16 research outputs found

    How To Design Selective Ligands for Highly Conserved Binding Sites: A Case Study Using N-Myristoyltransferases as a Model System

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    Under embargo until: 2020-08-19A model system of two related enzymes with conserved binding sites, namely N-myristoyltransferase from two different organisms, was studied to decipher the driving forces that lead to selective inhibition in such cases. Using a combination of computational and experimental tools, two different selectivity-determining features were identified. For some ligands, a change in side-chain flexibility appears to be responsible for selective inhibition. Remarkably, this was observed for residues orienting their side chains away from the ligands. For other ligands, selectivity is caused by interfering with a water molecule that binds more strongly to the off-target than to the target. On the basis of this finding, a virtual screen for selective compounds was conducted, resulting in three hit compounds with the desired selectivity profile. This study delivers a guideline on how to assess selectivity-determining features in proteins with conserved binding sites and to translate this knowledge into the design of selective inhibitors.acceptedVersio

    Simulation Studies on the Site-Specific Bioconjugation of Polymers

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    Polymer-Biokonjugationen, vornehmlich mit dem Goldstandard PEG, fĂŒhren zu einer verbesserten Pharmakokinetik, beeinflussen aber auch die konformative StabilitĂ€t von Proteinen. Bisherige Mutationsstudien, in denen ĂŒberwiegend (Asn)PEG4 -Konjugate der Beta-faltblattstrukturreichen, humanen Pin 1 WW-DomĂ€ne untersucht wurden, postulieren auf einer Proteindesolvatation beruhende Stabilisierungsmechanismen: eine StĂ€rkung intramolekularer SalzbrĂŒcken und NH-pi-Bindungen, sowie entropisch gĂŒnstige WasserverdrĂ€ngungen um apolare AminosĂ€uren und Hydroxylgruppen. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die Protein-Polymer-Dynamik auf molekularer Ebene zu charakterisieren, um damit rationale AnsĂ€tze zum Design neuer Biokonjugate voranzutreiben und mögliche PEG-Alternativen zu etablieren. Hierzu wurde eine Vielzahl an Deskriptoren mittels Molekulardynamik-Simulationen der WW-Konjugate gewonnen und mit publizierten StabilitĂ€tsdaten in multivariaten Regressions- und logistischen Klassifikationsmodellen korreliert. Die gewonnenen QSPR-Modelle decken im Vergleich zu einer bereits publizierten, kristallstrukturbasierten Richtlinie einen grĂ¶ĂŸeren und strukturell vielfĂ€ltigeren Datensatz an Konjugaten ab und zeigen gleichzeitig, auch fĂŒr ein Konjugat der Src SH3-DomĂ€ne, eine deutlich verbesserte Leistung. Die Modelldeskriptoren beschreiben sowohl eine Modulation der Solvatation als auch Protein-Polymer-Interaktionen. Metadynamik-Simulationen zeigten zudem die Polymerdynamik wĂ€hrend einer partiellen Proteinentfaltung auf. Mithilfe weiterer Simulationen von Konjugaten des alpha-helikalen Her2-Affibodys wurde die Dynamik von PEG und verschiedener Alternativen (LPG, PEtOx, PMeOx) systematisch studiert. PEG interagierte mit positiv geladenen Lysinen und Argininen in der NĂ€he hydrophober AminosĂ€uren. LPG zeigte zusĂ€tzliche Wechselwirkungen der Hydroxylgruppen mit Aspartaten und Glutamaten. POx-Polymere interagierten mit Phenylalaninen, Tyrosinen und ĂŒber Carbonylgruppen mit HB-Donatoren. GrĂ¶ĂŸere Konjugate (10 - 50 kDa PEG/LPG/PEtOx) des antiviralen Biologikums Interferon-alpha2a wurden mittels gaußbeschleunigter MDs und einer CG-Simulation analysiert. Charakteristische Wechselwirkungspartner stimmten mit den Beobachtungen zu Oligomer-Konjugaten ĂŒberein. In Einklang mit experimentellen Daten der Kooperationspartner zu den 10-kDa-Varianten deuteten zusĂ€tzliche Constrained-Network-Analysen, welche die ProteinflexibilitĂ€t evaluieren, auf eine thermische Destabilisierung hin. Die BioaktivitĂ€t der untersuchten Konjugate wurde weiterhin erfolgreich mit den Gyrationsdurchmessern der modellierten Strukturen korreliert.Bioconjugation of polymers, mainly the gold standard PEG, can improve pharmakokinetic properties but also modulate conformational stability of proteins. Mutation studies on (Asn)PEG4 conjugates of the beta-sheet rich human Pin 1 WW domain suggest various desolvation effects playing a crucial role: strengthening of intramolecular salt-bridges and NH-pi bonds, as well as entropically favorable water expulsion around hydrophobic patches and hydroxyl groups. The goal of this study is to characterize protein-polymer dynamics on a molecular level to drive forward rational design of new bioconjugates and establish viable PEG alternatives. A variety of descriptors was calculated from molecular dynamics simulations of WW conjugates and correlated with published stability data generating multivariate regression and logistic classification models. Compared to a previously published crystal structure-based guideline, QSPR models covered a structurally more diverse and bigger dataset and showed significantly improved predictions, including for a conjugate of the Src SH3 domain. Model descriptors captured modulations of solvation as well as protein-polymer interactions. Metadynamics simulations depicted PEG dynamics upon partial protein unfolding. Combined with simulations for conjugates of the alpha-helical Her2 affibody, data was further used to systematically dissect the dynamics of PEG and its alternatives LPG, PEtOx and PMeOx. PEG interacted with lysines and arginines near hydrophobic patches. LPG additionally adressed aspartates and glutamates via its hydroxyl groups. POx variants interacted with phenylalanines, tyrosines, as well as hydrogen bond donors via carbonyl groups. Larger conjugates (10 - 50 kDa PEG/LPG/PEtOx) of antiviral biologic Interferon-alpha2a were analyzed via Gaussian accelerated MDs and an exemplary CG simulation. Interaction patterns agreed with observations for oligomer conjugates. In accordance with experimental data of collaboration partners for 10 kDa variants, constrained network analyses, assessing protein flexibility, suggested a thermal destabilization upon bioconjugation. Bioactivity of conjugates was further successfully correlated with diameters of gyration of modeled structures

    Kurze Geschichte der Stadt und Burg Montabaur : aus dem Nachlasse des J[oseph] Kehrein

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    Josef Kehrein. Von Juvenalis Montanu

    POxload: Machine Learning Estimates Drug Loadings of Polymeric Micelles

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    Amphiphilic ABA-triblock copolymers, comprised of poly(2-oxazoline)s and poly(2-oxazine)s, can serve as drug delivery systems; they form micelles that carry poorly water-soluble drugs. Many recent studies have investigated the effect of structural changes of the polymer and the hydrophobic cargo on drug loading. In this work, we combine these data to establish an extended formulation database. Different molecular properties and fingerprints are tested for their applicability to serve as formulation-specific mixture descriptors. A variety of classification and regression models is built for different descriptor subsets and thresholds of loading efficiency and loading capacity, with the best models achieving overall good statistics for both cross- and external validation (balanced accuracies of 0.8). Subsequently, important features are dissected for interpretation and the DrugBank is screened for potential therapeutic use cases where these polymers could be used to develop novel formulations of hydrophobic drugs. The most promising models are provided as a software tool for other researchers to test the applicability of these delivery systems for potential new drug candidates
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