scholarly journals Role of substrate recognition in modulating strigolactone receptor selectivity in witchweed

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiming Chen ◽  
Alexandra White ◽  
David C. Nelson ◽  
Diwakar Shukla
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Parasitic Weed ◽  
Receptor Selectivity ◽  
Ligand Selectivity ◽  
Downstream Signaling ◽  
Structural Details ◽  
D Loop ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Witchweed, or Striga hermonthica, is a parasitic weed that destroys billions of dollars worth of crops globally every year. Its germination is stimulated by strigolactones exuded by its host plants. Despite high sequence, structure, and ligand binding site conservation across different plant species, one strigolactone receptor in witchweed (Sh HTL7) uniquely exhibits a picomolar EC50 for downstream signaling. Previous biochemical and structural analyses have hypothesized that this unique ligand sensitivity can be attributed to a large binding pocket volume in Sh HTL7 resulting in enhanced ability to bind substrates. Additional structural details of the substrate binding process can help explain its role in modulating the ligand selectivity. Using long-timescale molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate that mutations at the entrance of the binding pocket facilitate a more direct ligand binding pathway to Sh HTL7, whereas hydrophobicity at the binding pocket entrance results in a stable “anchored” state. We also demonstrate that several residues on the D-loop of At D14 stabilize catalytically inactive conformations. Finally, we show that strigolactone selectivity is not modulated by binding pocket volume. Our results indicate that while ligand binding is not the sole modulator of strigolactone receptor selectivity, it is a significant contributing factor. These results can be used to inform the design of selective antagonists for strigolactone receptors in witchweed.

scholarly journals Determinants of ligand selectivity in a cyclic nucleotide–regulated potassium channel

2014 ◽  
Vol 144 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Pessoa ◽  
Fátima Fonseca ◽  
Simone Furini ◽  
João H. Morais-Cabral
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Potassium Channel ◽  
Cyclic Nucleotide ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Bound State ◽  
Triple Mutant ◽  
Ligand Binding Pocket ◽  
Ligand Selectivity ◽  
Molecular Determinants ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Cyclic nucleotide–binding (CNB) domains regulate the activity of channels, kinases, exchange factors, and transcription factors. These proteins are highly variable in their ligand selectivity; some are highly selective for either cAMP or cGMP, whereas others are not. Several molecular determinants of ligand selectivity in CNB domains have been defined, but these do not provide a complete view of the selectivity mechanism. We performed a thorough analysis of the ligand-binding properties of mutants of the CNB domain from the MlotiK1 potassium channel. In particular, we defined which residues specifically favor cGMP or cAMP. Inversion of ligand selectivity, from favoring cAMP to favoring cGMP, was only achieved through a combination of three mutations in the ligand-binding pocket. We determined the x-ray structure of the triple mutant bound to cGMP and performed molecular dynamics simulations and a biochemical analysis of the effect of the mutations. We concluded that the increase in cGMP affinity and selectivity does not result simply from direct interactions between the nucleotide base and the amino acids introduced in the ligand-binding pocket residues. Rather, tighter cGMP binding over cAMP results from the polar chemical character of the mutations, from greater accessibility of water molecules to the ligand in the bound state, and from an increase in the structural flexibility of the mutated binding pocket.

scholarly journals Characterization of the High-Affinity Drug Ligand Binding Site of Mouse Recombinant TSPO

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soria Iatmanen-Harbi ◽  
lucile Senicourt ◽  
Vassilios Papadopoulos ◽  
Olivier Lequin ◽  
Jean-Jacques Lacapere
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Protoporphyrin Ix ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Translocator Protein ◽  
Binding Affinities ◽  
Ligand Selectivity ◽  
High Affinity

The optimization of translocator protein (TSPO) ligands for Positron Emission Tomography as well as for the modulation of neurosteroids is a critical necessity for the development of TSPO-based diagnostics and therapeutics of neuropsychiatrics and neurodegenerative disorders. Structural hints on the interaction site and ligand binding mechanism are essential for the development of efficient TSPO ligands. Recently published atomic structures of recombinant mammalian and bacterial TSPO1, bound with either the high-affinity drug ligand PK 11195 or protoporphyrin IX, have revealed the membrane protein topology and the ligand binding pocket. The ligand is surrounded by amino acids from the five transmembrane helices as well as the cytosolic loops. However, the precise mechanism of ligand binding remains unknown. Previous biochemical studies had suggested that ligand selectivity and binding was governed by these loops. We performed site-directed mutagenesis to further test this hypothesis and measured the binding affinities. We show that aromatic residues (Y34 and F100) from the cytosolic loops contribute to PK 11195 access to its binding site. Limited proteolytic digestion, circular dichroism and solution two-dimensional (2-D) NMR using selective amino acid labelling provide information on the intramolecular flexibility and conformational changes in the TSPO structure upon PK 11195 binding. We also discuss the differences in the PK 11195 binding affinities and the primary structure between TSPO (TSPO1) and its paralogous gene product TSPO2.

scholarly journals New capsaicin analogs as molecular rulers to define the permissive conformation of the mouse TRPV1 ligand-binding pocket

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Vu ◽  
Vikrant Singh ◽  
Heike Wulff ◽  
Vladimir Yarov-Yarovoy ◽  
Jie Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Functional Tests ◽  
Ligand Binding Pocket ◽  
Ligand Selectivity ◽  
Molecular Rulers ◽  
Activation Gating ◽  
Channel Interactions ◽  
Multiple Ligand

The capsaicin receptor TRPV1 is an outstanding representative of ligand-gated ion channels in ligand selectivity and sensitivity. However, molecular interactions that stabilize the ligand-binding pocket in its permissive conformation, and how many permissive conformations the ligand-binding pocket may adopt, remain unclear. To answer these questions, we designed a pair of novel capsaicin analogs to increase or decrease the ligand size by about 1.5 Å without altering ligand chemistry. Together with capsaicin, these ligands form a set of molecular rulers for investigating ligand-induced conformational changes. Computational modeling and functional tests revealed that structurally these ligands alternate between drastically different binding poses but stabilize the ligand-binding pocket in nearly identical permissive conformations; functionally, they all yielded a stable open state despite varying potencies. Our study suggests the existence of an optimal ligand-binding pocket conformation for capsaicin-mediated TRPV1 activation gating, and reveals multiple ligand-channel interactions that stabilize this permissive conformation.

scholarly journals Atomic-scale characterization of mature HIV-1 capsid stabilization by inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6)

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (38) ◽  
pp. eabc6465 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvin Yu ◽  
Elizabeth M. Y. Lee ◽  
Jaehyeok Jin ◽  
Gregory A. Voth
Keyword(s):  
Kinetic Studies ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Free Energy Calculations ◽  
Atomic Scale ◽  
Binding Modes ◽  
Ligand Density ◽  
Scale Characterization ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Inositol hexakisphosphates (IP6) are cellular cofactors that promote the assembly of mature capsids of HIV. These negatively charged molecules coordinate an electropositive ring of arginines at the center of pores distributed throughout the capsid surface. Kinetic studies indicate that the binding of IP6 increases the stable lifetimes of the capsid by several orders of magnitude from minutes to hours. Using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we uncover the mechanisms that underlie the unusually high stability of mature capsids in complex with IP6. We find that capsid hexamers and pentamers have differential binding modes for IP6. Ligand density calculations show three sites of interaction with IP6 including at a known capsid inhibitor binding pocket. Free energy calculations demonstrate that IP6 preferentially stabilizes pentamers over hexamers to enhance fullerene modes of assembly. These results elucidate the molecular role of IP6 in stabilizing and assembling the retroviral capsid.

scholarly journals Bcl-xL dynamics and cancer-associated mutations under the lens of protein structure network and biomolecular simulations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Sora ◽  
Elena Papaleo
Keyword(s):  
Protein Structure ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Free Energies ◽  
Allosteric Communication ◽  
Explicit Solvent ◽  
Biomolecular Simulations ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

AbstractUnderstanding the finely orchestrated interactions leading to or preventing programmed cell death (apoptosis) is of utmost importance in cancer research since the failure of these systems could eventually lead to the onset of the disease. In this regard, the maintenance of a delicate balance between promoters and inhibitors of mitochondrial apoptosis is crucial, as demonstrated by the interplay among the Bcl-2 family members. Particularly, Bcl-xL is a target of interest due to its forefront role of its dysfunctions in cancer development. Bcl-xL prevents apoptosis by binding both the pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins, as PUMA, and noncanonical partners such as p53 at different sites. An allosteric communication between the BH3-only proteins binding pocket and the p53 binding site has been postulated and supported by NMR and other biophysical data, mediating the release of p53 from Bcl-xL upon PUMA binding. The molecular details, especially at the residue level, of this mechanism remain unclear. In this work, we investigated the distal communication between these two sites in both Bcl-xL in its free state and bound to PUMA, and we evaluated how missense mutations of Bcl-xL found in cancer samples might impair the communication and thus the allosteric mechanism. We employed all-atom explicit solvent microsecond molecular dynamics simulations analyzed through a Protein Structure Network approach and integrated with calculations of changes in free energies upon cancer-related mutations identified by genomics studies. We found a subset of candidate residues responsible for both maintaining protein stability and for conveying structural information between the two binding sites and hypothesized possible communication routes between specific residues at both sites.

scholarly journals Molecular lock regulates binding of glycine to a primitive NMDA receptor

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (44) ◽  
pp. E6786-E6795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvin Yu ◽  
Robert Alberstein ◽  
Alecia Thomas ◽  
Austin Zimmet ◽  
Richard Grey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Biochemical Analysis ◽  
Salt Bridge ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Crystallographic Analysis ◽  
Mnemiopsis Leidyi ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Ligand Affinity ◽  
Rate Of Recovery ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

The earliest metazoan ancestors of humans include the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. The genome of this comb jelly encodes homologs of vertebrate ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) that are distantly related to glycine-activated NMDA receptors and that bind glycine with unusually high affinity. Using ligand-binding domain (LBD) mutants for electrophysiological analysis, we demonstrate that perturbing a ctenophore-specific interdomain Arg-Glu salt bridge that is notably absent from vertebrate AMPA, kainate, and NMDA iGluRs greatly increases the rate of recovery from desensitization, while biochemical analysis reveals a large decrease in affinity for glycine. X-ray crystallographic analysis details rearrangements in the binding pocket stemming from the mutations, and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the interdomain salt bridge acts as a steric barrier regulating ligand binding and that the free energy required to access open conformations in the glycine-bound LBD is largely responsible for differences in ligand affinity among the LBD variants.

scholarly journals Insights into the Binding and Covalent Inhibition Mechanism of PF-07321332 to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Son Tung Ngo ◽  
Trung Hai Nguyen ◽  
Nguyen Thanh Tung ◽  
Binh Khanh Mai
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Bound State ◽  
Catalytic Triad ◽  
Inhibition Mechanism ◽  
Binding Process ◽  
Covalent Inhibition ◽  
Main Protease ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Covalent Inhibitor

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been causing the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in several million death were reported. Numerous investigations have been carried out to discover a compound that can inhibit the biological activity of SARS-CoV-2 main protease, which is an enzyme related to the viral replication. Among these, PF-07321332 is currently under clinical trial for COVID-19 therapy. Therefore, in this work, atomistic and electronic simulations were performed to unravel the binding and covalent inhibition mechanism of the compound to Mpro. Initially, 5 µs of steered-molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to evaluate the ligand-binding process to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Successfully generated bound state between two molecules showed the important role of the PF-07321332 pyrrolidinyl group and the residues Glu166 and Gln189 in the ligand-binding process. Moreover, from the MD-refined structure, quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations were carried out to unravel the reaction mechanism for the formation of thioimidate product from SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and PF07321332 inhibitor. We found that the catalytic triad Cys145–His41–Asp187 of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro plays important role in the activation of PF-07321332 covalent inhibitor, which renders the deprotonation of Cys145 and, thus, facilitates further reaction. Our results are definitely beneficial for better understanding on the inhibition mechanism and designing new effective inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 Mpro.

scholarly journals Protonation of Glutamate 208 Induces the Release of Agmatine in an Outward-facing Conformation of an Arginine/Agmatine Antiporter

2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (22) ◽  
pp. 19693-19701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elia Zomot ◽  
Ivet Bahar
Keyword(s):  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Substrate Binding Pocket ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Extracellular Region ◽  
Acidic Conditions ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

Virulent enteric pathogens have developed several systems that maintain intracellular pH to survive extreme acidic conditions. One such mechanism is the exchange of arginine (Arg+) from the extracellular region with its intracellular decarboxylated form, agmatine (Agm2+). The net result of this process is the export of a virtual proton from the cytoplasm per antiport cycle. Crystal structures of the arginine/agmatine antiporter from Escherichia coli, AdiC, have been recently resolved in both the apo and Arg+-bound outward-facing conformations, which permit us to assess for the first time the time-resolved mechanisms of interactions that enable the specific antiporter functionality of AdiC. Using data from ∼1 μs of molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the protonation of Glu-208 selectively causes the dissociation and release of Agm2+, but not Arg+, to the cell exterior. The impact of Glu-208 protonation is transmitted to the substrate binding pocket via the reorientation of Ile-205 carbonyl group at the irregular portion of transmembrane (TM) helix 6. This effect, which takes place only in the subunits where Agm2+ is released, invites attention to the functional role of the unwound portion of TM helices (TM6 Trp-202–Glu-208 in AdiC) in facilitating substrate translocation, reminiscent of the behavior observed in structurally similar Na+-coupled transporters.

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