Chemlook, an iterative boltzmann stochastic method to predict the conformation and structural lability of small biomolecules

Poster (2013, June 10)

Modeling simple lipid phase separation and effects of amphiphilic molecules on lipid domains

Poster (2013, April 28)

SAHBEN, an accessible surface-based elastic network to insert a protein in a complex lipid membrane

Poster (2013, February 26)

Study of membrane proteins have become one of the most challenging fields in biology. Solving their structure is one important step toward the understanding of their physiological activity but despite the ... [more ▼]

Study of membrane proteins have become one of the most challenging fields in biology. Solving their structure is one important step toward the understanding of their physiological activity but despite the recent advances in membrane protein crystallization, it represents less than 1 % of the entries in the Protein Data Bank. Therefore, calculation methods to study membrane proteins are helpful to complement experimental studies and fill the gap between the information obtained from the sequence and/or structure, the experimental results and the biological activity. Molecular Dynamics (MD) is a method of choice for membrane simulations and the rising of coarse-grained forcefields has opened the way to longer simulations with reduced calculations times. However, these approaches have two main drawbacks, the preparation of the membrane system and the preservation of the 3D protein structure, which is not trivial in CG approach. To circumvent these problems, we propose to use a modified version of the Gromacs tool genbox to easily insert lipids and a network based on hydrogen bonds and accessible surface to maintain the protein 3D structure. This protocol is available through a website (gcgs.gembloux.ulg.ac.be). [less ▲]

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 ▲]