Analysis of the interactions of ribonuclease inhibitor with kanamycin

The interaction of ribonuclease inhibitor (RI) with kanamycin was studied by molecular modeling. The preliminary binding model was constructed using the Affinity module of the Insight II molecular modeling program and the key residues involved in the combination of RI binding to kanamycin were determined. Meanwhile, we determined relevant surface characteristics determining the interaction behavior. The modeling results indicated that electrostatic interactions and H-bond forces may work as major factors for the molecular interaction between kanamycin and RI. The above results are useful for elucidating the molecular principles upon which the selectivity of a kanamycin is based. The quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) is a new method usually used to monitor the binding function of macromolecules with samples online in a flow-injection analysis (FIA) system. The experimental results demonstrate that kanamycin has an extraordinary affinity to the basic protein RI, and our result is consistent with the molecular modeling results. These principles can in turn be used to study the molecular recognition mechanism and design a mimic of kanamycin for the development of new RI binders.Figure Proposed binding model of kanamycin to RI obtained by the computer-aided docking method and optimized with molecular mechanics with the CVFF forcefield.     

Quantitative structure-activity relationship by CoMFA for cyclic urea and nonpeptide-cyclic cyanoguanidine derivatives on wild type and mutant HIV-1 protease

Abstact 3D-QSAR studies using the Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) methodology were conducted to predict the inhibition constants, K_i, and the inhibitor concentrations, IC₉₀ of 127 symmetrical and unsymmetrical cyclic urea and cyclic cyanoguanidine derivatives containing different substituent groups such as: benzyl, isopropyl, 4-hydroxybenzyl, ketone, oxime, pyrazole, imidazole, triazole and having anti-HIV-1 protease activities. A significant cross-validated correlation coefficient (q²) of 0.63 and a fitted correlation coefficient r² of 0.70 were obtained, indicating that the models can predict the anti-protease activity from poorly to highly active compounds reliably. The best predictions were obtained for: XV643 (predicted log 1/K_i=9.86), a 3,5-dimethoxy-benzyl cyclic urea derivate (molec60, predicted log 1/K_i=8.57) and a benzyl cyclic urea derivate (molec 61, predicted log 1/IC₉₀=6.87). Using the CoMFA method, we also predicted the biological activity of 14 cyclic urea derivatives that inhibit the HIV-1 protease mutants V82A, V82I and V82F. The predicted biological activities of the: (i) XNO63 (inhibitory activity on the mutant HIV-1 PR V82A), (ii) SB570 (inhibiting the mutant HIV-1 PR V82I) and also (iii) XV652 (during the interaction with the mutant HIV-1 PR V82F) were in good agreement with the experimental values.Figure Stereoview of the contour plots of the CoMFA steric and electrostatic fields. The favorable (indicated by blue polyhedra) and unfavorable (represented by red polyhedra) electrostatic areas and also the favorable (shown by green polyhedra) and unfavorable (shown by yellow polyhedra) steric areas formed around the most active molecule, 6a.     

Chain-length determination mechanism of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases and implications for molecular evolution.

In the synthesis of isoprenoids, isoprenyl diphosphate synthases catalyze the consecutive condensation of isopentenyl diphosphate with allylic diphosphates to produce a variety of prenyl diphosphates with well-defined chain lengths. Site-directed mutagenesis in conjunction with X-ray crystallographic studies have identified specific amino acid residues responsible for chain-length determination. Simple combinations of these residues within a characteristic motif are not only sufficient to confer product specificities to all isoprenyl diphosphate synthases but represent structural features that reflect the enzyme family's evolutionary course.     

Decomposition mechanism of 3-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-morpholinosydnonimine (<Emphasis Type="Bold">SIN-1</Emphasis>)—a density functional study on intrinsic structures and reactivities

Selected intrinsic aspects of the mode of action of 3-N-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) and its follow-up products are investigated by means of density functional theory. Besides the well known radical-cationic Feelisch–Schoenafinger pathway, an alternative anionic route via a neutral radical is proposed and included in the study. The individual reaction pathways are followed. Most notably, the overall activation barrier for the cationic route is calculated to be 184.04 kcal mol^–1, while the one for the anionic route is predicted to be more favorable with 14.09 kcal mol^–1.Figure A mere conformational change is predicted by DFT theory to elicit NO ejection from the SIN-1a radical cation, formed after one electron oxidation of the N-nitrosohydrazine SIN-1a.

Unusual features of a recombinant apple alpha-farnesene synthase

A recombinant alpha-farnesene synthase from apple (Malus x domestica), expressed in Escherichia coli, showed features not previously reported. Activity was enhanced 5-fold by K(+) and all four isomers of alpha-farnesene, as well as beta-farnesene, were produced from an isomeric mixture of farnesyl diphosphate (FDP). Monoterpenes, linalool, (Z)- and (E)-beta-ocimene and beta-myrcene, were synthesised from geranyl diphosphate (GDP), but at 18% of the optimised rate for alpha-farnesene synthesis from FDP. Addition of K(+) reduced monoterpene synthase activity. The enzyme also produced alpha-farnesene by a reaction involving coupling of GDP and isoprenyl diphosphate but at <1% of the rate with FDP. Mutagenesis of active site aspartate residues removed sesquiterpene, monoterpene and prenyltransferase activities suggesting catalysis through the same active site. Phylogenetic analysis clusters this enzyme with isoprene synthases rather than with other sesquiterpene synthases, suggesting that it has evolved differently from other plant sesquiterpene synthases. This is the first demonstration of a sesquiterpene synthase possessing prenyltransferase activity.     

Structure of glutathione S-transferase of the filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti: a target for drug development against adult worm

A three dimensional structural model of Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) of the lymphatic filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti (wb) was constructed by homology modeling. The three dimensional X-ray crystal structure of porcine -class GST with PDB ID: 2gsr-A chain protein with 42% sequential and functional homology was used as the template. The model of wbGST built by MODELLER6v2 was analyzed by the PROCHECK programs. Ramachandran plot analysis showed that 93.5% of the residues are in the core region followed by 5.4 and 1.1% residues in the allowed and generously allowed regions, respectively. None of the non-glycine residues is in disallowed regions. The PROSA II z-score and the energy graph for the final model further confirmed the quality of the modeled structure. The computationally modeled three-dimensional (3D) structure of wbGST has been submitted to the Protein Data Bank (PDB) (PDB ID: 1SFM and RCSB ID: RCSB021668). 1SFM was used for docking with GST inhibitors by Hex4.2 macromolecular docking using spherical polar Fourier correlations.Figure: A three-dimensional (3D) structure of Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) of the lymphatic filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti (wb) was constructed by homology modeling. This modeled 3D structure of wbGST has been submitted to the Protein Data Bank (PDB) (PDB ID: 1SFM and RCSB ID: RCSB021668).     

ProPose: a docking engine based on a fully configurable protein–ligand interaction model

Virtual high-throughput screening of molecular databases and in particular high-throughput protein–ligand docking are both common methodologies that identify and enrich hits in the early stages of the drug design process. Current protein–ligand docking algorithms often implement a program-specific model for protein–ligand interaction geometries. However, in order to create a platform for arbitrary queries in molecular databases, a new program is desirable that allows more manual control of the modeling of molecular interactions.For that reason, ProPose, an advanced incremental construction docking engine, is presented here that implements a fast and fully configurable molecular interaction and scoring model. This program uses user-defined, discrete, pharmacophore-like representations of molecular interactions that are transformed on-the-fly into a continuous potential energy surface, allowing for the incorporation of target specific interaction mechanisms into docking protocols in a straightforward manner. A torsion angle library, based on semi-empirical quantum chemistry calculations, is used to provide minimum energy torsion angles for the incremental construction algorithm. Docking results of a diverse set of protein–ligand complexes from the Protein Data Bank demonstrate the feasibility of this new approach.As a result, the seamless integration of pharmacophore-like interaction types into the docking and scoring scheme implemented in ProPose opens new opportunities for efficient, receptor-specific screening protocols. Figure ProPose — a fully configurable protein-ligand docking program — transforms pharmacophores into a smooth potential energy surface.This revised version was published online in October 2004 with corrections to the Graphical Abstract.     

Crystal structure of type 2 isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase from Thermus thermophilus in complex with inorganic pyrophosphate

The N-terminal region is stabilized in the crystal structure of Thermus thermophilus type 2 isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase in complex with inorganic pyrophosphate, providing new insights about the active site and the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme. The PP i moiety is located near the conserved residues, H10, R97, H152, Q157, E158, and W219, and the flavin cofactor. The putative active site of isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase 2 provides interactions for stabilizing a carbocationic intermediate similar to those that stabilize the intermediate in the well-established protonation-deprotonation mechanism of isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase 1.     

Organization of rhodopsin molecules in native membranes of rod cells–an old theoretical model compared to new experimental data

It has been shown that rhodopsin forms an oligomer in the shape of long double rows of monomers. Because of the importance of rhodopsin as a template for all G protein-coupled receptors, its dimeric, tetrameric and higher-oligomeric structures also provide a useful pattern for similar structures in GPCRs. New experimental data published recently are discussed in the context of a proposed model of the rhodopsin oligomer 1N3M deposited in the protein data bank. The new rhodopsin structure at 2.2 Å resolution with all residues resolved as well as an electron cryomicroscopy structure from 2D crystals of rhodopsin are in agreement with the 1N3M model. Accommodation of movement of transmembrane helix VI, regarded as a major event during the activation of rhodopsin, in a steady structure of the oligomer is also discussed.Figure Superimposition of the 1U19 (red wire), 1GZM (purple wire) and 1N3M (blue wire) rhodopsin structures. Size of the wires is proportional to thermal factors of backbone C atoms, view parallel to the membrane.      

Structure-based method for analyzing protein–protein interfaces

Hydrogen bond, hydrophobic and vdW interactions are the three major non-covalent interactions at protein–protein interfaces. We have developed a method that uses only these properties to describe interactions between proteins, which can qualitatively estimate the individual contribution of each interfacial residue to the binding and gives the results in a graphic display way. This method has been applied to analyze alanine mutation data at protein–protein interfaces. A dataset containing 13 protein–protein complexes with 250 alanine mutations of interfacial residues has been tested. For the 75 hot-spot residues (G1.5 kcal mol^-1), 66 can be predicted correctly with a success rate of 88%. In order to test the tolerance of this method to conformational changes upon binding, we utilize a set of 26 complexes with one or both of their components available in the unbound form. The difference of key residues exported by the program is 11% between the results using complexed proteins and those from unbound ones. As this method gives the characteristics of the binding partner for a particular protein, in-depth studies on protein–protein recognition can be carried out. Furthermore, this method can be used to compare the difference between protein–protein interactions and look for correlated mutation. Figure Key interaction grids at the interface between barnase and barstar. Key interaction grid for barnase and barstar are presented in one figure according to their coordinates. In order to distinguish the two proteins, different icons were assigned. Crosses represent key grids for barstar and dots represent key grids for barnase. The four residues in ball and stick are Asp40 in barstar and Arg83, Arg87, His102 in barnase.     

Structure of the beta-1,3-1,4-glucanase gene of Bacillus macerans: homologies to other beta-glucanases

Summary The nucleotide sequence of an 852 base pair (bp) DNA fragment containing the entire gene coding for thermostable beta- 1,3-1,4-glucanase ofBacillus macerans has been determined. ThebglM gene comprises an open reading frame (ORF) of 711 by (237 codons) starting with ATG at position 93 and extending to the translational stop codon TAA at position 804. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature protein shows 70% homology to published sequences of mesophilic beta- 1,3-1,4-glucanases fromB. subtilis andB. amyloliquefaciens. The sequence coding for mature beta-glucanase is preceded by a putative signal peptide of 25 amino acid residues, and a sequence resembling a ribosome-binding site (GGAGG) before the initiation codon. By contrast with the processed protein, the N-terminal amino acid sequence constituting the putative leader peptide bears no or only weak homology to signal peptides of mesophilicBacillus endo-beta-glucanases. TheB. macerans signal peptide appears to be functional in exporting the enzyme to the periplasm inE. coli. More than 50% of the whole glucanase activity was localized in the periplasmic space and in the supernatant. Whereas homology to endo-1,4-beta-glucanases is completely lacking, a weak amino acid homology between the sequence surrounding the active site of phage T4 lysozyme and a sequence spanning residues 126 through 161 ofB. macerans endo-beta-glucanase could be identified.     

Molecular modeling of the von Willebrand factor A2 Domain and the effects of associated type 2A von Willebrand disease mutations

A homology model for the A2 domain of von Willebrand factor (VWF) is presented. A large number of target–template alignments were combined into a consensus alignment and used for constructing the model from the structures of six template proteins. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to study the structural and dynamic effects of eight mutations introduced into the model, all associated with type 2A von Willebrand disease. It was found that the group I mutations G1505R, L1540P and S1506L cause significant deviations over multiple regions of the protein, coupled to significant thermal fluctuations for G1505R and L1540P. This suggests that protein instability may be responsible for their intracellular retention. The group II mutations R1597W, E1638K and G1505E caused single loop displacements near the physiologic VWF proteolysis site between Y1605–M1606. These modest structural changes may affect interactions between VWF and the ADAMTS13 protease. The group II mutations I1628T and L1503Q caused no significant structural change in the protein, suggesting that inclusion of the protease in this model is necessary for understanding their effect.Figure Homology model of the von Willebrand factor A2 domainElectronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00894-004-0194-9     

3D QSAR studies on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonists using CoMFA and CoMSIA

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have increasingly become attractive targets for developing novel anti-type 2 diabetic drugs. We employed comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) to study three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D QSAR) based on existing agonists of PPAR (including five thiazolidinediones and 74 tyrosine-based compounds). Predictive 3D QSAR models with conventional r² and cross-validated coefficient (q²) values up to 0.974 and 0.642 for CoMFA and 0.979 and 0.686 for COMSIA were established using the SYBYL package. These models were validated by a test set containing 18 compounds. The CoMFA and CoMSIA field distributions are in general agreement with the structural characteristics of the binding pockets of PPAR, which demonstrates that the 3D QSAR models built here are very useful in predicting activities of novel compounds for activating PPAR.      

Molecular aspects of the interaction between amphotericin B and a phospholipid bilayer: molecular dynamics studies

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a polyene macrolide antibiotic used to treat systemic fungal infections. The molecular mechanism of AmB action is still only partly characterized. AmB interacts with cell-membrane components and forms membrane channels that eventually lead to cell death. The interaction between AmB and the membrane surface can be regarded as the first (presumably crucial) step on the way to channel formation. In this study molecular dynamics simulations were performed for an AmB–lipid bilayer model in order to characterize the molecular aspects of AmB–membrane interactions. The system studied contained a box of 200 dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) molecules, a single AmB molecule placed on the surface of the lipid bilayer and 8,065 water molecules. Two molecular dynamics simulations (NVT ensemble), each lasting 1 ns, were performed for the model studied. Two different programs, CHARMM and NAMD2, were used in order to test simulation conditions. The analysis of MD trajectories brought interesting information concerning interactions between polar groups of AmB and both DMPC and water molecules. Our studies show that AmB preferentially took a vertical position, perpendicular to the membrane surface, with no propensity to enter the membrane. Our finding may suggest that a single AmB molecule entering the membrane is very unlikely.Figure The figure presents the whole structure of the system simulated—starting point. AmB is presented as a space-filling model, DMPC molecules—green sticks, water molecules—red sticks     

Purification, enzymatic characterization, and inhibition of the Z-farnesyl diphosphate synthase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

We have recently shown that open reading frame Rv1086 of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv genome sequence encodes a unique isoprenyl diphosphate synthase. The product of this enzyme, omega,E,Z-farnesyl diphosphate, is an intermediate for the synthesis of decaprenyl phosphate, which has a central role in the biosynthesis of most features of the mycobacterial cell wall, including peptidoglycan, arabinan, linker unit galactan, and lipoarabinomannan. We have now purified Z-farnesyl diphosphate synthase to near homogeneity using a novel mycobacterial expression system. Z-Farnesyl diphosphate synthase catalyzed the addition of isopentenyl diphosphate to omega,E-geranyl diphosphate or omega,Z-neryl diphosphate yielding omega,E,Z-farnesyl diphosphate and omega,Z,Z-farnesyl diphosphate, respectively. The enzyme has an absolute requirement for a divalent cation, an optimal pH range of 7-8, and K(m) values of 124 micrometer for isopentenyl diphosphate, 38 micrometer for geranyl diphosphate, and 16 micrometer for neryl diphosphate. Inhibitors of the Z-farnesyl diphosphate synthase were designed and chemically synthesized as stable analogs of omega,E-geranyl diphosphate in which the labile diphosphate moiety was replaced with stable moieties. Studies with these compounds revealed that the active site of Z-farnesyl diphosphate synthase differs substantially from E-farnesyl diphosphate synthase from pig brain (Sus scrofa).     

Abietadiene synthase catalysis: conserved residues involved in protonation-initiated cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to (+)-copalyl diphosphate

Abietadiene synthase catalyzes two sequential, mechanistically distinct cyclization reactions in the formation of a mixture of abietadiene double bond isomers as the committed step in resin acid biosynthesis. Each reaction is carried out at a separate active site residing in a structurally distinct domain, and the reactions are kinetically separable. The first cyclization reaction is initiated by protonation of the terminal double bond of the universal diterpene precursor, geranylgeranyl diphosphate. The pH dependence of the overall reaction is consistent with an acid-base catalytic mechanism, and a divalent metal ion plays a role in this reaction probably by binding the diphosphate moiety to assist in positioning the substrate for catalysis. A putative active site for the protonation-initiated cyclization was defined by modeling abietadiene synthase and locating the DXDD motif previously shown to be involved in this reaction. A number of charged and aromatic residues, which are highly conserved in mechanistically related diterpene cyclases, line the putative active site. Alanine substitutions were made for each of these residues, as were asparagine and glutamate substitutions for the aspartates of the DXDD motif. Kinetic evaluation confirmed the involvement of most of the targeted residues in the reaction, and analysis of mutational effects on the pH-activity profile and affinity for a transition state analogue suggested specific roles for several of these residues in catalyzing the cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to (+)-copalyl diphosphate. A functional role was also suggested for the cryptic insertional element found in abietadiene synthase and other diterpene synthases that carry out similar protonation-initiated cyclizations.     

Fructose diphosphate aldolase from Mycobacterium smegmatis. Functional similarities with rabbit muscle aldolase.

Fructose diphosphate aldolase of Mycobacterium smegmatis is found to be a class I type aldolase and possesses functional similarities with rabbit muscle aldolase with respect to the amino acid residues at the catalytic site. The presence of a lysine residue at the active site is indicated by the formation of a Schiff-base with the substrate. The lower degree of inactivation compared to rabbit muscle aldolase on treatment with carboxypeptidase-A suggests the absence of an essential terminal tyrosine residue. Participation of histidine residues in enzyme catalysis is suggested by the photoinactivation of the enzyme in presence of methylene blue. Finally, thiol groups do not seem to have a direct role in catalysis.