scholarly journals Dancing Molecules: Rewiring Cooperative Communications within 14-3-3 ζ Docking Proteins

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leroy K. Davis

AbstractAllosteric engineering may play a key role in novel drug discovery. As allosteric interactions are often associated with disease states where protein active sites are rendered constitutively active. Due to their role in regulating signal transduction in cells, we attempted to rewire cooperative communications within the 14-3-3 ζ docking protein. To avoid disruption of evolutionarily tuned interaction networks, we attempted to do so by applying the “Fundamental Theory of the Evolution Force: FTEF”. Whereby, we reversed the motion vector of the 14-3-3 ζ C’ terminal tail. We were also able to modify low frequency vibrational modes across 14-3-3 ζ conformational ensembles. Notably, synthetic evolution by FTEF anticipated evolution of the 14-3-3 ζ docking protein. And accentuated nonrandom patterns of deformation waves resulting in a gain of function mutation characterized by increased protein flexibility. As well as allowed us to discover a genome encoded spatial arrangement of strain that promotes translation of vibrational motions through protein structural layers. We also discovered a 14-3-3 ζ evolution blueprint that predetermines evolutional fate of the docking protein. The aforementioned suggests that the evolutionary fate of cells may be encoded in the genome, thusly may be predetermined. SignificanceAllostery plays a key role in disease. Wherein, mutations redistribute conformational ensembles and render proteins constitutively active. 14-3-3 docking proteins are key signaling proteins involved in multiple signal pathways that effect cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis. Saliently, the 14-3-3 ζ isoform is associated with neurodegenerative disease, cancer and glaucoma. Thusly, ability to rewire cooperative communications within 14-3-3 ζ offers opportunity for novel drug discovery.

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Lundstrom

Epigenetic mechanisms comprising of DNA methylation, histone modifications and gene silencing by RNA interference have been strongly linked to the development and progression of various diseases. These findings have triggered research on epigenetic functions and signal pathways as targets for novel drug discovery. Dietary intake has also presented significant influence on human health and disease development and nutritional modifications have proven important in prevention, but also the treatment of disease. Moreover, a strong link between nutrition and epigenetic changes has been established. Therefore, in attempts to develop novel safer and more efficacious drugs, both nutritional requirements and epigenetic mechanisms need to be addressed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Seyedhamzeh ◽  
Bahareh Farasati Far ◽  
Mehdi Shafiee Ardestani ◽  
Shahrzad Javanshir ◽  
Fatemeh Aliabadi ◽  
...  

Studies of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a current global health problem shown the initial plasma levels of most pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during the infection, which leads to patient countless complications. Previous studies also demonstrated that the metronidazole (MTZ) administration reduced related cytokines and improved treatment in patients. However, the effect of this drug on cytokines has not been determined. In the present study, the interaction of MTZ with cytokines was investigated using molecular docking as one of the principal methods in drug discovery and design. According to the obtained results, the IL12-metronidazole complex is more stable than other cytokines, and an increase in the surface and volume leads to prevent to bind to receptors. Moreover, ligand-based virtual screening of several libraries showed metronidazole phosphate, metronidazole benzoate, 1-[1-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-5- nitroimidazol-2-yl]-N-methylmethanimine oxide, acyclovir, and tetrahydrobiopterin (THB or BH4) like MTZ by changing the surface and volume prevents binding IL-12 to the receptor. Finally, the inhibition of the active sites of IL-12 occurred by modifying the position of the methyl and hydroxyl functional groups in MTZ. <br>


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (16) ◽  
pp. 2755-2759 ◽  
Author(s):  
Satoru Ebihara ◽  
Takae Ebihara ◽  
Peijun Gui ◽  
Ken Osaka ◽  
Yasunori Sumi ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 716
Author(s):  
Yiwen Hong ◽  
Yan Luo

Visual impairment and blindness are common and seriously affect people’s work and quality of life in the world. Therefore, the effective therapies for eye diseases are of high priority. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an alternative vertebrate model as a useful tool for the mechanism elucidation and drug discovery of various eye disorders, such as cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, photoreceptor degeneration, etc. The genetic and embryonic accessibility of zebrafish in combination with a behavioral assessment of visual function has made it a very popular model in ophthalmology. Zebrafish has also been widely used in ocular drug discovery, such as the screening of new anti-angiogenic compounds or neuroprotective drugs, and the oculotoxicity test. In this review, we summarized the applications of zebrafish as the models of eye disorders to study disease mechanism and investigate novel drug treatments.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 2063-2069

One of the largest families of membrane proteins, the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) has been a very important target of drug discovery as they are involved in having a regulatory role in a variety of signaling pathways at the cellular level in response to external stimuli. Modern in-silico and crystallographic approaches have further made it easier to peep into their structures. In this study, β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR) has been targeted, and a new ligand molecule using the de-novo approach has been proposed. Using 1-Amino-3-(2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-4-yloxy)-propan-2-ol, the best fitting binding fragments were established with a significant dissociation constant value of 5-7 nanomolar. The flexibility of specific active sites was also investigated, and it was observed that residues 114 (V), 117 (V), 203 (S), 286 (W), and 289 (F) played a crucial role in accommodating ligand for the best binding. Upon examination of the bioavailability parameters, the ligand var9 exhibited significant inhibitory characteristics having lower toxicity values and high drug likeliness properties. Findings certainly hold significance in terms of targeting GPCRs in getting insight into structure-based drug designing and drug discovery.


Author(s):  
Sven Lamatsch ◽  
Richard Sittner ◽  
Frank Tacke ◽  
Cornelius Engelmann

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