Protein activity regulation by conformational entropy

How the interplay between protein structure and internal dynamics regulates protein function is poorly understood. Often, ligand binding, post-translational modifications and mutations modify protein activity in a manner that is not possible to rationalize solely on the basis of structural data. It is likely that changes in the internal motions of proteins have a major role in regulating protein activity, but the nature of their contributions remains elusive, especially in quantitative terms. Here we show that changes in conformational entropy can determine whether protein-ligand interactions will occur, even among protein complexes with identical binding interfaces. We have used NMR spectroscopy to determine the changes in structure and internal dynamics that are elicited by the binding of DNA to several variants of the catabolite activator protein (CAP) that differentially populate the inactive and active DNA-binding domain states. We found that the CAP variants have markedly different affinities for DNA, despite the CAP?DNA-binding interfaces being essentially identical in the various complexes. Combined with thermodynamic data, the results show that conformational entropy changes can inhibit the binding of CAP variants that are structurally poised for optimal DNA binding or can stimulate the binding activity of CAP variants that only transiently populate the DNA-binding-domain active state. Collectively, the data show how changes in fast internal dynamics (conformational entropy) and slow internal dynamics (energetically excited conformational states) can regulate binding activity in a way that cannot be predicted on the basis of the protein's ground-state structure.     

Conformational changes associated with ion permeation in L-type calcium channels

The mechanism by which ions deliver their message to effector proteins involves a change in the protein conformation which is induced by the specific interaction of the ion with its binding site on the protein. In the case of an ion-channel protein, conformational changes induced by permeant ions and the consequences for channel function have received little attention. Here we report that binding of permeant cations to an intra-channel binding site of the dihydropyridine (DHP)-sensitive (L-type) Ca2+ channel leads to a conformational change which destabilizes the protonated state of a group on the external channel surface, and can shift its apparent pK value by more than 2 pH units. The lifetime of the protonated state correlates with the occupancy of an intra-channel binding site by the permeant cation. The demonstration of such conformational changes in a channel protein induced by the permeant ion has important implications for realistic models of the mechanism of ion permeation.     

Molecular dynamics simulations in biology

Molecular dynamics--the science of simulating the motions of a system of particles--applied to biological macromolecules gives the fluctuations in the relative positions of the atoms in a protein or in DNA as a function of time. Knowledge of these motions provides insights into biological phenomena such as the role of flexibility in ligand binding and the rapid solvation of the electron transfer state in photosynthesis. Molecular dynamics is also being used to determine protein structures from NMR, to refine protein X-ray crystal structures faster from poorer starting models, and to calculate the free energy changes resulting from mutations in proteins.     

Free energy perturbation calculations on binding and catalysis after mutating Asn 155 in subtilisin

Site-directed mutagenesis is a very powerful approach to altering the biological functions of proteins, the structural stability of proteins and the interactions of proteins with other molecules. Several experimental studies in recent years have been directed at estimating the changes in catalytic properties, (rates of binding and catalysis) in site-directed mutants of enzymes compared to the native enzymes. Simulation approaches to the study of complex molecules have also become more powerful, in no small measure owing to the increase in computer power. These simulations have often allowed results of experiments to be rationalized and understood mechanistically. A new approach called the free-energy pertubation method, which uses statistical mechanics and molecular dynamics can often be used for quantitative calculation of free energy differences. We have applied such a technique to calculate the differential free energy of binding and free energy of activation for catalysis of a tripeptide substrate by native subtilisin and a subtilisin mutant (Asn 155----Ala 155). Our studies lead to a calculated difference in free energy of binding which is relatively small, but a calculated change in free energy of catalysis which is substantial. These energies are very close to those determined experimentally (J. A. Wells and D. A. Estell, personal communication), which were not known to us until the simulations were completed. This demonstrates the predictive power and utility of theoretical simulation methods in studies of the effects of site-specific mutagenesis on both enzyme binding and catalysis.     

Low pH-induced conformational changes in 33 kD protein of photosystem Ⅱ

33 kD protein, located on the lumen side ofthylakoid membranes, is one of three extrinsic proteins ofphotosystem Ⅱ (PS Ⅱ ). Previous study showed that NBSmodification of W241, the only tryptophan in 33 kD protein,is helpful for understanding the function of W241 in main-taining functional conformation of 33 kD protein. In thispaper, studies of both circular dichroism and fluorescencespectra showed that upon decreasing pH from 6.2 to 2.5, theconformation of soluble 33 kD protein changed significantly,with an increase or a decrease in percentage of random coilor (z-helix and turns. The changes in secondary structures ofthis protein are pH reversible. After NBS modification at pH2.5, the conformational change of 33 kD protein was keptfixed. The CD ellipticity at 200 nm for NBS-modified 33 kDprotein is much lower than that for control, indicating that the unfolding degree of 33 kD protein was enhanced after the NBS modification. Moreover, the conformational flexibility islost in NBS-modified 33 kD protein, and the conformationalchange becomes pH irreversible, indicating that NBS modi-fication blocked the reversibility of conformational change of33 kD protein. The specific binding capability of NBS-modi-fled 33 kD protein is much lower than that of low pH-treatedcontrol. Furthermore, the rebinding of modified protein on PS Ⅱ membranes cannot restore the activity of oxygen evo-lution. We suggest that it is low pH but not NBS modificationof W241 that leads to the conformational change of 33 kDprotein from one functional to another non-functional state.The significant capability of proton transport of 33 kD pro-tein is discussed.     

从高分子构象与动力学到蛋白质折叠

针对作用在聚合物刷上的键拉力研究表明作用在接枝基面上的力随着聚合物刷接枝密度的增大反而减小,然而尾端单体上的拉伸张力并没有消失.高分子的构象和动力学转变决定了其物性和多种多样的应用,而生物大分子蛋白质作为由二十种不同属性的氨基酸构成的序列,更是具有由其序列所决定的特别的三维自然结构.本文就聚合物刷、聚合物纳米复合材料、聚合物网络等几种高分子体系的构象与动力学过程,及蛋白质构象和其折叠与去折叠的动力学过程做了介绍.特别是蛋白质的折叠与去折叠速率在单分子操纵实验中受到拉力的调控,通过测量这种拉力依赖的动力学过程、蛋白质的自由能曲面和折叠去折叠路径可以得到系统全面的研究.本文以肌肉蛋白titin的免疫球蛋白结构域I27为例对蛋白质折叠研究进行了阐述.     

Intrinsic dynamics of an enzyme underlies catalysis

A unique feature of chemical catalysis mediated by enzymes is that the catalytically reactive atoms are embedded within a folded protein. Although current understanding of enzyme function has been focused on the chemical reactions and static three-dimensional structures, the dynamic nature of proteins has been proposed to have a function in catalysis. The concept of conformational substates has been described; however, the challenge is to unravel the intimate linkage between protein flexibility and enzymatic function. Here we show that the intrinsic plasticity of the protein is a key characteristic of catalysis. The dynamics of the prolyl cis-trans isomerase cyclophilin A (CypA) in its substrate-free state and during catalysis were characterized with NMR relaxation experiments. The characteristic enzyme motions detected during catalysis are already present in the free enzyme with frequencies corresponding to the catalytic turnover rates. This correlation suggests that the protein motions necessary for catalysis are an intrinsic property of the enzyme and may even limit the overall turnover rate. Motion is localized not only to the active site but also to a wider dynamic network. Whereas coupled networks in proteins have been proposed previously, we experimentally measured the collective nature of motions with the use of mutant forms of CypA. We propose that the pre-existence of collective dynamics in enzymes before catalysis is a common feature of biocatalysts and that proteins have evolved under synergistic pressure between structure and dynamics.     

Mapping the conformational wave of acetylcholine receptor channel gating

Allosteric transitions allow fast regulation of protein function in living systems. Even though the end points of such conformational changes are known for many proteins, the characteristics of the paths connecting these states remain largely unexplored. Rate-equilibrium linear free-energy relationships (LFERs) provide information about such pathways by relating changes in the free energy of the transition state to those of the ground states upon systematic perturbation of the system. Here we present an LFER analysis of the gating reaction pathway of the muscle acetylcholine receptor. We studied the closed <==> open conformational change at the single-molecule level following perturbation by series of single-site mutations, agonists and membrane voltages. This method provided a snapshot of several regions of the receptor at the transition state in terms of their approximate positions along the reaction coordinate, on a scale from 0 (closed-like) to 1 (open-like). The resulting map reveals a spatial gradient of positional values, which suggests that the conformational change proceeds in a wave-like manner, with the low-to-high affinity change at the transmitter-binding sites preceding the complete opening of the pore.     

山梨酸钾与蛋白质相互作用的荧光和共振光散射光谱研究

 用荧光光谱和共振散射光谱(RLS)对山梨酸钾(PSA)与牛血清蛋白(BSA)在溶液中的相互作用进行了研究,探讨了PSA对BSA荧光和共振光散射猝灭的机理,测定了该反应的表观结合常数及结合位点数。在288和293 K时的表观结合常数分别为2.23×10³和2.74×10³ L·mol^-1,其相应的结合位点数分别为1.02和0.99。利用热力学参数确定了分子间的作用力性质,作用过程是自发的,作用力主要是电子作用力。同步荧光光谱表明相互作用对蛋白质构象有一定的影响。基于Forster非辐射能量转移理论估算了山梨酸钾与蛋白质之间的结合距离。     

Enthalpy-entropy compensation in protein unfolding

Enthalpy-entropy compensation was found to be a universal law in protein unfolding based on over 3000 experimental data. Water molecular reorganization accompanying the protein unfolding was suggested as the origin of the enthalpy-entropy compensation in protein unfolding. It is indicated that the enthalpy-entropy compensation constitutes the physical foundation that satisfies the biological need of the small free energy changes in protein unfolding, without the sacrifice of the bio-diversity of proteins. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory proposed herein also provides valuable insights into the Privalov’s puzzle of enthalpy and entropy convergence in protein unfolding.     

Molecular docking and spectroscopic methods to probe the interaction of acetylgliotoxin and HSA

The interaction between acetylgliotoxin and human serum albumin (HSA) has been studied by spectroscopic method. Acetylgliotoxin quenches the intrinsic fluorescence of HSA in a static quenching procedure. The binding of acetylgliotoxin to HSA causes a slight conformational change of HSA. The binding constants at different temperatures as well as enthalpy change and entropy change, are calculated according to relevant fluorescent data and Van’t Hoff equation. The hydrogen bond is a predominant intermolecular force for stabilizing the complex, which is in conformity with the results of molecular modeling study.     

The role of protein surface charges in ion binding

Protein engineering is a means of probing the role of electrostatic interactions in protein functions; this elegant technique has been applied to the elucidation of electrostatic effects in enzyme catalysis. Here we show how the use of mutant proteins allows the determination of the contributions of individual charges to the free energy of ion binding to proteins. We have investigated the importance of three negatively charged side chains in the binding of Ca2+ to bovine calbindin D9K (ref.2): these are clustered around the calcium sites but are not directly involved as ligands. Each of these charges is found to contribute approximately 7 kJ mol-1 to the free energy of binding of two Ca2+ ions and to affect the cooperativity of Ca2+ binding. The influence of surface charges on ion binding to proteins may be more common than generally supposed and could have important consequences for protein function.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of a single polymer in hydrophilic nano-slits

The behavior of a single polyethylene polymer in aqueous solution confined between two hydrophilic walls is studied with molecular dynamics （MD） simulations. The thickness of the nano-slit ranges from 1.26 to 3.15 nm, which is comparative to the polymer dimension. A monotonic transition from 3D- to 2D-like configurations is observed as the distance between the two walls narrows. Monomers are compressed into several layers and the preferred bond orientations alternate between parallel and normal to the walls accordingly. The diffusivity in the direction parallel to the wall is always larger than the one perpendicular to it. Calculation of the entropy and enthalpy changes during the folding of the polymer chain alone cannot explain the spontaneous process. The corresponding increase in water entropy due to volume expansion may be large enough to result in the overall free energy decrease.     

A pre-existing hydrophobic collapse in the unfolded state of an ultrafast folding protein

Insights into the conformational passage of a polypeptide chain across its free energy landscape have come from the judicious combination of experimental studies and computer simulations. Even though some unfolded and partially folded proteins are now known to possess biological function or to be involved in aggregation phenomena associated with disease states, experimentally derived atomic-level information on these structures remains sparse as a result of conformational heterogeneity and dynamics. Here we present a technique that can provide such information. Using a 'Trp-cage' miniprotein known as TC5b (ref. 5), we report photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization NMR pulse-labelling experiments that involve rapid in situ protein refolding. These experiments allow dipolar cross-relaxation with hyperpolarized aromatic side chain nuclei in the unfolded state to be identified and quantified in the resulting folded-state spectrum. We find that there is residual structure due to hydrophobic collapse in the unfolded state of this small protein, with strong inter-residue contacts between side chains that are relatively distant from one another in the native state. Prior structuring, even with the formation of non-native rather than native contacts, may be a feature associated with fast folding events in proteins.     

燕麦多肽数据库及降血糖活性的虚拟筛选

为了深入研究燕麦多肽中可能发挥降血糖功能的活性多肽分子，本文首先从文献中调研了从燕麦中提取鉴定得到的多肽，构建了对应的燕麦多肽数据库，并基于DPP4蛋白对多肽数据库进行了虚拟筛选.随后，针对筛选获得的6个多肽分别进行了100 ns的分子动力学模拟.从模拟之后稳定结合的构象分析了不同多肽分子与DPP4的相互作用信息，并分别计算了不同多肽分子与DPP4的结合自由能.结果表明，从燕麦多肽数据库中筛选得到的多肽可以与DPP4蛋白稳定结合，其中2个多肽分子与DPP4的亲和力相对较强.本文得到的多肽分子可以作为后续DPP4抑制剂设计和改造的先导分子，燕麦多肽数据库也可用于研究燕麦的其他生物学功能.     

Thermodynamical properties of protein kinase with adenine inhibitors

The protein-based molecular recognition of the adenine ring is essential to understand protein function and drug design as well.In this paper,a variety of the adenine-based inhibitors with modified groups of amino groups,nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the aromatic ring are designed,and the binding capability of these adenosine analogues with an aminoglycoside antibiotic kinase [APH(3’)-IIIa] are investigated with activity assays and isothermal titration calorimetry(ITC) experiments.1-aminoisoquinoline is one of the weakest substrates bound to APH(3’)-IIIa with the lowest affinity(high ki and high kd) and the smallest negative value of free energy change(G) among the inhibitors tested.The binding process of adenine and 5-nitroisoquinoline to APH(3’)-IIIa is an enthalpy-driven event with unfavorable entropy,which is consistent with the energy change induced by the binding of ATP to the enzyme.However,the reverse is true for 1-aminoisoquinoline,3-amino-5-nitrobenzisothiazole,5-aminoisoquinoline binding to the enzyme because the entropy is more favorable and the enthalpy makes a lower contribution to the binding process.These results suggest that small changes of the adenine ring can lead to significant influence on the ability of these analogues to occupy the adenine-binding region of the enzyme,which can be the potential inhibitors as drug candidates against the bacterial resistance.     

基于序列和结构特征的蛋白质自由能预测

【目的】蛋白质自由能不仅能准确地反应蛋白质的交互,而且对药物设计有巨大帮助。因此,选择建立精确的蛋白质自由能回归模型是非常有必要的。【方法】收集135对蛋白质复合物并计算600个特征,通过最小冗余最大相关(mRMR)选择与蛋白质自由能显著相关的特征并去除冗余特征,从而得到最小冗余最大相关的特征集,用筛选后的特征建立6种回归模型,并对选择后的特征进行移除对比分析特征的重要性;最后通过10折交叉验证对比得到最佳模型,预测蛋白质自由能。【结果】相对于其它方法,本研究所建立的模型在预测135对蛋白质复合物的性能,相对于其它方法有着较高的相关系数和较低平均绝对误差。【结论】本实验所用方法比其他方法选出的模型有更好的预测精度。     

Microscopic origins of entropy, heat capacity and the glass transition in proteins

Internal motion is central to protein folding, to protein stability through the resulting residual entropy, and to protein function. Despite its importance, the precise nature of the internal motions of protein macromolecules remains a mystery. Here we report a survey of the temperature dependence of the fast dynamics of methyl-bearing side chains in a calmodulin-peptide complex using site-specific deuterium NMR relaxation methods. The amplitudes of motion had a markedly heterogeneous spectrum and segregated into three largely distinct classes. Other proteins studied at single temperatures tend to segregate similarly. Furthermore, a large variability in the degree of thermal activation of the dynamics in the calmodulin complex indicates a heterogeneous distribution of residual entropy and hence reveals the microscopic origins of heat capacity in proteins. These observations also point to an unexpected explanation for the low-temperature 'glass transition' of proteins. It is this transition that has been ascribed to the creation of protein motional modes that are responsible for biological activity.