scholarly journals Molecular Dynamics Simulations Reveal the Interaction Fingerprint of Remdesivir Triphosphate Pivotal in Allosteric Regulation of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitul Srivastava ◽  
Lovika Mittal ◽  
Anita Kumari ◽  
Shailendra Asthana
Keyword(s):  
Active Form ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Antiviral Agent ◽  
Catalytic Site ◽  
Inhibition Mechanism ◽  
Rdrp Activity ◽  
Entry Site ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Free Energy Analysis ◽  
Key Residues

The COVID-19 pandemic has now strengthened its hold on human health and coronavirus’ lethal existence does not seem to be going away soon. In this regard, the optimization of reported information for understanding the mechanistic insights that facilitate the discovery towards new therapeutics is an unmet need. Remdesivir (RDV) is established to inhibit RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in distinct viral families including Ebola and SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, its derivatives have the potential to become a broad-spectrum antiviral agent effective against many other RNA viruses. In this study, we performed comparative analysis of RDV, RMP (RDV monophosphate), and RTP (RDV triphosphate) to undermine the inhibition mechanism caused by RTP as it is a metabolically active form of RDV. The MD results indicated that RTP rearranges itself from its initial RMP-pose at the catalytic site towards NTP entry site, however, RMP stays at the catalytic site. The thermodynamic profiling and free-energy analysis revealed that a stable pose of RTP at NTP entrance site seems critical to modulate the inhibition as its binding strength improved more than its initial RMP-pose obtained from docking at the catalytic site. We found that RTP not only occupies the residues K545, R553, and R555, essential to escorting NTP towards the catalytic site, but also interacts with other residues D618, P620, K621, R624, K798, and R836 that contribute significantly to its stability. From the interaction fingerprinting it is revealed that the RTP interact with basic and conserved residues that are detrimental for the RdRp activity, therefore it possibly perturbed the catalytic site and blocked the NTP entrance site considerably. Overall, we are highlighting the RTP binding pose and key residues that render the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inactive, paving crucial insights towards the discovery of potent inhibitors.

scholarly journals Binding Mechanism of Remdesivir to SARS-CoV-2 RNA Dependent RNA Polymerase

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leili Zhang ◽  
Ruhong Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Free Energy ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Binding Mode ◽  
World Health ◽  
Inhibition Mechanism ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Key Residues

Starting from December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a once-in-a-century pandemic with deadly consequences, which urgently calls for new treatments, cures and supporting apparatuses. Remdesivir was reported by World Health Organization (WHO) as the most promising drug currently available for the treatment of COVID-19. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations and free energy perturbation methods to study the inhibition mechanism of remdesivir to its target SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). In the absence of a crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, we first construct the homology model of this polymerase based on a previously available structure of SARS-CoV NSP12 RdRp (with a sequence identify of 95.8%). We then build the putative binding mode by aligning the remdesivir + RdRp complex to the ATP bound poliovirus RdRp. The putative binding structure is further optimized with molecular dynamics simulations and demonstrated to be stable, indicating a reasonable binding mode for remdesivir. The relative binding free energy of remdesivir is calculated to be -8.28 ± 0.65 kcal/mol, much stronger than the natural substrate ATP (-4.14 ± 0.89 kcal/mol) which is needed for the polymerization. The ~800-fold improvement in the Kd from remdesivir over ATP indicates an effective replacement of APT in blocking of the RdRp binding pocket. Key residues D618, S549 and R555 are found to be the contributors to the binding affinity of remdesivir. These findings demonstrate that remdesivir can potentially act as a SARS-CoV-2 RNA-chain terminator, effectively stopping its RNA reproduction, with key residues also identified for future lead optimization and/or drug resistance studies.

On the Adsorption of Aspartate Derivatives to Calcite Surfaces in Aqueous Environment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Stepic ◽  
Lara Jurković ◽  
Ksenia Klementyeva ◽  
Marko Ukrainczyk ◽  
Matija Gredičak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Sites ◽  
Realistic Model ◽  
Binding Energies ◽  
Inhibition Mechanism ◽  
Aqueous Environment ◽  
Binding Modes ◽  
Carboxylate Groups ◽  
Dissolved Ions ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

In many living organisms, biomolecules interact favorably with various surfaces of calcium carbonate. In this work, we have considered the interactions of aspartate (Asp) derivatives, as models of complex biomolecules, with calcite. Using kinetic growth experiments, we have investigated the inhibition of calcite growth by Asp, Asp2 and Asp3.This entailed the determination of a step-pinning growth regime as well as the evaluation of the adsorption constants and binding free energies for the three species to calcite crystals. These latter values are compared to free energy profiles obtained from fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. When using a flat (104) calcite surface in the models, the measured trend of binding energies is poorly reproduced. However, a more realistic model comprised of a surface with an island containing edges and corners, yields binding energies that compare very well with experiments. Surprisingly, we find that most binding modes involve the positively charged, ammonium group. Moreover, while attachment of the negatively charged carboxylate groups is also frequently observed, it is always balanced by the aqueous solvation of an equal or greater number of carboxylates. These effects are observed on all calcite features including edges and corners, the latter being associated with dominant affinities to Asp derivatives. As these features are also precisely the active sites for crystal growth, the experimental and theoretical results point strongly to a growth inhibition mechanism whereby these sites become blocked, preventing further attachment of dissolved ions and halting further growth.

scholarly journals Peptides presenting the binding site of human CD4 for the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1858-1866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Meier ◽  
Kristin Kassler ◽  
Heinrich Sticht ◽  
Jutta Eichler
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Envelope Glycoprotein ◽  
Conformational Stability ◽  
Cellular Receptor ◽  
Binding Assays ◽  
Glycoprotein Gp120 ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Key Residues ◽  
Hiv 1

Based on the structure of the HIV-1 glycoprotein gp120 in complex with its cellular receptor CD4, we have designed and synthesized peptides that mimic the binding site of CD4 for gp120. The ability of these peptides to bind to gp120 can be strongly enhanced by increasing their conformational stability through cyclization, as evidenced by binding assays, as well as through molecular-dynamics simulations of peptide–gp120 complexes. The specificity of the peptide–gp120 interaction was demonstrated by using peptide variants, in which key residues for the interaction with gp120 were replaced by alanine or D-amino acids.

Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy analysis of DNA minor groove complexes of curcumin

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 2805-2816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew Varghese Koonammackal ◽  
Unnikrishnan Viswambharan Nair Nellipparambil ◽  
Chellappanpillai Sudarsanakumar
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Free Energy ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Energy Analysis ◽  
Binding Free Energy ◽  
Minor Groove ◽  
Dna Minor Groove ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Free Energy Analysis

scholarly journals Ion-water coupling controls class A GPCR signal transduction pathways

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil J. Thomson ◽  
Owen N. Vickery ◽  
Callum M. Ives ◽  
Ulrich Zachariae
Keyword(s):  
Binding Site ◽  
G Protein ◽  
Signal Transmission ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Protein Binding Region ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Key Residues ◽  
Extracellular Sodium ◽  
Communication Pathway

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transmit signals across the cell membrane, forming the largest family of membrane proteins in humans. Most GPCRs activate through an evolutionarily conserved mechanism, which involves reorientation of helices and key residues, rearrangement of a hydrogen bonding network mediated by water molecules, and the expulsion of a sodium ion from a protonatable binding site. However, how these components interplay to engage the signal effector binding site remains elusive. Here, we applied information theory to molecular dynamics simulations of pharmaceutically important GPCRs to trace concerted conformational variations across the receptors. We discovered a conserved communication pathway that includes protein residues and cofactors and enables the exchange of information between the extracellular sodium binding site and the intracellular G-protein binding region, coupling the most highly conserved protonatable residues at long distance. Reorientation of internal water molecules was found to be essential for signal transmission along this pathway. By inhibiting protonation, sodium decoupled this connectivity, identifying the ion as a master switch that determines the receptors’ ability to move towards active conformations.

scholarly journals Molecular insights into the interaction of hemorphin and its targets

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanat Ali ◽  
Bincy Baby ◽  
Soja Saghar Soman ◽  
Ranjit Vijayan
Keyword(s):  
Binding Affinity ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Memory Loss ◽  
Interaction Mechanism ◽  
Stable Form ◽  
Endogenous Opioid ◽  
Memory Enhancement ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Key Residues ◽  
Potent Therapeutic Agent

Abstract Hemorphins are atypical endogenous opioid peptides produced by the cleavage of hemoglobin beta chain. Several studies have reported the therapeutic potential of hemorphin in memory enhancement, blood regulation, and analgesia. However, the mode of interaction of hemorphin with its target remains largely elusive. The decapeptide LVV-hemorphin-7 is the most stable form of hemorphin. It binds with high affinity to mu-opioid receptors (MOR), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and insulin-regulated aminopeptidase (IRAP). In this study, computational methods were used extensively to elucidate the most likely binding pose of mammalian LVV-hemorphin-7 with the aforementioned proteins and to calculate the binding affinity. Additionally, alignment of mammalian hemorphin sequences showed that the hemorphin sequence of the camel harbors a variation – a Q > R substitution at position 8. This study also investigated the binding affinity and the interaction mechanism of camel LVV-hemorphin-7 with these proteins. To gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the molecular interactions between the selected targets and hemorphin peptides, 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations of the best-ranked poses were performed. Simulations highlighted major interactions between the peptides and key residues in the binding site of the proteins. Interestingly, camel hemorphin had a higher binding affinity and showed more interactions with all three proteins when compared to the canonical mammalian LVV-hemorphin-7. Thus, camel LVV-hemorphin-7 could be explored as a potent therapeutic agent for memory loss, hypertension, and analgesia.

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