Electrostatic Interactions Control the Functionality of Bacterial Ice Nucleators

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (15) ◽  
pp. 6842-6846 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Lukas ◽  
R. Schwidetzky ◽  
A. T. Kunert ◽  
U. Pöschl ◽  
J. Fröhlich-Nowoisky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Ice Nucleators

Understanding Bacterial Ice Nucleation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralph Schwidetzky ◽  
Max Lukas ◽  
Anna T. Kunert ◽  
Ulrich Pöschl ◽  
Janine Fröhlich-Nowoisky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Affinity Purification ◽  
Hydration Shell ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
American Chemical Society ◽  
Chemical Society ◽  
Ice Nucleation ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Protein Activity ◽  
Ice Nucleators

<p>Bacterial ice-nucleating proteins (INPs) promote heterogeneous ice nucleation better than any known material. On the molecular scale, bacterial INPs are believed to function by organizing water into ice‑like patterns to enable the formation of embryonic crystals. However, the details of their working mechanism remains largely elusive. Here, we report the results of comprehensive evaluations of environmentally relevant effects such as changes in pH, the presence of ions and temperature on the activity, three-dimensional structure and hydration shell of bacterial ice nucleators using ice affinity purification, high-throughput ice nucleation assays and surface-specific sum-frequency generation spectroscopy.</p><p> </p><p>[1] Lukas, Max, et al. "Electrostatic Interactions Control the Functionality of Bacterial Ice Nucleators." Journal of the American Chemical Society 142.15 (2020): 6842-6846.</p><p>[2] Lukas, Max, et al. "Interfacial Water Ordering Is Insufficient to Explain Ice-Nucleating Protein Activity." The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 12 (2020): 218-223.</p>

Template mediated crystal engineering

1994 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 480-481
Author(s):  
Brigid R. Heywood ◽  
S. Champ
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Engineering ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Alkyl Chain ◽  
Crystallographic Axis ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Engineering Process ◽  
Solution Interface ◽  
Extensive Program ◽  
Geometric Homology ◽  
Long Alkyl Chain

Recent work on the crystallisation of inorganic crystals under compressed monomolecular surfactant films has shown that two dimensional templates can be used to promote the oriented nucleation of solids. When a suitable long alkyl chain surfactant is cast on the crystallisation media a monodispersied population of crystals forms exclusively at the monolayer/solution interface. Each crystal is aligned with a specific crystallographic axis perpendicular to the plane of the monolayer suggesting that nucleation is facilitated by recognition events between the nascent inorganic solid and the organic template.For example, monolayers of the long alkyl chain surfactant, stearic acid will promote the oriented nucleation of the calcium carbonate polymorph, calcite, on the (100) face, whereas compressed monolayers of n-eicosyl sulphate will induce calcite nucleation on the (001) face, (Figure 1 & 2). An extensive program of research has confirmed the general principle that molecular recognition events at the interface (including electrostatic interactions, geometric homology, stereochemical complementarity) can be used to promote the crystal engineering process.

Characteristics of the Interaction between Thrombin Exosite1 and the Sequence 269-297 of Platelet Glycoprotein Ibα

1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (08) ◽  
pp. 310-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Christine Bouton ◽  
Christophe Thurieau ◽  
Marie-Claude Guillin ◽  
Martine Jandrot-Perrus
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Activation ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Platelet Glycoprotein ◽  
Thrombin Receptor ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Amidolytic Activity ◽  
N Terminus ◽  
Hydrolysis Of ◽  
Chemical Cross Linking ◽  
Positively Charged

SummaryThe interaction between GPIb and thrombin promotes platelet activation elicited via the hydrolysis of the thrombin receptor and involves structures located on the segment 238-290 within the N-terminal domain of GPIbα and the positively charged exosite 1 on thrombin. We have investigated the ability of peptides derived from the 269-287 sequence of GPIbα to interact with thrombin. Three peptides were synthesized, including Ibα 269-287 and two scrambled peptides R1 and R2 which are comparable to Ibα 269-287 with regards to their content and distribution of anionic residues. However, R2 differs from both Ibα 269-287 and R1 by the shifting of one proline from a central position to the N-terminus. By chemical cross-linking, we observed the formation of a complex between 125I-Ibα 269-287 and α-thrombin that was inhibited by hirudin, the C-terminal peptide of hirudin, sodium pyrophosphate but not by heparin. The complex did not form when γ-thrombin was substituted for α-thrombin. Ibα 269-287 produced only slight changes in thrombin amidolytic activity and inhibited thrombin binding to fibrin. R1 and R2 also formed complexes with α-thrombin, modified slightly its catalytic activity and inhibited its binding to fibrin. Peptides Ibα 269-287 and R1 inhibited platelet aggregation and secretion induced by low thrombin concentrations whereas R2 was without effect. Our results indicate that Ibα 269-287 interacts with thrombin exosite 1 via mainly electrostatic interactions, which explains why the scrambled peptides also interact with exosite 1. Nevertheless, the lack of effect of R2 on thrombin-induced platelet activation suggests that proline 280 is important for thrombin interaction with GPIb.

Intrinsic Stacking Interactions of Natural and Artificial Nucleobases

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew P. Harding ◽  
Laura J. Kingsley ◽  
Glen Spraggon ◽  
Steven Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Gas Phase ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Molecular Descriptors ◽  
Stacking Interactions ◽  
Interaction Energies ◽  
Functional Theory ◽  
Binding Partner ◽  
Heavy Atoms ◽  
Wide Range

The intrinsic (gas-phase) stacking energies of natural and artificial nucleobases were explored using density functional theory (DFT) and correlated ab initio methods. Ranking the stacking strength of natural nucleobase dimers revealed a preference in binding partner similar to that seen from experiments, namely G > C > A > T > U. Decomposition of these interaction energies using symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) showed that these dispersion dominated interactions are modulated by electrostatics. Artificial nucleobases showed a similar stacking preference for natural nucleobases and were also modulated by electrostatic interactions. A robust predictive multivariate model was developed that quantitively predicts the maximum stacking interaction between natural and a wide range of artificial nucleobases using molecular descriptors based on computed electrostatic potentials (ESPs) and the number of heavy atoms. This model should find utility in designing artificial nucleobase analogs that exhibit stacking interactions comparable to those of natural nucleobases. Further analysis of the descriptors in this model unveil the origin of superior stacking abilities of certain nucleobases, including cytosine and guanine.

Solubilization of Itraconazole by Surfactants and Phospholipid-Surfactant Mixtures: Interplay of Amphiphile Structure, pH and Electrostatic Interactions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahari Vinarov ◽  
Gabriela Gancheva ◽  
Nikola Burdzhiev ◽  
Slavka S. Tcholakova
Keyword(s):  
Nmr Spectroscopy ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Triazole Ring ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Surfactant Mixtures ◽  
Solubilization Capacity ◽  
Water Soluble Drugs ◽  
Hydrophobic Chain ◽  
Brick Dust

Although surfactants are frequently used in enabling formulations of poorly water-soluble drugs, the link between their structure and drug solubilization capacity is still unclear. We studied the solubilization of the “brick-dust” molecule itraconazole by 16 surfactants and 3 phospholipid:surfactant mixtures. NMR spectroscopy was used to study in more details the drug-surfactant interactions. Very high solubility of itraconazole (up to 3.6 g/L) was measured in anionic surfactant micelles at pH = 3, due to electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged (at this pH) drug and surfactant molecules. <sup>1</sup>H NMR spectroscopy showed that itraconazole is ionized at two sites (2+ charge) at these conditions: in the phenoxy-linked piperazine nitrogen and in the dioxolane-linked triazole ring. The increase of amphiphile hydrophobic chain length had a markedly different effect, depending on the amphiphile type: the solubilization capacity of single-chain surfactants increased, whereas a decrease was observed for double-chained surfactants (phosphatidylglycerols). The excellent correlation between the chain melting temperatures of phosphatidylglycerols and itraconazole solubilization illustrated the importance of hydrophobic chain mobility. This study provides rules for selection of itraconazole solubilizers among classical single-chain surfactants and phospholipids. The basic physics underpinning the described effects suggests that these rules should be transferrable to other “brick-dust” molecules.

Hydration Free Energies of Organic Molecules in the FreeSolv Database Calculated with Polarized Atom In Molecules Atomic Charges and the GAFF Force Field.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximiliano Riquelme ◽  
Alejandro Lara ◽  
David L. Mobley ◽  
Toon Vestraelen ◽  
Adelio R Matamala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Force Field ◽  
Functional Groups ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Organic Molecules ◽  
Force Fields ◽  
Chemical Elements ◽  
Atomic Charges ◽  
Free Energies ◽  
Molecular Systems ◽  
Solvent Model

<div>Computer simulations of bio-molecular systems often use force fields, which are combinations of simple empirical atom-based functions to describe the molecular interactions. Even though polarizable force fields give a more detailed description of intermolecular interactions, nonpolarizable force fields, developed several decades ago, are often still preferred because of their reduced computation cost. Electrostatic interactions play a major role in bio-molecular systems and are therein described by atomic point charges.</div><div>In this work, we address the performance of different atomic charges to reproduce experimental hydration free energies in the FreeSolv database in combination with the GAFF force field. Atomic charges were calculated by two atoms-in-molecules approaches, Hirshfeld-I and Minimal Basis Iterative Stockholder (MBIS). To account for polarization effects, the charges were derived from the solute's electron density computed with an implicit solvent model and the energy required to polarize the solute was added to the free energy cycle. The calculated hydration free energies were analyzed with an error model, revealing systematic errors associated with specific functional groups or chemical elements. The best agreement with the experimental data is observed for the MBIS atomic charge method, including the solvent polarization, with a root mean square error of 2.0 kcal mol<sup>-1</sup> for the 613 organic molecules studied. The largest deviation was observed for phosphor-containing molecules and the molecules with amide, ester and amine functional groups.</div>

Sequence Specificity Despite Intrinsic Disorder: How a Disease-Associated Val/Met Polymorphism Shifts Tertiary Interactions in a Long Disordered Protein

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruchi Lohia ◽  
Reza Salari ◽  
Grace Brannigan
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Structure ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered Proteins ◽  
Disordered Proteins ◽  
Sequence Specificity ◽  
Intrinsically Disordered ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Heterogeneous Polymer ◽  
Non Local ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

<div>The role of electrostatic interactions and mutations that change charge states in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is well-established, but many disease-associated mutations in IDPs are charge-neutral. The Val66Met single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) encodes a hydrophobic-to-hydrophobic mutation at the midpoint of the prodomain of precursor brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), one of the earliest SNPs to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, for which the underlying molecular mechanism is unknown. Here we report on over 250 μs of fully-atomistic, explicit solvent, temperature replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations of the 91 residue BDNF prodomain, for both the V66 and M66 sequence.</div><div>The simulations were able to correctly reproduce the location of both local and non-local secondary changes due to the Val66Met mutation when compared with NMR spectroscopy. We find that the local structure change is mediated via entropic and sequence specific effects. We show that the highly disordered prodomain can be meaningfully divided into domains based on sequence alone. Monte Carlo simulations of a self-excluding heterogeneous polymer, with monomers representing each domain, suggest the sequence would be effectively segmented by the long, highly disordered polyampholyte near the sequence midpoint. This is qualitatively consistent with observed interdomain contacts within the BDNF prodomain, although contacts between the two segments are enriched relative to the self-excluding polymer. The Val66Met mutation increases interactions across the boundary between the two segments, due in part to a specific Met-Met interaction with a Methionine in the other segment. This effect propagates to cause the non-local change in secondary structure around the second methionine, previously observed in NMR. The effect is not mediated simply via changes in inter-domain contacts but is also dependent on secondary structure formation around residue 66, indicating a mechanism for secondary structure coupling in disordered proteins. </div>

In situ Time-Resolved Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Reveals the Formation Kinetics of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Wu ◽  
Jeffrey Ting ◽  
Siqi Meng ◽  
Matthew Tirrell
Keyword(s):  
Small Angle ◽  
Self Assembly ◽  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Polyelectrolyte Complex ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Scattering ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Ray Scattering

We have directly observed the <i>in situ</i> self-assembly kinetics of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) micelles by synchrotron time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering, equipped with a stopped-flow device that provides millisecond temporal resolution. This work has elucidated one general kinetic pathway for the process of PEC micelle formation, which provides useful physical insights for increasing our fundamental understanding of complexation and self-assembly dynamics driven by electrostatic interactions that occur on ultrafast timescales.

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