Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Study on the Oxygen Binding and Substrate Hydroxylation Step in AlkB Repair Enzymes

AlkB repair enzymes are important nonheme iron enzymes that catalyse the demethylation of alkylated DNA bases in humans, which is a vital reaction in the body that heals externally damaged DNA bases. Its mechanism is currently controversial and in order to resolve the catalytic mechanism of these enzymes, a quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) study was performed on the demethylation of the N¹‐methyladenine fragment by AlkB repair enzymes. Firstly, the initial modelling identified the oxygen binding site of the enzyme. Secondly, the oxygen activation mechanism was investigated and a novel pathway was found, whereby the catalytically active iron(IV)–oxo intermediate in the catalytic cycle undergoes an initial isomerisation assisted by an Arg residue in the substrate binding pocket, which then brings the oxo group in close contact with the methyl group of the alkylated DNA base. This enables a subsequent rate‐determining hydrogen‐atom abstraction on competitive σ‐ and π‐pathways on a quintet spin‐state surface. These findings give evidence of different locations of the oxygen and substrate binding channels in the enzyme and the origin of the separation of the oxygen‐bound intermediates in the catalytic cycle from substrate. Our studies are compared with small model complexes and the effect of protein and environment on the kinetics and mechanism is explained.     

Substrate hydroxylation in methane monooxygenase: quantitative modeling via mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics techniques

Using broken-symmetry unrestricted density functional theory quantum mechanical (QM) methods in concert with mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods, the hydroxylation of methane and substituted methanes by intermediate Q in methane monooxygenase hydroxylase (MMOH) has been quantitatively modeled. This protocol allows the protein environment to be included throughout the calculations and its effects (electrostatic, van der Waals, strain) upon the reaction to be accurately evaluated. With the current results, recent kinetic data for CH3X (X = H, CH3, OH, CN, NO2) substrate hydroxylation in MMOH (Ambundo, E. A.; Friesner, R. A.; Lippard, S. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2002, 124, 8770-8771) can be rationalized. Results for methane, which provide a quantitative test of the protocol, including a substantial kinetic isotope effect (KIE), are in reasonable agreement with experiment. Specific features of the interaction of each of the substrates with MMO are illuminated by the QM/MM modeling, and the resulting effects upon substrate binding are quantitatively incorporated into the calculations. The results as a whole point to the success of the QM/MM methodology and enhance our understanding of MMOH catalytic chemistry. We also identify systematic errors in the evaluation of the free energy of binding of the Michaelis complexes of the substrates, which most likely arise from inadequate sampling and/or the use of harmonic approximations to evaluate the entropy of the complex. More sophisticated sampling methods will be required to achieve greater accuracy in this aspect of the calculation.     

QM/MM modeling of the hydroxylation of the androstenedione substrate catalyzed by cytochrome P450 aromatase (CYP19A1)

CYP19A1 aromatase is a member of the Cytochrome P450 family of hemeproteins, and is the enzyme responsible for the final step of the androgens conversion into the corresponding estrogens, via a three‐step oxidative process. For this reason, the inhibition of this enzyme plays an important role in the treatment of hormone‐dependent breast cancer. The first catalytic subcycle, corresponding to the hydroxilation of androstenedione, has been proposed to occur through a first hydrogen abstraction and a subsequent oxygen rebound step. In present work, we have studied the mechanism of the first catalytic subcycle by means of hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods. The inclusion of the protein flexibility has been achieved by means of Free Energy Perturbation techniques, giving rise to a free energy of activation for the hydrogen abstraction step of 13.5 kcal/mol. The subsequent oxygen rebound step, characterized by a small free energy barrier (1.5 kcal/mol), leads to the hydroxylated products through a highly exergonic reaction. In addition, an analysis of the primary deuterium kinetic isotopic effects, calculated for the hydrogen abstraction step, reveals values (～10) overpassing the semiclassical limit for the C? H, indicating the presence of a substantial tunnel effect. Finally, a decomposition analysis of the interaction energy for the substrate and cofactor in the active site is also discussed. According to our results, the role of the enzymatic environment consists of a transition state stabilization by means of dispersive and polarization effects. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Phosphorylation reaction in cAPK protein kinase-free energy quantum mechanical/molecular mechanics simulations

We present results of a theoretical analysis of the phosphorylation reaction in cAMP-dependent protein kinase using a combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach. Detailed analysis of the reaction pathway is provided using a novel QM/MM implementation of the nudged elastic band method, finite temperature fluctuations of the protein environment are taken into account using free energy calculations, and an analysis of hydrogen bond interactions is performed on the basis of calculated frequency shifts. The late transfer of the substrate proton to the conserved aspartate (D166), the activation free energy of 15 kcal/mol, and the slight exothermic (-3 kcal/mol) character of the reaction are all consistent with the experimental data. The near attack conformation of D166 in the reactant state is maintained by interactions with threonine-201, asparagine-177, and most notably by a conserved water molecule serving as a strong structural link between the primary metal ion and the D166. The secondary Mg ion acts as a Lewis acid, attacking the beta-gamma bridging oxygen of ATP. This interaction, along with a strong hydrogen bond between the D166 and the substrate, contributes to the stabilization of the transition state. Lys-168 maintains a hydrogen bond to a transferring phosphoryl group throughout a reaction process. This interaction increases in the product state and contributes to its stabilization.     

Structural forms of green fluorescent protein by quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations

The molecular modeling of structural forms of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) with the Ser65Thr single-site mutation was performed by the quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method. Two model systems were constructed based on the crystallographic structure from the Protein Data Bank (PDB entry code 1EMA.) The model systems differ in the initial protonation state of the side chain of the amino acid residue Glu222 near the chromophore. The atomic coordinates of the protein macromolecule corresponding to the equilibrium geometric configurations were determined by total energy minimization using the QM/MM method within the density functional theory approximation PBE0/cc-pVDZ for the quantum subsystem that consists of the chromophore, a water molecule, and the side chains of Arg96, Glu222, and Ser205, and with the parameters of the AMBER force field for the molecular mechanics subsystem. In the analysis of the results, particular attention was given to the hydrogen bond redistribution in the chromophore-containing region of the protein caused by a change in the protonation state of the chromophore. The results obtained from the model containing the initially protonated side chain of Glu222 suggest a new interpretation of the photophysical processes in the green fluorescent protein.     

Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics study of the catalytic cycle of water splitting in photosystem II

This paper investigates the mechanism of water splitting in photosystem II (PSII) as described by chemically sensible models of the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) in the S0-S4 states. The reaction is the paradigm for engineering direct solar fuel production systems since it is driven by solar light and the catalyst involves inexpensive and abundant metals (calcium and manganese). Molecular models of the OEC Mn3CaO4Mn catalytic cluster are constructed by explicitly considering the perturbational influence of the surrounding protein environment according to state-of-the-art quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) hybrid methods, in conjunction with the X-ray diffraction (XRD) structure of PSII from the cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus. The resulting models are validated through direct comparisons with high-resolution extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopic data. Structures of the S3, S4, and S0 states include an additional mu-oxo bridge between Mn(3) and Mn(4), not present in XRD structures, found to be essential for the deprotonation of substrate water molecules. The structures of reaction intermediates suggest a detailed mechanism of dioxygen evolution based on changes in oxidization and protonation states and structural rearrangements of the oxomanganese cluster and surrounding water molecules. The catalytic reaction is consistent with substrate water molecules coordinated as terminal ligands to Mn(4) and calcium and requires the formation of an oxyl radical by deprotonation of the substrate water molecule ligated to Mn(4) and the accumulation of four oxidizing equivalents. The oxyl radical is susceptible to nucleophilic attack by a substrate water molecule initially coordinated to calcium and activated by two basic species, including CP43-R357 and the mu-oxo bridge between Mn(3) and Mn(4). The reaction is concerted with water ligand exchange, swapping the activated water by a water molecule in the second coordination shell of calcium.     

The generalized molecular fractionation with conjugate caps/molecular mechanics method for direct calculation of protein energy

A generalized molecular fractionation with conjugate caps/molecular mechanics (GMFCC/MM) scheme is developed for efficient linear-scaling quantum mechanical calculation of protein energy. In this GMFCC/MM scheme, the interaction energy between neighboring residues as well as between non-neighboring residues that are spatially in close contact are computed by quantum mechanics while the rest of the interaction energy is computed by molecular mechanics. Numerical studies are carried out to calculate torsional energies of six polypeptides using the GMFCC/MM approach and the energies are shown to be in general good agreement with the full system quantum calculation. Among those we tested is a polypeptide containing 396 atoms whose energies are computed at the MP26-31G* level. Our study shows that using GMFCC/MM, it is possible to perform high level ab initio calculation such as MP2 for applications such as structural optimization of protein complex and molecular dynamics simulation.     

人工设计逆醛缩酶RA95.5-8F催化β-羟基酮C—C裂解的理论研究

采用量子力学与分子力学组合(QM/MM)方法对人工设计逆醛缩酶RA95.5-8F催化β-羟基酮化合物裂解反应的机理进行了研究.结果表明,裂解反应主要包括赖氨酸Lys1083对底物的亲核进攻、Schiff碱形成、烯胺水解及C—N断裂等过程, C—N键裂解生成丙酮为整个反应的决速步骤,能垒为106.27 kJ/mol;活性中心的赖氨酸Lys1083、酪氨酸Tyr1051、天冬酰胺Asn1110和酪氨酸Tyr1180构成一个催化四联体, Lys1083通过与底物形成席夫碱对底物进行活化, Tyr1051作为催化酸碱参与质子转移过程,催化四联体的氢键网络有利于反应过渡态的稳定并使R-构型的底物更容易结合在活性位点,导致RA95.5-8F对R构型底物具有高的选择性和催化活性.     

Exploring the influence of conserved lysine69 on the catalytic activity of the helicobacter pylori shikimate dehydrogenase: A combined QM/MM and MD simulations

Shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH) catalyzes the reversible, NADPH-dependent reduction of 3-dehydroshikimate to shikimate, involved in the shikimate pathway. This pathway has emerged as an important target for the development of antimicrobial agent. Structural and functional analyses suggest that the conserved Lys69 plays an important role in the catalytic activity of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) SDH. However, the detailed mechanism how mutation of Lys69 affects the catalytic activity of H. pylori SDH remains unclear. Here, two-layered ONIOM-based quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculation and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to explore the role of Lys69 in the H. pylori SDH. Our results showed that in addition to act as a catalytic base, the conserved Lys69 plays an additional, important role in the maintenance of the substrate shikimate in the active site, facilitating the catalytic reaction between the cofactor NADP⁺ and shikimate. Mutation of Lys69 triggers the movement of shikimate away from the active site of SDH, thereby disrupting the catalytic activity. This result can advance our understanding the catalytic mechanism of SDH family, which may benefit of the rational design of SDH inhibitors.     

Promiscuity in alkaline phosphatase superfamily. Unraveling evolution through molecular simulations

We here present a theoretical study of the alkaline hydrolysis of a phosphodiester (methyl p-nitrophenyl phosphate or MpNPP) in the active site of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase (AP), a monoesterase that also presents promiscuous activity as a diesterase. The analysis of our simulations, carried out by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) potentials, shows that the reaction takes place through a D(N)A(N) or dissociative mechanism, the same mechanism employed by AP in the hydrolysis of monoesters. The promiscuous activity observed in this superfamily can be then explained on the basis of a conserved reaction mechanism. According to our simulations the specialization in the hydrolysis of phosphomonoesters or phosphodiesters, developed in different members of the superfamily, is a consequence of the interactions established between the protein and the oxygen atoms of the phosphate group and, in particular, with the oxygen atom that bears the additional alkyl group when the substrate is a diester. A water molecule, belonging to the coordination shell of the Mg(2+) ion, and residue Lys328 seem to play decisive roles stabilizing a phosphomonoester substrate, but the latter contributes to increase the energy barrier for the hydrolysis of phosphodiesters. Then, mutations affecting the nature or positioning of Lys328 lead to an increased diesterase activity in AP. Finally, the capacity of this enzymatic family to catalyze the reaction of phosphoesters having different leaving groups, or substrate promiscuity, is explained by the ability of the enzyme to stabilize different charge distributions in the leaving group using different interactions involving either one of the zinc centers or residues placed on the outer side of the catalytic site.     

Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics strategies for docking pose refinement: distinguishing between binders and decoys in cytochrome C peroxidase

We investigate the effect of systematically applying molecular dynamics (MD) and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) to docked poses in an attempt to improve the correspondence between theoretical prediction and experimental observation. The proposed scheme involves running a short time scale MD simulation on a docked ligand pose (and any known structurally important crystal structure waters in the active site), followed by QM/MM minimization. Both of these steps are relatively fast for moderately sized ligands; longer time scale MD involving the protein is not found to improve the results. The final binding energy is given in terms of the QM/MM total energy, a van der Waals correction, and a term to account for desolvation effects. This methodology is first tested with a trypsin inhibitor, for which we establish the importance of running MD before reoptimizing with QM/MM. The method is then applied to cytochrome c peroxidase using a set of binders and decoys. In this example, the proposed methodology affords much better discrimination between binders and decoys than the traditional docking approach used. For both systems presented, application of this protocol results in a significantly better energetic ranking and a smaller root mean squared deviation from known crystallographic ligand poses. This work highlights the importance of including polarization effects through QM/MM and of sampling with MD to refine a set of initial docked poses.     

Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Studies on the Mechanism of Action of Cofactor Pyridoxal 5′‐Phosphate in Ornithine 4,5‐Aminomutase

A computational study was performed on the experimentally elusive cyclisation step in the cofactor pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate (PLP)‐dependent D ‐ornithine 4,5‐aminomutase (OAM)‐catalysed reaction. Calculations using both model systems and a combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach suggest that regulation of the cyclic radical intermediate is achieved through the synergy of the intrinsic catalytic power of cofactor PLP and the active site of the enzyme. The captodative effect of PLP is balanced by an enzyme active site that controls the deprotonation of both the pyridine nitrogen atom (N1) and the Schiff‐base nitrogen atom (N2). Furthermore, electrostatic interactions between the terminal carboxylate and amino groups of the substrate and Arg297 and Glu81 impose substantial “strain” energy on the orientation of the cyclic intermediate to control its trajectory. In addition the “strain” energy, which appears to be sensitive to both the number of carbon atoms in the substrate/analogue and the position of the radical intermediates, may play a key role in controlling the transition of the enzyme from the closed to the open state. Our results provide new insights into several aspects of the radical mechanism in aminomutase catalysis and broaden our understanding of cofactor PLP‐dependent reactions.     

Protein/ligand binding free energies calculated with quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics

The calculation of binding affinities for flexible ligands has hitherto required the availability of reliable molecular mechanics parameters for the ligands, a restriction that can in principle be lifted by using a mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) representation in which the ligand is treated quantum mechanically. The feasibility of this approach is evaluated here, combining QM/MM with the Poisson-Boltzmann/surface area model of continuum solvation and testing the method on a set of 47 benzamidine derivatives binding to trypsin. The experimental range of the absolute binding energy (DeltaG = -3.9 to -7.6 kcal/mol) is reproduced well, with a root-mean-square (RMS) error of 1.2 kcal/mol. When QM/MM is applied without reoptimization to the very different ligands of FK506 binding protein the RMS error is only 0.7 kcal/mol. The results show that QM/MM is a promising new avenue for automated docking and scoring of flexible ligands. Suggestions are made for further improvements in accuracy.     

Analysis of classical and quantum paths for deprotonation of methylamine by methylamine dehydrogenase.

The hydrogen-transfer reaction catalysed by methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH) with methylamine (MA) as substrate is a good model system for studies of proton tunnelling in enzyme reactions--an area of great current interest--for which atomistic simulations will be vital. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the key deprotonation step of the MADH/MA reaction and compare the results with experimental observations. Moreover, we compare this reaction with the related aromatic amine dehydrogenase (AADH) reaction with tryptamine, recently studied by us, and identify possible causes for the differences observed in the measured kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) of the two systems. We have used combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) techniques in molecular dynamics simulations and variational transition state theory with multidimensional tunnelling calculations averaged over an ensemble of paths. The results reveal important mechanistic complexity. We calculate activation barriers and KIEs for the two possible proton transfers identified-to either of the carboxylate oxygen atoms of the catalytic base (Asp428beta)-and analyse the contributions of quantum effects. The activation barriers and tunnelling contributions for the two possible proton transfers are similar and lead to a phenomenological activation free energy of 16.5+/-0.9 kcal mol(-1) for transfer to either oxygen (PM3-CHARMM calculations applying PM3-SRP specific reaction parameters), in good agreement with the experimental value of 14.4 kcal mol(-1). In contrast, for the AADH system, transfer to the equivalent OD1 was found to be preferred. The structures of the enzyme complexes during reaction are analysed in detail. The hydrogen bond of Thr474beta(MADH)/Thr172beta(AADH) to the catalytic carboxylate group and the nonconserved active site residue Tyr471beta(MADH)/Phe169beta(AADH) are identified as important factors in determining the preferred oxygen acceptor. The protein environment has a significant effect on the reaction energetics and hence on tunnelling contributions and KIEs. These environmental effects, and the related clearly different preferences for the two carboxylate oxygen atoms (with different KIEs) in MADH/MA and AADH/tryptamine, are possible causes of the differences observed in the KIEs between these two important enzyme reactions.     

Proton transfer drives protein radical formation in Helicobacter pylori catalase but not in Penicillium vitale catalase

Heme catalases prevent cells from oxidative damage by decomposing hydrogen peroxide into water and molecular oxygen. Here we investigate the factors that give rise to an undesirable side reaction competing with normal catalase activity, the migration of a radical from the heme active site to the protein in the principal reaction intermediate compound I (Cpd I). Recently, it has been proposed that this electron transfer reaction takes place in Cpd I of Helicobacter pylori catalase (HPC), but not in Cpd I of Penicillium vitale catalase (PVC), where the oxidation equivalent remains located on the heme active site. Unraveling the factors determining the different radical locations could help engineer enzymes with enhanced catalase activity for detection or removal of hydrogen peroxide. Using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics metadynamics simulations, we show that radical migration in HPC is facilitated by the large driving force (-0.65 eV) of the subsequent proton transfer from a histidine residue to the ferryl oxygen atom of reduced Cpd I. The corresponding free energy in PVC is significantly smaller (-0.19 eV) and, as we argue, not sufficiently high to support radical migration. Our results suggest that the energetics of oxoferryl protonation is a key factor regulating radical migration in catalases and possibly also in hydroperoxidases.     

Methodological aspects of QM/MM calculations: A case study on matrix metalloproteinase‐2

We address methodological issues in quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations on a zinc‐dependent enzyme. We focus on the first stage of peptide bond cleavage by matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2), that is, the nucleophilic attack of the zinc‐coordinating water molecule on the carbonyl carbon atom of the scissile fragment of the substrate. This step is accompanied by significant charge redistribution around the zinc cation, bond cleavage, and bond formation. We vary the size and initial geometry of the model system as well as the computational protocol to demonstrate the influence of these choices on the results obtained. We present QM/MM potential energy profiles for a set of snapshots randomly selected from QM/MM‐based molecular dynamics simulations and analyze the differences in the computed profiles in structural terms. Since the substrate in MMP‐2 is located on the protein surface, we investigate the influence of the thickness of the water layer around the enzyme on the QM/MM energy profile. Thin water layers (0–2 Å) give unrealistic results because of structural reorganizations in the active‐site region at the protein surface. A 12 Å water layer appears to be sufficient to capture the effect of the solvent; the corresponding QM/MM energy profile is very close to that obtained from QM/MM/SMBP calculations using the solvent macromolecular boundary potential (SMBP). We apply the optimized computational protocol to explain the origin of the different catalytic activity of the Glu116Asp mutant: the energy barrier for the first step is higher, which is rationalized on structural grounds. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Tunneling and classical paths for proton transfer in an enzyme reaction dominated by tunneling: oxidation of tryptamine by aromatic amine dehydrogenase

Proton tunneling dominates the oxidative deamination of tryptamine catalyzed by the enzyme aromatic amine dehydrogenase. For reaction with the fast substrate tryptamine, a H/D kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of 55 +/- 6 has been reported-one of the largest observed in an enzyme reaction. We present here a computational analysis of this proton-transfer reaction, applying combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods (PM3-SRP//PM3/CHARMM22). In particular, we extend our previous computational study (Masgrau et al. Science 2006, 312, 237) by using improved energy corrections, high-level QM/MM methods, and an ensemble of paths to estimate the tunneling contributions. We have carried out QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations and variational transition state theory calculations with small-curvature tunneling corrections. The results provide detailed insight into the processes involved in the reaction. Transfer to the O2 oxygen of the catalytic base, Asp128beta, is found to be the favored reaction both thermodynamically and kinetically, even though O1 is closer in the reactant complex. Comparison of quantum and classical models of proton transfer allows estimation of the contribution of hydrogen tunneling in lowering the barrier to reaction in the enzyme. A reduction of the activation free energy due to tunneling of 3.1 kcal mol-1 is found, which represents a rate enhancement due to tunneling by 2 orders of magnitude. The calculated KIE of 30 is significantly elevated over the semiclassical limit, in agreement with the experimental observations; a semiclassical value of 6 is obtained when tunneling is omitted. A polarization of the C-H bond to be broken is observed due to the close proximity of the catalytic aspartate and the (formally) positively charged imine nitrogen. A comparison is also made with the related quinoprotein methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH)-the much lower KIE of 11 that we obtain for the MADH/methylamine system is found to arise from a more endothermic potential energy surface for the MADH reaction.