Replacing explicit water and lipids by implicit representation in molecular dynamics simulations

Poster (2012, September 11)

Molecular dynamics (MD) is an appropriate method for investigation of biomolecular systems and helps in explaining results from wet lab experiments or in getting further insight into details, which are ... [more ▼]

Molecular dynamics (MD) is an appropriate method for investigation of biomolecular systems and helps in explaining results from wet lab experiments or in getting further insight into details, which are not accessible by experimental methods(Lindahl, 2008). By now, many biologically relevant processes for drug design, toxicological studies and other fields of application, can not be performed by atomistic MD simulations (Lindahl, 2008). <br />In MD, the necessary time effort for carrying out a simulation is considerable and depends mainly on (1) the complexity of the simulated system (2) the simulated time scale (3) the simulation method (4) the efficiency of used hardware and software algorithms. Carried out MD simulations nowadays may still take weeks of calculation on high end computers. <br /> <br />In practice, biologically relevant processes, as e.g. protein folding, take usually place above the time scale of milli seconds. They can take up to the order of some thousands of seconds (in case of the folding of membrane proteins). Molecular dynamics computer simulations have reached the scale of micro seconds for simulations of systems where each atom was described and simulated over time.(Lindahl, 2008) <br /> <br />Nevertheless, MD has risen to an important promoter methodology for many different fields of application. By replacing bunches of atoms by artificial particles, complexity of the systems can be reduced. This method is called the coarse grain method (CG). Biggin and Bond (2008) found an acceleration of their simulation processes for self assembling membrane / protein systems in water by factor 100. They estimated one to two days of calculation for a simulated time scale of 0.1 to 0.2 micro seconds for their systems. <br /> <br />Implicit force fields like "IMPALA", aim to describe water and/or membrane molecules in simulations by a couple of simple and partially precalculable equations. “IMPALA” is a force field initially developed by our laboratory. Using this method, thousands of water and lipid molecules can be replaced, leading to a reduced complexity of the system to be simulated. <br />"IMPALA"(Ducarme et al., 1998) based on the assumption of rigid peptides and aimed to find the insertion characteristics of such in membranes. Elimination of the necessity for simulating the aqueous and lipid phase atom by atom in the software package "Gromacs"(Berendsen et al., 1995) will permit both: a gain of speed, as it was already the case for the introduction of the coarse grain method, and a gain of precision by turning rigid molecules flexible through "Gromacs". Our current work is the integration of the "IMPALA" implicit force field into "Gromacs". <br /> <br />Biggin, P.C. & Bond, P.J. Molecular dynamics simulations of membrane proteins. Methods Mol. Biol. 443, 147-60(2008). <br />Berendsen, et al. (1995) Comp. Phys. Comm. 91: 43-56. <br />Ducarme, P., Rahman, M. & Brasseur, R. IMPALA: a simple restraint field to simulate the biological membrane in molecular structure studies. Proteins 30, 357-71(1998). <br />Lindahl, E.R. (2008). Molecular dynamics simulations. Methods Mol. Biol. 443, 3-23. [less ▲]

Replacing explicit water and membrane molecules in molecular dynamics simulation to boost simulation speed

Poster (2012, February 10)

Molecular dynamics (MD) is an appropriate method for investigation of biomolecular systems and helps in explaining results from wet lab experiments or in getting further insight into details, which are ... [more ▼]

Molecular dynamics (MD) is an appropriate method for investigation of biomolecular systems and helps in explaining results from wet lab experiments or in getting further insight into details, which are not accessible by experimental methods(Lindahl, 2008). By now, many biologically relevant processes for drug design, toxicological studies and other fields of application, can not be performed by atomistic MD simulations (Lindahl, 2008). In MD, the necessary time effort for carrying out a simulation is considerable and depends mainly on (1) the complexity of the simulated system (2) the simulated time scale (3) the simulation method (4) the efficiency of used hardware and software algorithms. Carried out MD simulations nowadays may still take weeks of calculation on high end computers. In practice, biologically relevant processes, as e.g. protein folding, take usually place above the time scale of milli seconds. They can take up to the order of some thousands of seconds (in case of the folding of membrane proteins). Molecular dynamics computer simulations have reached the scale of micro seconds for simulations of systems where each atom was described and simulated over time.(Lindahl, 2008) Nevertheless, MD has risen to an important promoter methodology for many different fields of application. By replacing bunches of atoms by artificial particles, complexity of the systems can be reduced. This method is called the coarse grain method (CG). Biggin and Bond (2008) found an acceleration of their simulation processes for self assembling membrane / protein systems in water by factor 100. They estimated one to two days of calculation for a simulated time scale of 0.1 to 0.2 micro seconds for their systems. Implicit force fields like "IMPALA", aim to describe water and/or membrane molecules in simulations by a couple of simple and partially precalculable equations. “IMPALA” is a force field initially developed by our laboratory. Using this method, thousands of water and lipid molecules can be replaced, leading to a reduced complexity of the system to be simulated. "IMPALA"(Ducarme et al., 1998) based on the assumption of rigid peptides and aimed to find the insertion characteristics of such in membranes. Elimination of the necessity for simulating the aqueous and lipid phase atom by atom in the software package "Gromacs"(Berendsen et al., 1995) will permit both: a gain of speed, as it was already the case for the introduction of the coarse grain method, and a gain of precision by turning rigid molecules flexible through "Gromacs". Our current work is the integration of the "IMPALA" implicit force field into "Gromacs". Biggin, P.C. & Bond, P.J. Molecular dynamics simulations of membrane proteins. Methods Mol. Biol. 443, 147-60(2008). Berendsen, et al. (1995) Comp. Phys. Comm. 91: 43-56. Ducarme, P., Rahman, M. & Brasseur, R. IMPALA: a simple restraint field to simulate the biological membrane in molecular structure studies. Proteins 30, 357-71(1998). Lindahl, E.R. (2008). Molecular dynamics simulations. Methods Mol. Biol. 443, 3-23. [less ▲]

Multi-Scale Simulation of the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Fusion Peptide.

in Journal of Physical Chemistry B (2012)

Fusion peptides of type I fusion glycoproteins are structural elements of several enveloped viruses which enable the fusion between host and virus membranes. It is generally suggested that these peptides ... [more ▼]

Fusion peptides of type I fusion glycoproteins are structural elements of several enveloped viruses which enable the fusion between host and virus membranes. It is generally suggested that these peptides can promote the early fusion steps by inducing membrane curvature and that they adopt a tilted helical conformation in membranes. Although this property has been the subject of several experimental and in silico studies, an extensive sampling of the membrane peptide interaction has not yet been done. In this study, we performed coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations in which the lipid bilayer self-assembles around the peptide. The simulations indicate that the SIV fusion peptide can adopt two different orientations in a DPPC bilayer, a major population which adopts a tilted interfacial orientation and a minor population which is perpendicular to the bilayer. The simulations also indicate that for the SIV mutant that does not induce fusion in vitro the tilt is abolished. [less ▲]

Modeling of non-covalent complexes of the cell-penetrating peptide CADY and its siRNA cargo.

in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (2012)

CADY is a cell-penetrating peptide spontaneously making non-covalent complexes with siRNAs in water. Neither the structure of CADY nor that of the complexes is resolved. We have calculated and analyzed 3D ... [more ▼]

CADY is a cell-penetrating peptide spontaneously making non-covalent complexes with siRNAs in water. Neither the structure of CADY nor that of the complexes is resolved. We have calculated and analyzed 3D models of CADY and of the non-covalent CADY-siRNA complexes in order to understand their formation and stabilization. Data from the ab initio calculations and molecular dynamics support that, in agreement with the experimental data, CADY is a polymorphic peptide partly helical. Taking into consideration the polymorphism of CADY, we calculated and compared several complexes with peptide/siRNA ratios of up to 40. Four complexes were run by using molecular dynamics. The initial binding of CADYs is essentially due to the electrostatic interactions of the arginines with siRNA phosphates. Due to a repetitive arginine motif (XLWR(K)) in CADY and to the numerous phosphate moieties in the siRNA, CADYs can adopt multiple positions at the siRNA surface leading to numerous possibilities of complexes. Nevertheless, several complex properties are common: an average of 14+/-1 CADYs is required to saturate a siRNA as compared to the 12+/-2 CADYs experimentally described. The 40 CADYs/siRNA that is the optimal ratio for vector stability always corresponds to two layers of CADYs per siRNA. When siRNA is covered by the first layer of CADYs, the peptides still bind despite the electrostatic repulsion. The peptide cage is stabilized by hydrophobic CADY-CADY contacts thanks to CADY polymorphism. The analysis demonstrates that the hydrophobicity, the presence of several positive charges and the disorder of CADY are mandatory to make stable the CADY-siRNA complexes. [less ▲]

Monolayer Properties of Uronic Acid Bicatenary Derivatives at the Air-Water Interface: Effect of Hydroxyl Group Stereochemistry Evidenced by Experimental and Computational Approaches

in Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics [=PCCP] (2011), 13(33), 1529115298

By screening uronic acid-based surfactant interfacial properties, the effect of the hydroxyl group stereochemistry (OH-4) on the conformation of bicatenary (disubstituted) derivatives at the air–water ... [more ▼]

By screening uronic acid-based surfactant interfacial properties, the effect of the hydroxyl group stereochemistry (OH-4) on the conformation of bicatenary (disubstituted) derivatives at the air–water interface has been evidenced by experimental and computational approaches. Physical and optical properties of a monolayer characterized by Langmuirfilmbalance, Brewster angle microscopy, and ellipsometry at 20°C reveal that the derivative of glucuronate (C14/14–GlcA) forms a more expanded monolayer, and shows a transition state under compression, in the opposite to that of galacturonate (C14/14–GalA). Both films are very mechanically resistant (compression modulus > 300m Nm-1) and stable (collapse pressure exceeding 60mNm-1), while that of C14/14–GalA exhibits a very high compression modulus up to 600mNm-1 like films in the solid state. Computational approaches provide single and assembly molecular models that corroborate the molecule expansion degree and interactions data from experimental results. Differences in the molecular conformation and film behaviours of uronic acid bicatenary derivatives at the air–water interface are attributed to the intra-H-bonding formation, which is more favourable with an OH-4 in the axial (C14/14–GalA) than in the equatorial position (C14/14–GlcA). [less ▲]

The Pseudomonas aeruginosa membranes: A target for a new amphiphilic aminoglycoside derivative?

in Biochimica et biophysica acta (2011)

Aminoglycosides are among the most potent antimicrobials to eradicate Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the emergence of resistance has clearly led to a shortage of treatment options, especially for ... [more ▼]

Aminoglycosides are among the most potent antimicrobials to eradicate Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the emergence of resistance has clearly led to a shortage of treatment options, especially for critically ill patients. In the search for new antibiotics, we have synthesized derivatives of the small aminoglycoside, neamine. The amphiphilic aminoglycoside 3',4',6-tri-2-naphtylmethylene neamine (3',4',6-tri-2NM neamine) has appeared to be active against sensitive and resistant P. aeruginosa strains as well as Staphylococcus aureus strains (Baussanne et al., 2010). To understand the molecular mechanism involved, we determined the ability of 3',4',6-tri-2NM neamine to alter the protein synthesis and to interact with the bacterial membranes of P. aeruginosa or models mimicking these membranes. Using atomic force microscopy, we observed a decrease of P. aeruginosa cell thickness. In models of bacterial lipid membranes, we showed a lipid membrane permeabilization in agreement with the deep insertion of 3',4',6-tri-2NM neamine within lipid bilayer as predicted by modeling. This new amphiphilic aminoglycoside bound to lipopolysaccharides and induced P. aeruginosa membrane depolarization. All these effects were compared to those obtained with neamine, the disubstituted neamine derivative (3',6-di-2NM neamine), conventional aminoglycosides (neomycin B and gentamicin) as well as to compounds acting on lipid bilayers like colistin and chlorhexidine. All together, the data showed that naphthylmethyl neamine derivatives target the membrane of P. aeruginosa. This should offer promising prospects in the search for new antibacterials against drug- or biocide-resistant strains. [less ▲]

Realistic modeling approaches of structure-function properties of CPPs in non-covalent complexes.

in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (2010)

Transfers of cargoes into cells by means of carrier peptides are multi-steps biological phenomenon the mechanisms of which are unclear. We here discuss bases of realistic in silico molecular modeling ... [more ▼]

Transfers of cargoes into cells by means of carrier peptides are multi-steps biological phenomenon the mechanisms of which are unclear. We here discuss bases of realistic in silico molecular modeling approaches of the formation of non-covalent complexes considering CPPs and cargo diversities. [less ▲]

Standardized evaluation of protein stability.

in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (2010)

We compare Mean Force Potential values of a large series of PDB models of proteins and peptides and find that either as monomers or polymers, proteins longer than 200-250 residues have equivalent MFP ... [more ▼]

We compare Mean Force Potential values of a large series of PDB models of proteins and peptides and find that either as monomers or polymers, proteins longer than 200-250 residues have equivalent MFP values that are averaged to -65+/-3kcal/aa. This value is named the standard or stability value. The standard value is reached irrespective of sequences and 3D folds. Peptides are too short to follow the rule and frequently exist as populations of conformers; one exception are peptides in amyloid fibrils. Fibrils surpass the standard value in accordance with their uppermost stability. In parallel, we calculate median MFP values of amino acids in stably folded PDB models of proteins: median values vary from -25 for Gly to -115kcal/aa for Trp. These median values are used to score primary sequences of proteins: all sequences converge to a mean value of -63.5+/-2.5kcal/aa i.e. only 1.5kcal less than the folded model standard. Sequences from unfolded proteins have lower values. This supports the conclusion that sequences carry in an important message and more specifically that diversity of amino acids in sequences is mandatory for stability. We also use the median amino acid MFP to score residue stability in 3D folds. This demonstrates that 3D folds are compromises between fragments of high and fragments of low scores and that functional residues are often, but not always in the extreme score values. The approach opens to possibilities of evaluating any 3D model, of detecting functional residues and should help in conducting mutation assays. [less ▲]

Insight into the cellular uptake mechanism of a secondary amphipathic cell penetrating peptide for siRNA delivery.

in Biochemistry (2010)

Delivery of siRNA remains a major limitation to their clinical application and several technologies have been proposed to improve their cellular uptake. We recently described a peptide-based nanoparticle ... [more ▼]

Delivery of siRNA remains a major limitation to their clinical application and several technologies have been proposed to improve their cellular uptake. We recently described a peptide-based nanoparticle system for efficient delivery of siRNA into primary cell lines: CADY. CADY is a secondary amphipathic peptide that forms stable complexes with siRNA and improves their cellular uptake independently of the endosomal pathway. In the present work, we have combined molecular modelling, spectroscopy and membrane interaction approaches, in order to gain further insight into CADY/siRNA particle mechanism of interaction with biological membrane. We demonstrate that CADY forms stable complexes with siRNA and binds phospholipids tightly, mainly through electrostatic interactions. Binding to siRNA or phospholipids triggers a conformational transition of CADY from an unfolded state to an -helical structure, thereby stabilizing CADY/siRNA complexes and improving their interactions with cell membranes. Therefore, we propose that CADY cellular membrane interaction is driven by its structural polymorphism which enables stabilization of both electrostatic and hydrophobic contacts with surface membrane proteoglycan and phospholipids. [less ▲]

Structural features conferring dual Geranyl/Farnesyl diphosphate synthase activity to an aphid prenyltransferase

in Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2009), 39(10), 707-716

In addition to providing lipid chains for protein prenylation, short-chain isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (scIPPSs) play a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of numerous mevalonate pathway end-products ... [more ▼]

In addition to providing lipid chains for protein prenylation, short-chain isoprenyl diphosphate synthases (scIPPSs) play a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of numerous mevalonate pathway end-products, including insect juvenile hormone and terpenoid pheromones. For this reason, they are being considered as targets for pesticide development. Recently, we characterized an aphid scIPPS displaying dual geranyl diphosphate (GPP; C10)/farnesyl diphosphate (FPP; C15) synthase activity in vitro. To identify the mechanism(s) responsible for this dual activity, we assessed the product selectivity of aphid scIPPSs bearing mutations at Gln107 and/or Leu110, the fourth and first residue upstream from the “first aspartate-rich motif” (FARM), respectively. All but one resulted in significant changes in product chain-length selectivity, effectively increasing the production of either GPP (Q107E, L110W) or FPP (Q107F, Q107F–L110A); the other mutation (L110A) abolished activity. Although some of these effects could be attributed to changes in steric hindrance within the catalytic cavity, molecular dynamics simulations identified other contributing factors, including residue-ligand Van der Waals interactions and the formation of hydrogen bonds or salt bridges between Gln107 and other residues across the catalytic cavity, which constitutes a novel product chain-length determination mechanism for scIPPSs. Thus the aphid enzyme apparently evolved to maintain the capacity to produce both GPP and FPP through a balance between these mechanisms. [less ▲]