The human serotonin transporter(SERT)terminates neurotransmission by removing serotonin from the synaptic cleft,which is an essential process that plays an important role in depression.In addition to natural substrate...The human serotonin transporter(SERT)terminates neurotransmission by removing serotonin from the synaptic cleft,which is an essential process that plays an important role in depression.In addition to natural substrate serotonin,SERT is also the target of the abused drug cocaine and,clinically used antidepressants,escitalopram,and paroxetine.To date,few studies have attempted to investigate the unbinding mechanism underlying the orthosteric and allosteric modulation of SERT.In this article,the conserved property of the orthosteric and allosteric sites(S1 and S2)of SERT was revealed by combining the high resolutions of x-ray crystal structures and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations.The residues Tyr95 and Ser438 located within the S1 site,and Arg104 located within the S2 site in SERT illustrate conserved interactions(hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions),as responses to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.Van der Waals interactions were keys to designing effective drugs inhibiting SERT and further,electrostatic interactions highlighted escitalopram as a potent antidepressant.We found that cocaine,escitalopram,and paroxetine,whether the S1 site or the S2 site,were more competitive.According to this potential of mean force(PMF)simulations,the new insights reveal the principles of competitive inhibitors that lengths of trails from central SERT to an opening were~18A for serotonin and~22 A for the above-mentioned three drugs.Furthermore,the distance between the natural substrate serotonin and cocaine(or escitalopram)at the allosteric site was~3A.Thus,it can be inferred that the potent antidepressants tended to bind at deeper positions of the S1 or the S2 site of SERT in comparison to the substrate.Continuing exploring the processes of unbinding four ligands against the two target pockets of SERT,this study observed a broad pathway in which serotonin,cocaine,escitalopram(at the S1 site),and paroxetine all were pulled out to an opening between MT1b and MT6a,which may be helpful to understand the dissociation mechanism of antidepressants.展开更多
Constrained molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the LiCl and NaCl ionic association in water in terms of atom-bond electronegativity equalization method fused into molecular mechanics (ABEEM/M...Constrained molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the LiCl and NaCl ionic association in water in terms of atom-bond electronegativity equalization method fused into molecular mechanics (ABEEM/MM). The simulations make use of the seven-site fluctuating charge and flexible ABEEM-7P water model, based on which an ion-water interaction potential has been constructed. The mean force and the potential of mean force for LiCl and NaCl in water, the charge distributions, as well as the structural and dynamical properties of contact ion pair dissociation have been investigated. The results are reasonable and informative. For LiCl ion pair in water, the solvent-separated ion pair configurations are more stable than contact ion pair configurations. The calculated PMF for NaCl in water indicates that contact ion pair and solvent-separated ion pair configurations are of comparable stability.展开更多
In this study two genistein derivatives(G1 and G2)are reported as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase(AChE)and butyrylcholinesterase(BuChE),and differences in the inhibition of AChE are described.Although they differ i...In this study two genistein derivatives(G1 and G2)are reported as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase(AChE)and butyrylcholinesterase(BuChE),and differences in the inhibition of AChE are described.Although they differ in structure by a single methyl group,the inhibitory effect of G1(IC50¼264 nmol/L)on AChE was 80 times stronger than that of G2(IC50¼21,210 nmol/L).Enzyme-kinetic analysis,molecular docking and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations were conducted to better understand the molecular basis for this difference.The results obtained by kinetic analysis demonstrated that G1 can interact with both the catalytic active site and peripheral anionic site of AChE.The predicted binding free energies of two complexes calculated by the molecular mechanics/generalized born surface area(MM/GBSA)method were consistent with the experimental data.The analysis of the individual energy terms suggested that a difference between the net electrostatic contributions(ΔEele+ΔGGB)was responsible for the binding affinities of these two inhibitors.Additionally,analysis of the molecular mechanics and MM/GBSA free energy decomposition revealed that the difference between G1 and G2 originated from interactions with Tyr124,Glu292,Val294 and Phe338 of AChE.In conclusion,the results reveal significant differences at the molecular level in the mechanism of inhibition of AChE by these structurally related compounds.展开更多
Acetohydroxyacid synthase(AHAS) is the target enzyme of several classes of herbicides,such as sulfonylureas and imidazolinones.Now many mutant AHASs with herbicide resistance have emerged along with extensive use of h...Acetohydroxyacid synthase(AHAS) is the target enzyme of several classes of herbicides,such as sulfonylureas and imidazolinones.Now many mutant AHASs with herbicide resistance have emerged along with extensive use of herbicides,therefore it is imperative to understand the detailed interaction mechanism and resistance mechanism so as to develop new potent inhibitors for wild-type or resistant AHAS.With the aid of available crystal structures of the Arabidopsis thaliana(At) AHAS-inhibitor complex,molecular dynamics(MD) simulations were used to investigate the interaction and resistance mechanism directly and dynamically at the atomic level.Nanosecond-level MD simulations were performed on six systems consisting of wild-type or W574L mutant AtAHAS in the complex with three sulfonylurea inhibitors,separately,and binding free energy was calculated for each system using the MM-GBSA method.Comprehensive analyses from structural and energetic aspects confirmed the importance of residue W574,and also indicated that W574L mutation might alert the structural charactersistic of the substrate access channel and decrease the binding affinity of inhibitors,which cooperatively weaken the effective channel-blocked effect and finally result in weaker inhibitory effect of inhibitor and corresponding herbicide resistance of W574L mutant.To our knowledge,it is the first report about MD simulations study on the AHAS-related system,which will pave the way to study the interactions between herbicides and wild-type or mutant AHAS dynamically,and decipher the resistance mechanism at the atomic level for better designing new potent anti-resistance herbicides.展开更多
The molecular mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area(MM/PBSA) method has been widely used in predicting the binding affinity among ligands,proteins,and nucleic acids.However,the accuracy of the predicted binding ene...The molecular mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area(MM/PBSA) method has been widely used in predicting the binding affinity among ligands,proteins,and nucleic acids.However,the accuracy of the predicted binding energy by the standard MM/PBSA is not always good,especially in highly charged systems.In this work,we take the protein-nucleic acid complexes as an example,and showed that the use of screening electrostatic energy(instead of Coulomb electrostatic energy) in molecular mechanics can greatly improve the performance of MM/PBSA.In particular,the Pearson correlation coefficient of dataset Ⅱ in the modified MM/PBSA(i.e.,screening MM/PBSA) is about 0.52,much better than that(<0.33)in the standard MM/PBSA.Further,we also evaluate the effect of solute dielectric constant and salt concentration on the performance of the screening MM/PBSA.The present study highlights the potential power of the screening MM/PBSA for predicting the binding energy in highly charged bio-systems.展开更多
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11904036 and 12175081)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.CCNU22QNOO4)。
文摘The human serotonin transporter(SERT)terminates neurotransmission by removing serotonin from the synaptic cleft,which is an essential process that plays an important role in depression.In addition to natural substrate serotonin,SERT is also the target of the abused drug cocaine and,clinically used antidepressants,escitalopram,and paroxetine.To date,few studies have attempted to investigate the unbinding mechanism underlying the orthosteric and allosteric modulation of SERT.In this article,the conserved property of the orthosteric and allosteric sites(S1 and S2)of SERT was revealed by combining the high resolutions of x-ray crystal structures and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations.The residues Tyr95 and Ser438 located within the S1 site,and Arg104 located within the S2 site in SERT illustrate conserved interactions(hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions),as responses to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.Van der Waals interactions were keys to designing effective drugs inhibiting SERT and further,electrostatic interactions highlighted escitalopram as a potent antidepressant.We found that cocaine,escitalopram,and paroxetine,whether the S1 site or the S2 site,were more competitive.According to this potential of mean force(PMF)simulations,the new insights reveal the principles of competitive inhibitors that lengths of trails from central SERT to an opening were~18A for serotonin and~22 A for the above-mentioned three drugs.Furthermore,the distance between the natural substrate serotonin and cocaine(or escitalopram)at the allosteric site was~3A.Thus,it can be inferred that the potent antidepressants tended to bind at deeper positions of the S1 or the S2 site of SERT in comparison to the substrate.Continuing exploring the processes of unbinding four ligands against the two target pockets of SERT,this study observed a broad pathway in which serotonin,cocaine,escitalopram(at the S1 site),and paroxetine all were pulled out to an opening between MT1b and MT6a,which may be helpful to understand the dissociation mechanism of antidepressants.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 20633050 and 20703022)
文摘Constrained molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the LiCl and NaCl ionic association in water in terms of atom-bond electronegativity equalization method fused into molecular mechanics (ABEEM/MM). The simulations make use of the seven-site fluctuating charge and flexible ABEEM-7P water model, based on which an ion-water interaction potential has been constructed. The mean force and the potential of mean force for LiCl and NaCl in water, the charge distributions, as well as the structural and dynamical properties of contact ion pair dissociation have been investigated. The results are reasonable and informative. For LiCl ion pair in water, the solvent-separated ion pair configurations are more stable than contact ion pair configurations. The calculated PMF for NaCl in water indicates that contact ion pair and solvent-separated ion pair configurations are of comparable stability.
基金This work was funded in part of the Research Special Fund for Public Welfare Industry of Health(No.200802041)the National Great Science and Technology Projects(2012ZX09301002,2014ZX09507003-002)+1 种基金the International Collaboration Project(2011DFR31240)Institue of Chinese Materia Medica,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences&Peking Union Medical College graduate student innovation fund(2013-1007-18).
文摘In this study two genistein derivatives(G1 and G2)are reported as inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase(AChE)and butyrylcholinesterase(BuChE),and differences in the inhibition of AChE are described.Although they differ in structure by a single methyl group,the inhibitory effect of G1(IC50¼264 nmol/L)on AChE was 80 times stronger than that of G2(IC50¼21,210 nmol/L).Enzyme-kinetic analysis,molecular docking and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations were conducted to better understand the molecular basis for this difference.The results obtained by kinetic analysis demonstrated that G1 can interact with both the catalytic active site and peripheral anionic site of AChE.The predicted binding free energies of two complexes calculated by the molecular mechanics/generalized born surface area(MM/GBSA)method were consistent with the experimental data.The analysis of the individual energy terms suggested that a difference between the net electrostatic contributions(ΔEele+ΔGGB)was responsible for the binding affinities of these two inhibitors.Additionally,analysis of the molecular mechanics and MM/GBSA free energy decomposition revealed that the difference between G1 and G2 originated from interactions with Tyr124,Glu292,Val294 and Phe338 of AChE.In conclusion,the results reveal significant differences at the molecular level in the mechanism of inhibition of AChE by these structurally related compounds.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.20432010, 20421202, and 90713011)the National Key Project for Basic Research (Grant Nos.2008DFA30770 and 2010CB126102)Key Project of Ministry of Education,China (Grant No.104189) and Institute of Scientific Computing (ISC) of Nankai University
文摘Acetohydroxyacid synthase(AHAS) is the target enzyme of several classes of herbicides,such as sulfonylureas and imidazolinones.Now many mutant AHASs with herbicide resistance have emerged along with extensive use of herbicides,therefore it is imperative to understand the detailed interaction mechanism and resistance mechanism so as to develop new potent inhibitors for wild-type or resistant AHAS.With the aid of available crystal structures of the Arabidopsis thaliana(At) AHAS-inhibitor complex,molecular dynamics(MD) simulations were used to investigate the interaction and resistance mechanism directly and dynamically at the atomic level.Nanosecond-level MD simulations were performed on six systems consisting of wild-type or W574L mutant AtAHAS in the complex with three sulfonylurea inhibitors,separately,and binding free energy was calculated for each system using the MM-GBSA method.Comprehensive analyses from structural and energetic aspects confirmed the importance of residue W574,and also indicated that W574L mutation might alert the structural charactersistic of the substrate access channel and decrease the binding affinity of inhibitors,which cooperatively weaken the effective channel-blocked effect and finally result in weaker inhibitory effect of inhibitor and corresponding herbicide resistance of W574L mutant.To our knowledge,it is the first report about MD simulations study on the AHAS-related system,which will pave the way to study the interactions between herbicides and wild-type or mutant AHAS dynamically,and decipher the resistance mechanism at the atomic level for better designing new potent anti-resistance herbicides.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11874045 and 11774147)。
文摘The molecular mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area(MM/PBSA) method has been widely used in predicting the binding affinity among ligands,proteins,and nucleic acids.However,the accuracy of the predicted binding energy by the standard MM/PBSA is not always good,especially in highly charged systems.In this work,we take the protein-nucleic acid complexes as an example,and showed that the use of screening electrostatic energy(instead of Coulomb electrostatic energy) in molecular mechanics can greatly improve the performance of MM/PBSA.In particular,the Pearson correlation coefficient of dataset Ⅱ in the modified MM/PBSA(i.e.,screening MM/PBSA) is about 0.52,much better than that(<0.33)in the standard MM/PBSA.Further,we also evaluate the effect of solute dielectric constant and salt concentration on the performance of the screening MM/PBSA.The present study highlights the potential power of the screening MM/PBSA for predicting the binding energy in highly charged bio-systems.
