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Christoph A Sotriffer

Publications and source records attributed to Christoph A Sotriffer.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Physicochemical descriptors to discriminate protein-protein interactions in permanent and transient complexes selected by means of machine learning algorithms.

Analyzing protein-protein interactions at the atomic level is critical for our understanding of the principles governing the interactions involved in protein-protein recognition. For this purpose, descriptors explaining the nature of different protein-protein complexes are desirable. In this work, the authors introduced Epic Protein Interface Classification as a framework handling the preparation, processing, and analysis of protein-protein complexes for classification with machine learning algorithms. We applied four different machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Machines, C4.5 Decision Trees, K Nearest Neighbors, and Naïve Bayes algorithm in combination with three feature selection methods, Filter (Relief F), Wrapper, and Genetic Algorithms, to extract discriminating features from the protein-protein complexes. To compare protein-protein complexes to each other, the authors represented the physicochemical characteristics of their interfaces in four different ways, using two different atomic contact vectors, DrugScore pair potential vectors and SFCscore descriptor vectors. We classified two different datasets: (A) 172 protein-protein complexes comprising 96 monomers, forming contacts enforced by the crystallographic packing environment (crystal contacts), and 76 biologically functional homodimer complexes; (B) 345 protein-protein complexes containing 147 permanent complexes and 198 transient complexes. We were able to classify up to 94.8% of the packing enforced/functional and up to 93.6% of the permanent/transient complexes correctly. Furthermore, we were able to extract relevant features from the different protein-protein complexes and introduce an approach for scoring the importance of the extracted features.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2006

Development, validation, and application of adapted PEOE charges to estimate pKa values of functional groups in protein-ligand complexes.

For routine pK(a) calculations of protein-ligand complexes in drug design, the PEOE method to compute partial charges was modified. The new method is applicable to a large scope of proteins and ligands. The adapted charges were parameterized using experimental free energies of solvation of amino acids and small organic ligands. For a data set of 80 small organic molecules, a correlation coefficient of r(2) = 0.78 between calculated and experimental solvation free energies was obtained. Continuum electrostatics pK(a) calculations based on the Poisson-Boltzmann equation were carried out on a validation set of nine proteins for which 132 experimental pK(a) values are known. In total, an overall RMSD of 0.88 log units between calculated and experimentally determined data is achieved. In particular, the predictions of significantly shifted pK(a) values are satisfactory, and reasonable estimates of protonation states in the active sites of lysozyme and xylanase could be obtained. Application of the charge-assignment and pK(a)-calculation procedure to protein-ligand complexes provides clear structural interpretations of experimentally observed changes of protonation states of functional groups upon complex formation. This information is essential for the interpretation of thermodynamic data of protein-ligand complex formation and provides the basis for the reliable factorization of the free energy of binding in enthalpic and entropic contributions. The modified charge-assignment procedure forms the basis for future automated pK(a) calculations of protein-ligand complexes.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed2006

Expect the unexpected or caveat for drug designers: multiple structure determinations using aldose reductase crystals treated under varying soaking and co-crystallisation conditions.

In structure-based drug design, accurate crystal structure determination of protein-ligand complexes is of utmost importance in order to elucidate the binding characteristics of a putative lead to a given target. It is the starting point for further design hypotheses to predict novel leads with improved properties. Often, crystal structure determination is regarded as ultimate proof for ligand binding providing detailed insight into the specific binding mode of the ligand to the protein. This widely accepted practise relies on the assumption that the crystal structure of a given protein-ligand complex is unique and independent of the protocol applied to produce the crystals. We present two examples indicating that this assumption is not generally given, even though the composition of the mother liquid for crystallisation was kept unchanged: Multiple crystal structure determinations of aldose reductase complexes obtained under varying crystallisation protocols concerning soaking and crystallisation exposure times were performed resulting in a total of 17 complete data sets and ten refined crystal structures, eight in complex with zopolrestat and two complexed with tolrestat. In the first example, a flip of a peptide bond is observed, obviously depending on the crystallisation protocol with respect to soaking and co-crystallisation conditions. This peptide flip is accompanied by a rupture of an H-bond formed to the bound ligand zopolrestat. The indicated enhanced local mobility of the complex is in agreement with the results of molecular dynamics simulations. As a second example, the aldose reductase-tolrestat complex is studied. Unexpectedly, two structures could be obtained: one with one, and a second with four inhibitor molecules bound to the protein. They are located in and near the binding pocket facilitated by crystal packing effects. Accommodation of the four ligand molecules is accompanied by pronounced shifts concerning two helices interacting with the additional ligands.

Aldehyde Reductase↗
PubMed2006

Lock-and-key motif as a concept for designing affinity adsorbents for protein purification.

The lock-and-key (LAK) motif, a common structural moiety found in subunit interfaces of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), plays an important role in biomolecular recognition and quaternary structure integrity. Inspection of the key structural features of the LAK motif prompted the de novo design and combinatorial synthesis of a 13-membered solid-phase ligand library, employing as a lead ligand the Phe-Trz-X structure, mimicking the LAK motif. 1,3,5-Triazine (Trz) was used as the scaffold for assembly, substituted with different LAK-mimetic amino acids. De novo ligand design was effected using bioinformatics and molecular modeling and based on mimicking the interactions of the LAK motif. The library of affinity adsorbents was assessed for binding corn and human serum proteomes and purified proteins of different structure and ligand binding specificity. The results showed remarkable differences in the binding specificity of LAK-mimetic adsorbents for a wide range of proteins, as a consequence of minor changes in ligand structure. One LAK-mimetic adsorbent was integrated in a single-step purification protocol for human monoclonal anti-human immunodeficiency virus 2F5 antibody (mAb 2F5) from spiked corn extract, affording high recovery and purity. The results demonstrate that the principle of natural recognition found in the lock-and-key motif, in combination with de novo combinatorial design, may lead to synthetic affinity ligands, useful in downstream processing and proteomic research.

Amino Acid Motifs↗
PubMed2006

AffinDB: a freely accessible database of affinities for protein-ligand complexes from the PDB.

AffinDB is a database of affinity data for structurally resolved protein-ligand complexes from the Protein Data Bank (PDB). It is freely accessible at http://www.agklebe.de/affinity. Affinity data are collected from the scientific literature, both from primary sources describing the original experimental work of affinity determination and from secondary references which report affinity values determined by others. AffinDB currently contains over 730 affinity entries covering more than 450 different protein-ligand complexes. Besides the affinity value, PDB summary information and additional data are provided, including the experimental conditions of the affinity measurement (if available in the corresponding reference); 2D drawing, SMILES code and molecular weight of the ligand; links to other databases, and bibliographic information. AffinDB can be queried by PDB code or by any combination of affinity range, temperature and pH value of the measurement, ligand molecular weight, and publication data (author, journal and year). Search results can be saved as tabular reports in text files. The database is supposed to be a valuable resource for researchers interested in biomolecular recognition and the development of tools for correlating structural data with affinities, as needed, for example, in structure-based drug design.

Databases, Protein↗
PubMed2006

The potential of P1 site alterations in peptidomimetic protease inhibitors as suggested by virtual screening and explored by the use of C-C-coupling reagents.

A synthetic concept is presented that allows the construction of peptide isostere libraries through polymer-supported C-acylation reactions. A phosphorane linker reagent is used as a carbanion equivalent; by employing MSNT as a coupling reagent, the C-acylation can be conducted without racemization. Diastereoselective reduction was effected with L-selectride. The reagent linker allows the preparation of a norstatine library with full variation of the isosteric positions including the P1 side chain that addresses the protease S1 pocket. Therefore, the concept was employed to investigate the P1 site specificity of peptide isostere inhibitors systematically. The S1 pocket of several aspartic proteases including plasmepsin II and cathepsin D was modeled and docked with approximately 500 amino acid side chains. Inspired by this virtual screen, a P1 site mutation library was designed, synthesized, and screened against three aspartic proteases (plasmepsin II, HIV protease, and cathepsin D). The potency of norstatine inhibitors was found to depend strongly on the P1 substituent. Large, hydrophobic residues such as biphenyl, 4-bromophenyl, and 4-nitrophenyl enhanced the inhibitory activity (IC50) by up to 70-fold against plasmepsin II. In addition, P1 variation introduced significant selectivity, as up to 9-fold greater activity was found against plasmepsin II relative to human cathepsin D. The active P1 site residues did not fit into the crystal structure; however, molecular dynamics simulation suggested a possible alternative binding mode.

Aminocaproates↗
PubMed2005

A simple electrostatic switch important in the activation of type I protein kinase A by cyclic AMP.

Cyclic AMP activates protein kinase A by binding to an inhibitory regulatory (R) subunit and releasing inhibition of the catalytic (C) subunit. Even though crystal structures of regulatory and catalytic subunits have been solved, the precise molecular mechanism by which cyclic AMP activates the kinase remains unknown. The dynamic properties of the cAMP binding domain in the absence of cAMP or C-subunit are also unknown. Here we report molecular-dynamics simulations and mutational studies of the RIalpha R-subunit that identify the C-helix as a highly dynamic switch which relays cAMP binding to the helical C-subunit binding regions. Furthermore, we identify an important salt bridge which links cAMP binding directly to the C-helix that is necessary for normal activation. Additional mutations show that a hydrophobic "hinge" region is not as critical for the cross-talk in PKA as it is in the homologous EPAC protein, illustrating how cAMP can control diverse functions using the evolutionarily conserved cAMP-binding domains.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Hydroxyethylene sulfones as a new scaffold to address aspartic proteases: design, synthesis, and structural characterization.

Hydroxyethylene sulfones were developed as novel scaffolds against aspartyl proteases. A diastereoselective synthesis has been established to introduce the required side chain decoration with desired stereochemistry. Depending on the substitution of the hydroxyethylene sulfone core, micro- to submicromolar inhibition of HIV-1 protease is achieved for the S-configuration at P1 and R-configuration at the hydroxy-group-bearing backbone atom. This stereochemical preference is consistent with the S,R configuration of amprenavir. The racemic mixture of the most potent derivative (K(i) = 80 nM) was separated by chiral HPLC, revealing the S,R,S-enantiomer to be more active (K(i) = 45 nM). Docking studies suggested this isomer as the more active one. The subsequently determined crystal structure with HIV-1 protease, cocrystallized from a racemic mixture, exclusively reveals the S,R,S-enantiomer accommodated to the binding pocket. The transition state mimicking hydroxy group of the inhibitor is centered between both catalytic aspartates, while either its carbonyl or sulfonyl group forms H-bonds to the structurally conserved water mediating interactions between ligand and Ile50NH/Ile50NH' of both flaps. Biological testing of the stereoisomeric hydroxyethylene sulfones against cathepsin D and beta-secretase did not reveal significant inhibition. Most likely, the latter proteases require inverted configuration at the hydroxy group.

Anti-HIV Agents↗
PubMed2005

"In situ cross-docking" to simultaneously address multiple targets.

In standard docking, every target structure requires separate docking calculations. To overcome this limitation, an approach is presented by which multiple proteins can be addressed simultaneously in a single docking run. This "in situ cross-docking" is built on a grid-based docking method and follows the idea that grids calculated for single binding sites may be joined to one common grid. Docking then allows for a direct selection of the optimal target by the ligand being docked. The approach is technically feasible and can lead to significant time savings over conventional cross-docking.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2004

Probing flexibility and "induced-fit" phenomena in aldose reductase by comparative crystal structure analysis and molecular dynamics simulations.

Aldose reductase is a promising target for the treatment of diabetic complications, and as such, has become the focus of various drug design projects. As revealed by a survey of available crystal structures, the protein shows pronounced induced-fit effects upon ligand binding. Although helping to explain the enzyme's substrate promiscuity, phenomena of this kind are still responsible for significant complications in structure-based design efforts directed to aldose reductase. Accordingly, a deeper understanding of the principles governing conformational alterations in this enzyme would be of utmost practical importance. As a first step in addressing this issue, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been carried out. The ultrahigh resolution crystal structure of aldose reductase complexed with inhibitor IDD594 served as ideal starting point for a set of different simulations of nanosecond time scale: the native complexed state with bound inhibitor, the uncomplexed state (after removal of the inhibitor) at standard temperature, and the uncomplexed state at elevated temperature. The reference simulation of the complex exhibits extraordinary stability of the overall fold, whereas two distinct conformational substates are found for the binding-site region. In contrast, already at standard temperature pronounced changes are observed in the binding region during the simulation of the uncomplexed state. Leu300, for example, closes the access to the pocket opened by IDD594. On the other hand, conformations around the catalytic site are highly conserved, with the His110-Tyr48-NADP+ orientation being stabilized by a water molecule. Detailed analysis of the trajectories allows to reveal a set of distinct conformational substates that may prove useful as alternative structural templates in virtual screening for new aldose reductase inhibitors.

Acetates↗
PubMed2004

Discovery of a novel binding trench in HIV integrase.

Docking of the 5CITEP inhibitor to snapshots of a 2 ns HIV-1 integrase MD trajectory indicated a previously uncharacterized trench adjacent to the active site that intermittently opens. Further docking studies of novel ligands with the potential to bind to both regions showed greater selective affinity when able to bind to the trench. Our ranking of ligands is open to experimental testing, and our approach suggests a new target for HIV-1 therapeutics.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2002

Docking into knowledge-based potential fields: a comparative evaluation of DrugScore.

A new application of DrugScore is reported in which the knowledge-based pair potentials serve as objective function in docking optimizations. The Lamarckian genetic algorithm of AutoDock is used to search for favorable ligand binding modes guided by DrugScore grids as representations of the protein binding site. The approach is found to be successful in many cases where DrugScore-based re-ranking of already docked ligand conformations does not yield satisfactory results. Compared to the AutoDock scoring function, DrugScore yields slightly superior results in flexible docking.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2002

Thalassiolins A-C: new marine-derived inhibitors of HIV cDNA integrase.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication requires integration of viral cDNA into the host genome, a process mediated by the viral enzyme integrase. We describe a new series of HIV integrase inhibitors, thalassiolins A-C (1-3), isolated from the Caribbean sea grass Thalassia testudinum. The thalassiolins are distinguished from other flavones previously studied by the substitution of a sulfated beta-D-glucose at the 7-position, a substituent that imparts increased potency against integrase in biochemical assays. The most active of these molecules, thalassiolin A (1), displays in vitro inhibition of the integrase catalyzed strand transfer reaction (IC50=0.4 microM) and an antiviral IC50 of 30 microM. Molecular modeling studies indicate a favorable binding mode is probable at the catalytic core domain of HIV-1 integrase.

Binding Sites↗
PubMedDate not supplied

3D QSAR selectivity analyses of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors: insights for the design of isozyme selective inhibitors.

A 3D QSAR selectivity analysis of carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitors using a data set of 87 CA inhibitors is reported. After ligand minimization in the binding pockets of CA I, CA II, and CA IV isoforms, selectivity CoMFA and CoMSIA 3D QSAR models have been derived by taking the affinity differences (DeltapKi) with respect to two CA isozymes as independent variables. Evaluation of the developed 3D QSAR selectivity models allows us to determine amino acids in the respective CA isozymes that possibly play a crucial role for selective inhibition of these isozymes. We further combined the ligand-based 3D QSAR models with the docking program AUTODOCK in order to screen for novel CA inhibitors. Correct binding modes are predicted for various CA inhibitors with respect to known crystal structures. Furthermore, in combination with the developed 3D QSAR models we could successfully estimate the affinity of CA inhibitors even in cases where the applied scoring function failed. This novel strategy to combine AUTODOCK poses with CoMFA/CoMSIA 3D QSAR models can be used as a guideline to assess the relevance of generated binding modes and to accurately predict the binding affinity of newly designed CA inhibitors that could play a crucial role in the treatment of pathologies such as tumors, obesity, or glaucoma.

Animals↗