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Biomedical subjects

Paolo Carloni

Publications and source records attributed to Paolo Carloni.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Origin of functional diversity among tetrameric voltage-gated channels.

The aim of the present work is to relate functional differences of voltage-gated K(+) (K(v)), hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN), and cyclic nucleotide gated (CNG) channels to differences in their amino acid sequences. By means of combined bioinformatic sequence analyses and homology modelling, we suggest that: (1) CNG channels are less voltage-dependent than K(v) channels since the charge of their voltage sensor, the S4 helix, is lower than that of K(v) channels and because of the presence of a conserved proline in the S4-S5 linker, which is quite likely to uncouple S4 from S5 and S6. (2) In HCN channels, S4 features a higher net positive charge with respect to K(v) channels and an extensive network of hydrophobic residues, which is quite likely to provide a tight coupling among S4 and the neighboring helices. We suggest insights on the gating of HCN channels and the reasons why they open with membrane hyperpolarization and with a significantly longer time constant with respect to other channels.

Amino Acid Motifs↗
PubMed2006

Role of protein frame and solvent for the redox properties of azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

We have coupled hybrid quantum mechanics (density functional theory; Car-Parrinello)/molecular mechanics molecular dynamics simulations to a grand-canonical scheme, to calculate the in situ redox potential of the Cu(2+) + e(-) --> Cu(+) half reaction in azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. An accurate description at atomistic level of the environment surrounding the metal-binding site and finite-temperature fluctuations of the protein structure are both essential for a correct quantitative description of the electronic properties of this system. We report a redox potential shift with respect to copper in water of 0.2 eV (experimental 0.16 eV) and a reorganization free energy lambda = 0.76 eV (experimental 0.6-0.8 eV). The electrostatic field of the protein plays a crucial role in fine tuning the redox potential and determining the structure of the solvent. The inner-sphere contribution to the reorganization energy is negligible. The overall small value is mainly due to solvent rearrangement at the protein surface.

Azurin↗
PubMed2006

Anthramycin-DNA binding explored by molecular simulations.

The anticancer drug anthramycin inhibits replication and transcription processes by covalently binding to DNA. Here, we use molecular simulations to investigate the interaction between this ligand and the dodecanucleotide d[GCCAACGTTGGC](2). We start from the X-ray structure of the adduct anthramycin-d[CCAACGTTG*G](2), in which the drug binds covalently to guanine.1 We focus on the noncovalent complexes between the oligonucleotide and the anhydro and hydroxy forms of the drug. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that only the hydroxy form lies in front of the reactive center for the whole simulation ( approximately 20 ns), while the anhydro form moves inside the minor groove to the nearest base pair after approximately 10 ns. This sliding process is associated to both energetic and structural relaxations of the complex. The accuracy of our computational setup is established by performing MD simulations of the covalent adduct and of a 14-mer complexed with anhydro-anthramycin. The MD simulations are complemented by hybrid Car-Parrinello quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations. These show that in the noncovalent complexes the electric field due to DNA polarizes the hydroxy and, even more, the anhydro form of the drug as to favor a nucleophilic attack by the alkylating guanine. This suggests that the binding process may be characterized by a multistep pathway, catalyzed by the electric field of DNA.

Anthramycin↗
PubMed2006

Ligand specificity of odorant receptors.

Odorant receptors belong to class A of the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and detect a large number of structurally diverse odorant molecules. A recent structural bioinformatic analysis suggests that structural features are conserved across class A of GPCRs in spite of their low sequence identity. Based on this work, we have aligned the sequences of 29 ORs for which ligand binding data are available. Recent site-directed mutagenesis experiments on one such receptor (MOR174-9) provide information that helped to identify nine amino-acid residues involved in ligand binding. Our modeling provides a rationale for amino acids in equivalent positions in most of the odorant receptors considered and helps to identify other amino acids that could be important for ligand binding. Our findings are consistent with most of the previous models and allow predictions for site-directed mutagenesis experiments, which could also validate our model.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Convergent dynamics in the protease enzymatic superfamily.

Proteases regulate various aspects of the life cycle in all organisms by cleaving specific peptide bonds. Their action is so central for biochemical processes that at least 2% of any known genome encodes for proteolytic enzymes. Here we show that selected proteases pairs, despite differences in oligomeric state, catalytic residues, and fold, share a common structural organization of functionally relevant regions which are further shown to undergo similar concerted movements. The structural and dynamical similarities found pervasively across evolutionarily distant clans point to common mechanisms for peptide hydrolysis.

Computational Biology↗
PubMed2006

Molecular simulation of the binding of nerve growth factor peptide mimics to the receptor tyrosine kinase A.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) mimics play an important role for therapies that target the receptor tyrosine kinase A (trkA). The N-terminal fragment of the NGF (N-term@NGF) was previously demonstrated to be an important determinant for affinity and specificity in the binding to trkA. Here we use a variety of computational tools (contact surface analysis and free energy predictions) to identify residues playing a key role for the binding to the receptor. Molecular dynamics simulations are then used to investigate the stability of complexes between trkA and peptides mimicking N-term@NGF. Steered molecular dynamics calculations are finally performed to investigate the process of detaching the peptide from the receptor. Three disruptive events are observed, the first involving the breaking of all intermolecular interactions except two salt bridges, which break subsequently.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed2006

Deuterium isotope effects in A:T and A:U base pairs: a computational NMR study.

Recent measurements of trans-hydrogen bond deuterium isotope effects (DIEs) on 13C chemical shifts in nucleic acids (Vakonakis, I.; LiWang, A. C. J. Biomol. NMR 2004, 29, 65; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 5688) have led to intriguing results: (i) the DIEs of A:T pairs in DNA are about 5 ppb smaller than those of A:U in RNA and (ii) A:T DIEs vary by as much as 13 ppb among the oligonucleotides. The first observation suggests that inter-base H-bonds in RNA may be stronger than those in DNA, while the second indicates that the conformation of the base pair modulates the transmission of the isotope effect across the hydrogen bond. In an effort at providing a rationale--so far unknown--for the observed DIEs in nucleic acids, density functional theory and hybrid Car-Parrinello/molecular mechanical calculations of DIEs on nucleosides and nucleotides in the gas phase and in aqueous solution have been performed. The calculations suggest that (i) the DIE in an isolated A:T base pair differs from that in an A:U base pair because of the changes in the magnetic properties caused by the replacement of a methyl group on passing from U to T, (ii) the DIEs depend crucially on the conformation of the base pairs, and (iii) the DIEs are strongly affected by magnetic and electrostatic interactions with the surrounding environment.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Polarization effects and charge transfer in the KcsA potassium channel.

The electronic structure of the selectivity filter of KcsA K(+) channel is investigated by density functional theory (DFT/BLYP) and QM/MM methods. The quantum part includes the selectivity filter, which is polarized by the electrostatic field of the environment treated with the Amber force field. The details of the electronic structure were investigated using the maximally localized Wannier function centers of charge and Bader's atoms in molecules charge analysis. Our results show that the channel backbone carbonyl groups are largely polarized and that there is a sizeable charge transfer from the backbone to the cations. These effects are expected to be important for an accurate description of the carbonyl groups and the ion-ion electrostatic repulsion, which have been proposed to play a central role for the selectivity mechanism of the channel [S.Y. Noskov, S. Berneche, B. Roux, Control of ion selectivity in potassium channels by electrostatic and dynamic properties of carbonyl ligands. Nature 431 (2004) 830-834].

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2006

Duocarmycins binding to DNA investigated by molecular simulation.

Duocarmycins are a potent class of antitumor agents, whose activity arises through their covalent binding to adenine nucleobases of DNA.(1-3) Here, we perform molecular dynamics (MD) and hybrid Car-Parinello QM/MM simulations to investigate aspects of duocarmycin binding to the d(pGpApCpTpApApTpTpGpApC) oligonucleotide. We focus on the derivatives (+)-duocarmycin SA (DSA) and (+)-duocarmycin SI (DSI), for which structural information of the covalent complex with the oligonucleotide is available, as well as on the related, but less reactive, NBOC-duocarmycin SA (NBOC-DSA), interacting with the same oligonucleotide. Comparison is made with adenine alkylation reaction in water performed by the smallest of these compounds (NBOC-DSA). The MD calculations suggest that, in noncovalent complexes, (i) drug binding causes a partial dehydration of the minor groove, without inducing a significant conformational changes, and (ii) DSA and DSI occupy a more favorable position for nucleophilic attack than NBOC-DSA, consistently with the lower reactivity of the latter. The QM/MM calculations, which are used to investigate the first step of the alkylation reaction, turn out to provide strongly underestimated free energy barriers. Within these approximations, our calculations suggest that an important ingredient for the experimentally observed DNA catalytic power is the polarization of the drug by the biomolecular scaffold.

Adenine↗
PubMed2006

Binding of novel azole-bridged dinuclear platinum(II) anticancer drugs to DNA: insights from hybrid QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations.

Dinuclear Pt-containing compounds might be used to overcome the intrinsic and acquired cell resistance of widely used anticancer drugs such as cisplatin. Recently, the complexes [[cis-Pt(NH3)2]2(mu-OH)(mu-pz)](NO3)2 (with pz = pyrazolate) (1), [[cis-Pt(NH3)2]2(mu-OH)(mu-1,2,3-ta-N(1),N(2))](NO3)2 (with ta = 1,2,3-triazolate) (2), and the binding of 1 to d(CpTpCpTpG*pG*pTpCpTpCp) have been characterized. Here we provide the structural and electronic properties of the free drugs, of the intermediates of binding to guanine bases, and of the products, by performing DFT calculations. Our results show that in 2 an isomerization of the Pt-coordination sphere from N(2) to N(3) of the triazolate unit determines a thermodynamic stabilization of approximately 20 kcal/mol as a consequence of the formation of an allylic structure. In addition, hybrid quantum-classical molecular dynamics simulations of 1 and 2 DNA adducts have shed light on the structural distortions that the drugs induce to the DNA duplex. Our calculations show that the rise and the tilt of the two adjacent guanines are identical in the presence of 1 and 2, but they markedly increase when 2 binds in the N(1),N(3) fashion. In addition, the drugs do not provoke any kink upon binding to the double-stranded DNA, suggesting that they may act with a mechanism different than that of cisplatin. The accuracy of our calculations is established by a comparison with the NMR data for the corresponding complex with 1.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2006

Structure and function of vanadium haloperoxidases.

A quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study of the resting state of the vanadium dependent chloroperoxidase from fungi Curvularia inaequalis and of the early intermediates of the halide oxidation is reported. The investigation of different protonation states indicates that the enzyme likely consists of an anionic H2VO4- vanadate moiety where one hydroxo group is in axial position. The calculations suggest that the hydrogen peroxide binding may not involve an initial protonation of the vanadate cofactor. A low free energy reactive path is found where the hydrogen peroxide directly attacks the axial hydroxo group, resulting in the formation of an hydrogen peroxide intermediate. This intermediate is promptly protonated to yield a peroxo species. The free energy barrier for the formation of the peroxo species does not depend significantly upon the protonation state of the cofactor. The most likely protonation states of the peroxo cofactor are neutral forms HVO2(O2) with a hydroxo group either H-bonded to Ser402 or coordinated to Arg360. The peroxo cofactor is also coordinated to an axial water molecule, which could be important for the stability of the peroxovanadate/His496 adduct. Our calculations strongly suggest that the halide oxidation may take place with the preliminary formation of a peroxovanadate/halogen adduct. Subsequently, the halogen reacts with the peroxo moiety yielding a hypohalogen vanadate. The most reactive protonation state of peroxovanadate is the neutral HVO2(O2) with the hydroxo group H-bonded to Ser402. The important role of Lys353 in determining the catalytic activity is also confirmed.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2006

Insights on HIV-1 Tat:P/CAF bromodomain molecular recognition from in vivo experiments and molecular dynamics simulations.

Structural and functional studies indicate that, through its bromodomain, the cellular acetyltransferase P/CAF binds the acetylated Tat protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and promotes transcriptional activation of the integrated provirus. Based on the NMR structure of P/CAF complexed with an acetylated Tat peptide, here we use molecular dynamics simulations to construct a model describing the interaction between full length Tat and the P/CAF bromodomain. Our calculations show that the protein-protein interface involves hydrophobic interactions between the P/CAF ZA loop and the Tat core domain. In particular, tyrosines 760 and 761 of P/CAF, two residues that are highly conserved in most known bromodomains, play an essential role for the binding. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments performed in this work demonstrate that P/CAF proteins in which these tyrosines are mutated into hydrophilic residues neither bind to Tat inside the cells nor mediate Tat transactivation. The combination of theoretical and in vivo studies provides new insights into the specificity of bromodomain recognition.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2006

cAMP Modulation of the cytoplasmic domain in the HCN2 channel investigated by molecular simulations.

The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-modulated (HCN) cation channels are opened by membrane hyperpolarization, while their activation is modulated by the binding of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the cytoplasm. Here we investigate the molecular basis of cAMP channel modulation by performing molecular dynamics simulations of a segment comprising the C-linker and the cyclic nucleotide binding domain (CNBD) in the presence and absence of cAMP, based on the available crystal structure of HCN2 from mouse. In presence of cAMP, the protein undergoes an oscillation of the quaternary structure on the order of 10 ns, not observed in the apoprotein. In contrast, the absence of ligand causes conformational rearrangements within the CNBDs, driving these domains to a more flexible state, similar to that described in CNBDs of other proteins. This increased flexibility causes a rather disordered movement of the CNBDs, resulting in an inhibitory effect on the channel. We propose that the cAMP-triggered large-scale oscillation plays an important role for the channel's function, being coupled to a motion of the C-linker which, in turn, modulates the gating of the channel.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Binding of phosphinate and phosphonate inhibitors to aspartic proteases: a first-principles study.

Phosphinate and phosphonate derivatives are potent inhibitors of aspartic proteases (APs). The affinity for the enzyme might be caused by the presence of low barrier hydrogen bonds between the ligand and the catalytic Asp dyad in the cleavage site. We have used density functional theory calculations along with hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the hydrogen-bonding pattern at the binding site of the complexes of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 AP and the eukaryotic endothiapepsin and penicillopepsin. Our calculations are in fair agreement with the NMR data available for endothiapepsin (Coates et al. J. Mol. Biol. 2002, 318, 1405-1415) and show that the most stable active site configuration is the diprotonated, negatively charged form. In the viral complex both protons are located at the catalytic Asp dyad, while in the eukaryotic complexes the proton shared by the closest oxygen atoms is located at the phosphinic/phosphonic group.

Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases↗
PubMed2006

Role of phosphorylated Thr160 for the activation of the CDK2/Cyclin A complex.

The enzymatic activity of the CDK2/Cyclin A complex increases upon the specific phosphorylation of Thr160@CDK2. In the present study, we have performed a comparative molecular dynamics (MD) study of models of the complex CDK2/Cyclin A/Substrate, which differ for the presence or absence of the phosphate group bound to Thr160. The models are based on two X-ray structures available for CDK2/CyclinA and pCDK2/CyclinA/Substrate complexes. In this way, we analyze the influence of the phosphorylated Thr160 (pThr160) on both the flexibility of CDK2 activation loop (AL) and substrate binding in CDK2. Our calculations point to a decreased flexibility of the AL in the phosphorylated model, in fairly good agreement with experimental data, and to a key role of pThr160 for substrate recognition and stability. Multiple alignments of the CDKs sequences point to the very high conservation of the AL sequence among the CDKs, thus extending our results to all CDKs.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2005

Coarse-grained model of proteins incorporating atomistic detail of the active site.

We present a novel approach to explore the conformational space of globular proteins near their native state. It combines the advantages of coarse-grained models with those of all-atoms simulations, required to treat molecular recognition processes. The comparison between calculated structural properties with those obtained with all-atoms molecular dynamics simulations establishes the accuracy of the model. Our method has the potential to be extended to molecular recognition processes in systems whose characteristic size and time scale prevent an analysis based on all-atoms molecular dynamics.

Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases↗