Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences,
Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Rong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Hong Chang
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Tian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Zhenzhan Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, School of Basic Medical Sciences,
Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jian Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Huifeng Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin 300308, China
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33
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Zhou R, Fan J, Li S, Zeng W, Chen Y, Zheng X, Chen H, Liao J. LVPocket: integrated 3D global-local information to protein binding pockets prediction with transfer learning of protein structure classification. J Cheminform 2024; 16:79. [PMID: 38972994 PMCID: PMC11229186 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-024-00871-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous deep learning methods for predicting protein binding pockets mainly employed 3D convolution, yet an abundance of convolution operations may lead the model to excessively prioritize local information, thus overlooking global information. Moreover, it is essential for us to account for the influence of diverse protein folding structural classes. Because proteins classified differently structurally exhibit varying biological functions, whereas those within the same structural class share similar functional attributes. RESULTS We proposed LVPocket, a novel method that synergistically captures both local and global information of protein structure through the integration of Transformer encoders, which help the model achieve better performance in binding pockets prediction. And then we tailored prediction models for data of four distinct structural classes of proteins using the transfer learning. The four fine-tuned models were trained on the baseline LVPocket model which was trained on the sc-PDB dataset. LVPocket exhibits superior performance on three independent datasets compared to current state-of-the-art methods. Additionally, the fine-tuned model outperforms the baseline model in terms of performance. SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION We present a novel model structure for predicting protein binding pockets that provides a solution for relying on extensive convolutional computation while neglecting global information about protein structures. Furthermore, we tackle the impact of different protein folding structures on binding pocket prediction tasks through the application of transfer learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruifeng Zhou
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Fan
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Sishu Li
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Zeng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yilun Chen
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoshan Zheng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyang Chen
- Research Center for Graph Computing, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jun Liao
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
- Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
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34
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Kochnev Y, Ahmed M, Maldonado A, Durrant J. MolModa: accessible and secure molecular docking in a web browser. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:W498-W506. [PMID: 38783339 PMCID: PMC11223821 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular docking advances early-stage drug discovery by predicting the geometries and affinities of small-molecule compounds bound to drug-target receptors, predictions that researchers can leverage in prioritizing drug candidates for experimental testing. Unfortunately, existing docking tools often suffer from poor usability, data security, and maintainability, limiting broader adoption. Additionally, the complexity of the docking process, which requires users to execute a series of specialized steps, often poses a substantial barrier for non-expert users. Here, we introduce MolModa, a secure, accessible environment where users can perform molecular docking entirely in their web browsers. We provide two case studies that illustrate how MolModa provides valuable biological insights. We further compare MolModa to other docking tools to highlight its strengths and limitations. MolModa is available free of charge for academic and commercial use, without login or registration, at https://durrantlab.com/molmoda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Kochnev
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mayar Ahmed
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alex M Maldonado
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jacob D Durrant
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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35
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Im JK, Seo DH, Yu JS, Yoo SH. Efficient and novel biosynthesis of myricetin α-triglucoside with improved solubility using amylosucrase from Deinococcus deserti. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 273:133205. [PMID: 38885871 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Although myricetin (3,3',4',5,5',7-hexahydroxyflavone, MYR) has a high antioxidant capacity and health functions, its use as a functional food material is limited owing to its low stability and water solubility. Amylosucrase (ASase) is capable of biosynthesizing flavonol α-glycoside using flavonols as acceptor molecules and sucrose as a donor molecule. Here, ASase from Deinococcus deserti (DdAS) efficiently biosynthesizes a novel MYR α-triglucoside (MYRαG3) using MYR as the acceptor molecule. Comparative homology analysis and computational simulation revealed that DdAS has a different active pocket for the transglycosylation reaction. DdAS produced MYRαG3 with a conversion efficiency of 67.4 % using 10 mM MYR and 50 mM sucrose as acceptor and donor molecules, respectively. The structure of MYRαG3 was identified as MYR 4'-O-4″,6″-tri-O-α-D-glucopyranoside using NMR and LC-MS. In silico analysis confirmed that DdAS has a distinct active pocket compared to other ASases. In addition, molecular docking simulations predicted the synthetic sequence of MYRαG3. Furthermore, MYRαG3 showed a similar DPPH radical scavenging activity of 49 %, comparable to MYR, but with significantly higher water solubility, which increased from 0.03 μg/mL to 511.5 mg/mL. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the efficient biosynthesis of a novel MYRαG3 using DdAS and highlighted the potential of MYRαG3 as a functional material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joong-Ki Im
- Department of Food Science & Biotechnology, Carbohydrate Bioproduct Research Center, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Ho Seo
- Department of Food Science & Biotechnology, Carbohydrate Bioproduct Research Center, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sik Yu
- Department of Integrative Sciences and Industry, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Ho Yoo
- Department of Food Science & Biotechnology, Carbohydrate Bioproduct Research Center, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea.
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36
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Wozniak JM, Li W, Governa P, Chen LY, Jadhav A, Dongre A, Forli S, Parker CG. Enhanced mapping of small-molecule binding sites in cells. Nat Chem Biol 2024; 20:823-834. [PMID: 38167919 PMCID: PMC11213684 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01514-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Photoaffinity probes are routinely utilized to identify proteins that interact with small molecules. However, despite this common usage, resolving the specific sites of these interactions remains a challenge. Here we developed a chemoproteomic workflow to determine precise protein binding sites of photoaffinity probes in cells. Deconvolution of features unique to probe-modified peptides, such as their tendency to produce chimeric spectra, facilitated the development of predictive models to confidently determine labeled sites. This yielded an expansive map of small-molecule binding sites on endogenous proteins and enabled the integration with multiplexed quantitation, increasing the throughput and dimensionality of experiments. Finally, using structural information, we characterized diverse binding sites across the proteome, providing direct evidence of their tractability to small molecules. Together, our findings reveal new knowledge for the analysis of photoaffinity probes and provide a robust method for high-resolution mapping of reversible small-molecule interactions en masse in native systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M Wozniak
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Weichao Li
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Paolo Governa
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Li-Yun Chen
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Appaso Jadhav
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ashok Dongre
- Research and Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Stefano Forli
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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37
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Habjan E, Lepioshkin A, Charitou V, Egorova A, Kazakova E, Ho VQT, Bitter W, Makarov V, Speer A. Modulating mycobacterial envelope integrity for antibiotic synergy with benzothiazoles. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302509. [PMID: 38744470 PMCID: PMC11094368 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Developing effective tuberculosis drugs is hindered by mycobacteria's intrinsic antibiotic resistance because of their impermeable cell envelope. Using benzothiazole compounds, we aimed to increase mycobacterial cell envelope permeability and weaken the defenses of Mycobacterium marinum, serving as a model for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Initial hit, BT-08, significantly boosted ethidium bromide uptake, indicating enhanced membrane permeability. It also demonstrated efficacy in the M. marinum-zebrafish embryo infection model and M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages. Notably, BT-08 synergized with established antibiotics, including vancomycin and rifampicin. Subsequent medicinal chemistry optimization led to BT-37, a non-toxic and more potent derivative, also enhancing ethidium bromide uptake and maintaining synergy with rifampicin in infected zebrafish embryos. Mutants of M. marinum resistant to BT-37 revealed that MMAR_0407 (Rv0164) is the molecular target and that this target plays a role in the observed synergy and permeability. This study introduces novel compounds targeting a new mycobacterial vulnerability and highlights their cooperative and synergistic interactions with existing antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Habjan
- https://ror.org/00q6h8f30 Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Alexander Lepioshkin
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Moscow, Russia
| | - Vicky Charitou
- https://ror.org/00q6h8f30 Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Anna Egorova
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena Kazakova
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Moscow, Russia
| | - Vien QT Ho
- https://ror.org/00q6h8f30 Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wilbert Bitter
- https://ror.org/00q6h8f30 Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Vadim Makarov
- Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology" of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Research Centre of Biotechnology RAS), Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Speer
- https://ror.org/00q6h8f30 Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam UMC, Location VU Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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38
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Li BY, Li P, Wei LY, Zou J, Wang YH, You QD, Jiang C, Di B, Xu LL. Discovery and Development of NLRP3 Inhibitors Targeting the LRR Domain to Disrupt NLRP3-NEK7 Interaction for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9869-9895. [PMID: 38888047 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease. Targeting NLRP3 inflammasome, specifically its interaction with NEK7 via the LRR domain of NLRP3, is a promising therapeutic strategy. Our research aimed to disrupt this interaction by focusing on the LRR domain. Through virtual screening, we identified five compounds with potent anti-inflammatory effects and ideal LRR binding affinity. Lead compound C878-1943 underwent structural optimization, yielding pyridoimidazole derivatives with different anti-inflammatory activities. Compound I-19 from the initial series effectively inhibited caspase-1 and IL-1β release in an adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rat model, significantly reducing joint swelling and spleen/thymus indices. To further enhance potency and extend in vivo half-life, a second series including II-8 was developed, demonstrating superior efficacy and longer half-life. Both I-19 and II-8 bind to the LRR domain, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation. These findings introduce novel small molecule inhibitors targeting the LRR domain of NLRP3 protein and disrupt NLRP3-NEK7 interaction, offering a novel approach for RA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Yan Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Pei Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lin-Yin Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jia Zou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yu-Hang Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qi-Dong You
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Cheng Jiang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Bin Di
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Li-Li Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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39
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Huang D, Xie J. EMPDTA: An End-to-End Multimodal Representation Learning Framework with Pocket Online Detection for Drug-Target Affinity Prediction. Molecules 2024; 29:2912. [PMID: 38930976 PMCID: PMC11206982 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurately predicting drug-target interactions is a critical yet challenging task in drug discovery. Traditionally, pocket detection and drug-target affinity prediction have been treated as separate aspects of drug-target interaction, with few methods combining these tasks within a unified deep learning system to accelerate drug development. In this study, we propose EMPDTA, an end-to-end framework that integrates protein pocket prediction and drug-target affinity prediction to provide a comprehensive understanding of drug-target interactions. The EMPDTA framework consists of three main modules: pocket online detection, multimodal representation learning for affinity prediction, and multi-task joint training. The performance and potential of the proposed framework have been validated across diverse benchmark datasets, achieving robust results in both tasks. Furthermore, the visualization results of the predicted pockets demonstrate accurate pocket detection, confirming the effectiveness of our framework.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiang Xie
- School of Computer Engineering and Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China;
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40
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Revanasiddappa PD, Gowtham HG, G. S. C, Gangadhar S, A. S, Murali M, Shivamallu C, Achar RR, Silina E, Stupin V, Manturova N, Shati AA, Alfaifi MY, Elbehairi SEI, Kollur SP, Amruthesh KN. Exploration of Type III effector Xanthomonas outer protein Q (XopQ) inhibitor from Picrasma quassioides as an antibacterial agent using chemoinformatics analysis. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302105. [PMID: 38889115 PMCID: PMC11185476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study was focused on exploring the efficient inhibitors of closed state (form) of type III effector Xanthomonas outer protein Q (XopQ) (PDB: 4P5F) from the 44 phytochemicals of Picrasma quassioides using cutting-edge computational analysis. Among them, Kumudine B showed excellent binding energy (-11.0 kcal/mol), followed by Picrasamide A, Quassidine I and Quassidine J with the targeted closed state of XopQ protein compared to the reference standard drug (Streptomycin). The molecular dynamics (MD) simulations performed at 300 ns validated the stability of top lead ligands (Kumudine B, Picrasamide A, and Quassidine I)-bound XopQ protein complex with slightly lower fluctuation than Streptomycin. The MM-PBSA calculation confirmed the strong interactions of top lead ligands (Kumudine B and QuassidineI) with XopQ protein, as they offered the least binding energy. The results of absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) analysis confirmed that Quassidine I, Kumudine B and Picrasamide A were found to qualify most of the drug-likeness rules with excellent bioavailability scores compared to Streptomycin. Results of the computational studies suggested that Kumudine B, Picrasamide A, and Quassidine I could be considered potential compounds to design novel antibacterial drugs against X. oryzae infection. Further in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of Kumudine B, Picrasamide A, and Quassidine I are required to confirm their therapeutic potentiality in controlling the X. oryzae infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - H. G. Gowtham
- Department of Studies and Research in Food Science and Nutrition, KSOU, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Chikkanna G. S.
- Department of Home Science, ICAR Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kolar, India
| | - Suchithra Gangadhar
- Department of Biotechnology, Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumkur, India
| | - Satish A.
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research, Kolar, Karnataka, India
| | - M. Murali
- Department of Studies in Botany, University of Mysore, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Chandan Shivamallu
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Raghu Ram Achar
- Division of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
| | - Ekaterina Silina
- Department of Human Pathology, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia
- Department of Hospital Surgery, NI. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Victor Stupin
- Department of Hospital Surgery, NI. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia Manturova
- Department of Hospital Surgery, NI. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ali A. Shati
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Tissue Culture and Cancer Biology Research Laborotory, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Y. Alfaifi
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Tissue Culture and Cancer Biology Research Laborotory, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Serag Eldin I. Elbehairi
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
- Tissue Culture and Cancer Biology Research Laborotory, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shiva Prasad Kollur
- School of Physical Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Mysuru Campus, Mysuru, Karnataka, India
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41
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He X, Zhao L, Tian Y, Li R, Chu Q, Gu Z, Zheng M, Wang Y, Li S, Jiang H, Jiang Y, Wen L, Wang D, Cheng X. Highly accurate carbohydrate-binding site prediction with DeepGlycanSite. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5163. [PMID: 38886381 PMCID: PMC11183243 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49516-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
As the most abundant organic substances in nature, carbohydrates are essential for life. Understanding how carbohydrates regulate proteins in the physiological and pathological processes presents opportunities to address crucial biological problems and develop new therapeutics. However, the diversity and complexity of carbohydrates pose a challenge in experimentally identifying the sites where carbohydrates bind to and act on proteins. Here, we introduce a deep learning model, DeepGlycanSite, capable of accurately predicting carbohydrate-binding sites on a given protein structure. Incorporating geometric and evolutionary features of proteins into a deep equivariant graph neural network with the transformer architecture, DeepGlycanSite remarkably outperforms previous state-of-the-art methods and effectively predicts binding sites for diverse carbohydrates. Integrating with a mutagenesis study, DeepGlycanSite reveals the guanosine-5'-diphosphate-sugar-recognition site of an important G-protein coupled receptor. These findings demonstrate DeepGlycanSite is invaluable for carbohydrate-binding site prediction and could provide insights into molecular mechanisms underlying carbohydrate-regulation of therapeutically important proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinheng He
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lifen Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinping Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qinyu Chu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Gu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Mingyue Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yusong Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Human-Machine Hybrid Augmented Intelligence, National Engineering Research Center for Visual Information and Applications, and Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shaoning Li
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hualiang Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Jiang
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China
| | - Liuqing Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | | | - Xi Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Carbohydrate-Based Drug Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Study, Hangzhou, China.
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42
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Lv N, Cao Z. Subpocket-Based Analysis Approach for the Protein Pocket Dynamics. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:4909-4920. [PMID: 38772734 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Structural and dynamic characteristics of protein pockets remarkably influence their biological functions and are also important for enzyme engineering and new drug research and development. To date, several softwares have been developed to analyze the dynamic properties of protein pockets. However, due to the complexity and diversity of the pocket information during the kinetic relaxation, further improvement and capacity expansion of current tools are required. Here, we developed a platform software AlphaTraj in which a computational strategy that divides the whole protein pocket into subpockets and examines various properties of the subpockets such as survival time, stability, and correlation was proposed and implemented. We also proposed a scoring function for the subpockets as well as the whole pocket to visualize the quality of the pocket. Furthermore, we implemented automated conformational search functions for ligand docking and ligand optimization. These functions may help us to gain a deep understanding of the dynamic properties of protein pockets and accelerate the protein engineering and the design of inhibitors and small-molecule drugs. The software is freely available at https://github.com/dooo12332/AlphaTraj.git under the GNU GPL license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 360015, People's Republic of China
| | - Zexing Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 360015, People's Republic of China
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43
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Vorreiter C, Robaa D, Sippl W. Exploring Aromatic Cage Flexibility Using Cosolvent Molecular Dynamics Simulations─An In-Silico Case Study of Tudor Domains. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4553-4569. [PMID: 38771194 PMCID: PMC11167732 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.4c00298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Cosolvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have proven to be powerful in silico tools to predict hotspots for binding regions on protein surfaces. In the current study, the method was adapted and applied to two Tudor domain-containing proteins, namely Spindlin1 (SPIN1) and survival motor neuron protein (SMN). Tudor domains are characterized by so-called aromatic cages that recognize methylated lysine residues of protein targets. In the study, the conformational transitions from closed to open aromatic cage conformations were investigated by performing MD simulations with cosolvents using six different probe molecules. It is shown that a trajectory clustering approach in combination with volume and atomic distance tracking allows a reasonable discrimination between open and closed aromatic cage conformations and the docking of inhibitors yields very good reproducibility with crystal structures. Cosolvent MDs are suitable to capture the flexibility of aromatic cages and thus represent a promising tool for the optimization of inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Vorreiter
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry,
Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University
of Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Saale, Germany
| | - Dina Robaa
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry,
Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University
of Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Saale, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Sippl
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry,
Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University
of Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Saale, Germany
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44
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Kudo G, Hirao T, Yoshino R, Shigeta Y, Hirokawa T. Site Identification and Next Choice Protocol for Hit-to-Lead Optimization. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4475-4484. [PMID: 38768949 PMCID: PMC11167593 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c02036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Time efficiency and cost savings are major challenges in drug discovery and development. In this process, the hit-to-lead stage is expected to improve efficiency because it primarily exploits the trial-and-error approach of medicinal chemists. This study proposes a site identification and next choice (SINCHO) protocol to improve the hit-to-lead efficiency. This protocol selects an anchor atom and growth site pair, which is desirable for a hit-to-lead strategy starting from a 3D complex structure. We developed and fine-tuned the protocol using a training data set and assessed it using a test data set of the preceding hit-to-lead strategy. The protocol was tested for experimentally determined structures and molecular dynamics (MD) ensembles. The protocol had a high prediction accuracy for applying MD ensembles, owing to the consideration of protein flexibility. The SINCHO protocol enables medicinal chemists to visualize and modify functional groups in a hit-to-lead manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genki Kudo
- Physics
Department, Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8571, Japan
| | - Takumi Hirao
- Doctoral
Program in Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human
Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
- Division
of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Ryunosuke Yoshino
- Division
of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
- Transborder
Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
| | - Yasuteru Shigeta
- Center
for Computational Sciences, University of
Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
| | - Takatsugu Hirokawa
- Division
of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
- Transborder
Medical Research Center, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8575, Japan
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45
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Jeevan K, Palistha S, Tayara H, Chong KT. PUResNetV2.0: a deep learning model leveraging sparse representation for improved ligand binding site prediction. J Cheminform 2024; 16:66. [PMID: 38849917 PMCID: PMC11157904 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-024-00865-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Accurate ligand binding site prediction (LBSP) within proteins is essential for drug discovery. We developed ProteinUNetResNetV2.0 (PUResNetV2.0), leveraging sparse representation of protein structures to improve LBSP accuracy. Our training dataset included protein complexes from 4729 protein families. Evaluations on benchmark datasets showed that PUResNetV2.0 achieved an 85.4% Distance Center Atom (DCA) success rate and a 74.7% F1 Score on the Holo801 dataset, outperforming existing methods. However, its performance in specific cases, such as RNA, DNA, peptide-like ligand, and ion binding site prediction, was limited due to constraints in our training data. Our findings underscore the potential of sparse representation in LBSP, especially for oligomeric structures, suggesting PUResNetV2.0 as a promising tool for computational drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandel Jeevan
- Graduate School of Integrated Energy-AI, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, South Korea
| | - Shrestha Palistha
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, South Korea
| | - Hilal Tayara
- School of International Engineering and Science, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, South Korea.
| | - Kil T Chong
- Graduate School of Integrated Energy-AI, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, South Korea.
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, South Korea.
- School of International Engineering and Science, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, South Korea.
- Advanced Electronics and Information Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju, 54896, South Korea.
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46
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Bayarri G, Andrio P, Gelpí JL, Hospital A, Orozco M. Using interactive Jupyter Notebooks and BioConda for FAIR and reproducible biomolecular simulation workflows. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1012173. [PMID: 38900779 PMCID: PMC11189206 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Interactive Jupyter Notebooks in combination with Conda environments can be used to generate FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable/Reproducible) biomolecular simulation workflows. The interactive programming code accompanied by documentation and the possibility to inspect intermediate results with versatile graphical charts and data visualization is very helpful, especially in iterative processes, where parameters might be adjusted to a particular system of interest. This work presents a collection of FAIR notebooks covering various areas of the biomolecular simulation field, such as molecular dynamics (MD), protein-ligand docking, molecular checking/modeling, molecular interactions, and free energy perturbations. Workflows can be launched with myBinder or easily installed in a local system. The collection of notebooks aims to provide a compilation of demonstration workflows, and it is continuously updated and expanded with examples using new methodologies and tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genís Bayarri
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pau Andrio
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Lluís Gelpí
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adam Hospital
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Modesto Orozco
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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47
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Tang H, Hou T, Zhou H, Liao H, Xu F, Xie X, Yuan W, Guo Z, Liu Y, Wang J, Zhou W, Liang X. Label-free cell phenotypic profiling of histamine H4R receptor and discovery of non-competitive H4R antagonist from natural products. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107387. [PMID: 38643561 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Histamine 4 receptor (H4R), the most recently identified subtype of histamine receptor, primarily induces inflammatory reactions upon activation. Several H4R antagonists have been developed for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and atopic dermatitis (AD), but their use has been limited by adverse side effects, such as a short half-life and toxicity. Natural products, as an important source of anti-inflammatory agents, offer minimal side effects and reduced toxicity. This work aimed to identify novel H4R antagonists from natural products. An H4R target-pathway model deconvoluted downstream Gi and MAPK signaling pathways was established utilizing cellular label-free integrative pharmacology (CLIP), on which 148 natural products were screened. Cryptotanshinone was identified as selective H4R antagonist, with an IC50 value of 11.68 ± 1.30 μM, which was verified with Fluorescence Imaging Plate Reader (FLIPR) and Cellular Thermal Shift (CTS) assays. The kinetic binding profile revealed the noncompetitive antagonistic property of cryptotanshinone. Two allosteric binding sites of H4R were predicted using SiteMap, Fpocket and CavityPlus. Subsequent molecular docking and dynamics simulation indicated that cryptotanshinone interacts with H4R at a pocket formed by the outward interfaces between TM3/4/5, potentially representing a new allosteric binding site for H4R. Overall, this study introduced cryptotanshinone as a novel H4R antagonist, offering promise as a new hit for drug design of H4R antagonist. Additionally, this study provided a novel screening model for the discovery of H4R antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongming Tang
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Tao Hou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
| | - Han Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
| | - Han Liao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Fangfang Xu
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
| | - Xiaomin Xie
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
| | - Wenjie Yuan
- Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
| | - Zhixin Guo
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Yanfang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
| | - Jixia Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
| | - Weijia Zhou
- College of Fisheries and Life Science, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China.
| | - Xinmiao Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; Ganjiang Chinese Medicine Innovation Center, Nanchang 330000, China.
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48
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Hoffman J, Tan H, Sandoval-Cooper C, de Villiers K, Reed SM. GTExome: Modeling commonly expressed missense mutations in the human genome. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303604. [PMID: 38814966 PMCID: PMC11139294 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
A web application, GTExome, is described that quickly identifies, classifies, and models missense mutations in commonly expressed human proteins. GTExome can be used to categorize genomic mutation data with tissue specific expression data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. Commonly expressed missense mutations in proteins from a wide range of tissue types can be selected and assessed for modeling suitability. Information about the consequences of each mutation is provided to the user including if disulfide bonds, hydrogen bonds, or salt bridges are broken, buried prolines introduced, buried charges are created or lost, charge is swapped, a buried glycine is replaced, or if the residue that would be removed is a proline in the cis configuration. Also, if the mutation site is in a binding pocket the number of pockets and their volumes are reported. The user can assess this information and then select from available experimental or computationally predicted structures of native proteins to create, visualize, and download a model of the mutated protein using Fast and Accurate Side-chain Protein Repacking (FASPR). For AlphaFold modeled proteins, confidence scores for native proteins are provided. Using this tool, we explored a set of 9,666 common missense mutations from a variety of tissues from GTEx and show that most mutations can be modeled using this tool to facilitate studies of protein-protein and protein-drug interactions. The open-source tool is freely available at https://pharmacogenomics.clas.ucdenver.edu/gtexome/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill Hoffman
- Computational Bioscience, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Henry Tan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Clara Sandoval-Cooper
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Kaelyn de Villiers
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
| | - Scott M. Reed
- Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
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49
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Qiu Y, Hou Y, Gohel D, Zhou Y, Xu J, Bykova M, Yang Y, Leverenz JB, Pieper AA, Nussinov R, Caldwell JZK, Brown JM, Cheng F. Systematic characterization of multi-omics landscape between gut microbial metabolites and GPCRome in Alzheimer's disease. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114128. [PMID: 38652661 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Shifts in the magnitude and nature of gut microbial metabolites have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the host receptors that sense and respond to these metabolites are largely unknown. Here, we develop a systems biology framework that integrates machine learning and multi-omics to identify molecular relationships of gut microbial metabolites with non-olfactory G-protein-coupled receptors (termed the "GPCRome"). We evaluate 1.09 million metabolite-protein pairs connecting 408 human GPCRs and 335 gut microbial metabolites. Using genetics-derived Mendelian randomization and integrative analyses of human brain transcriptomic and proteomic profiles, we identify orphan GPCRs (i.e., GPR84) as potential drug targets in AD and that triacanthine experimentally activates GPR84. We demonstrate that phenethylamine and agmatine significantly reduce tau hyperphosphorylation (p-tau181 and p-tau205) in AD patient induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons. This study demonstrates a systems biology framework to uncover the GPCR targets of human gut microbiota in AD and other complex diseases if broadly applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunguang Qiu
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Yuan Hou
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Dhruv Gohel
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Yadi Zhou
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Jielin Xu
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Marina Bykova
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Yuxin Yang
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - James B Leverenz
- Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Andrew A Pieper
- Brain Health Medicines Center, Harrington Discovery Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Geriatric Psychiatry, GRECC, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Institute for Transformative Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA; Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Cancer Innovation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Jessica Z K Caldwell
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Neurological Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA
| | - J Mark Brown
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Center for Microbiome and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Feixiong Cheng
- Cleveland Clinic Genome Center, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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50
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Oraby A, Bilawchuk L, West FG, Marchant DJ. Structure-Based Discovery of Allosteric Inhibitors Targeting a New Druggable Site in the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Polymerase. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:22213-22229. [PMID: 38799318 PMCID: PMC11112712 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe lower respiratory infections for which effective treatment options remain limited. Herein, we employed a computational structure-based design strategy aimed at identifying potential targets for a new class of allosteric inhibitors. Our investigation led to the discovery of a previously undisclosed allosteric binding site within the RSV polymerase, the large (L) protein. This discovery was achieved through a combination of virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations. Subsequently, we identified two inhibitors, 6a and 10b, which both exhibited promising antiviral activity in the low micromolar range. Resistance profiling revealed a distinctive pattern in how RSV evaded treatment with this class of inhibitors. This pattern strongly suggested that this class of small molecules was targeting a new binding site in the RSV L protein, aligning with the computational predictions made in our study. This study paves the way for the development of more potent inhibitors for combating RSV infections by targeting a new druggable pocket within the RdRp which does not overlap with previously known resistance sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed
K. Oraby
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences
and Drug Manufacturing, Misr University
for Science and Technology, 6th
of October City P.O. Box 77,Egypt
| | - Leanne Bilawchuk
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Frederick G. West
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - David J. Marchant
- Department
of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
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