Biomedical subjects

Alejandro Balbín

Publications and source records attributed to Alejandro Balbín.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A theoretical analysis of HLA-DRbeta1*0301-CLIP complex using the first three multipolar moments of the electrostatic field.

Interactions between the HLA-DRbeta1*0301 molecule and several occupying peptides obtained from computational substitutions made to the CLIP peptide are studied. The exploration was carried out using a vector composed of the first three terms of the multipolar expansion of the electrostatic field, namely, charge (q), dipole (d) and quadrupole (C). Comparisons between pocket-peptide interactions established that the binding pockets for this HLA molecule are ordered in terms of their importance for binding peptides, as follows: P1 >>> P4 > P6 > P7 > P9. A set of electrostatically distinct amino acids that determine interaction stability and specificity were identified for each pocket. The beta74R residue was especially identified as being the key amino acid mediating the occupying peptide binding for pocket 4; this residue has been recently associated with Graves' disease.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2006

Wave function analysis of MHC-peptide interactions.

We have carried out an analysis of the wave function data for three MHC-peptide complexes: HLA-DRbeta1*0101-HA, HLA-DRbeta1*0401-HA and HLA-DRbeta1*0401-Col. We used quantum chemistry computer programs to generate wave function coefficients for these complexes, from which we obtained both molecular and atomic orbital data for both pocket and peptide amino acids within each pocket region. From these discriminated data, interaction molecular orbitals (IMOs) were identified as those with large and similar atomic orbital coefficient contributions from both pocket and peptide amino acids. The present results correlate well with our previous research where only electrostatic moments were used to explore molecular component interactions. Furthermore, we show a quantum chemical methodology to produce more fine-grained results concerning amino acid behavior in the MHC-peptide interaction.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed2005

Allele effects in MHC-peptide interactions: a theoretical analysis of HLA-DRbeta10101-HA and HLA-DRbeta10401-HA complexes.

HLA-DRbeta1*0101-HA and HLA-DRbeta1*0401-HA complexes are studied and compared by means of their computationally derived multipolar moments and electrostatic potentials. Changes in electrostatic potential are associated with definite pocket interaction profiles. Thus, Pocket 1 projects itself as an anchoring pocket for both complexes, in accordance with experimental results. While Pocket 4 has an anchoring profile in the HLA-DRbeta1*0101 allele, it presents itself as modulating pocket-peptide interactions in HLA-DRbeta1*0401. Pockets 6 and 7 both strongly contribute to allele specificity, with Pocket 7 being very important for HLA-DRbeta1*0401-HA. Pocket 9 acts as a "double purpose" interaction site for both alleles. It both projects itself as an anchoring pocket as well as modulating pocket-peptide interactions.

Alleles↗

PubMed2004

Protein folding and evolution are driven by the Maxwell Demon activity of proteins.

In this paper we propose a theoretical model of protein folding and protein evolution in which a polypeptide (sequence/structure) is assumed to behave as a Maxwell Demon or Information Gathering and Using System (IGUS) that performs measurements aiming at the construction of the native structure. Our model proposes that a physical meaning to Shannon information (H) and Chaitin's algorithmic information (K) parameters can be both defined and referred from the IGUS standpoint. Our hypothesis accounts for the interdependence of protein folding and protein evolution through mutual influencing relationships mediated by the IGUS. In brief, IGUS activity in protein folding determines long term tendencies that emerge at the evolutionary time-scale.Thus, protein evolution is a consequence of measurements executed by proteins at the cellular level, where the IGUS imposes a tendency to attain a highly unique stable native form that promotes the updating of the information content. The folding kinetics observed is, thus, the outcome of an evolutionary process where the polypeptide-IGUS drives the evolution of its linear sequence. Finally, we describe protein evolution as an entropic process that tends to increase the content of mutual algorithmic information between the sequence and the structure. This model enables one: 1. To comprehend that full determination of the three-dimensional structure by the linear sequence is a tendency where satisfaction is only possible at thermodynamic equilibrium.2. To account for the observed randomness of the amino acid sequences. 3. To predict an alternation of periods of selection and neutral diffusion during protein evolutionary time.