scholarly journals Molecular insights into the surface-catalyzed secondary nucleation of amyloid-β40 (Aβ40) by the peptide fragment Aβ16–22

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. eaav8216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel J. Bunce ◽  
Yiming Wang ◽  
Katie L. Stewart ◽  
Alison E. Ashcroft ◽  
Sheena E. Radford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Random Coil ◽  
Peptide Fragments ◽  
Secondary Nucleation ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Structural Mechanism ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Transient Intermediates ◽  
Amyloid Assembly ◽  
Amyloid Diseases

Understanding the structural mechanism by which proteins and peptides aggregate is crucial, given the role of fibrillar aggregates in debilitating amyloid diseases and bioinspired materials. Yet, this is a major challenge as the assembly involves multiple heterogeneous and transient intermediates. Here, we analyze the co-aggregation of Aβ40 and Aβ16–22, two widely studied peptide fragments of Aβ42 implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. We demonstrate that Aβ16–22 increases the aggregation rate of Aβ40 through a surface-catalyzed secondary nucleation mechanism. Discontinuous molecular dynamics simulations allowed aggregation to be tracked from the initial random coil monomer to the catalysis of nucleation on the fibril surface. Together, the results provide insight into how dynamic interactions between Aβ40 monomers/oligomers on the surface of preformed Aβ16–22 fibrils nucleate Aβ40 amyloid assembly. This new understanding may facilitate development of surfaces designed to enhance or suppress secondary nucleation and hence to control the rates and products of fibril assembly.

scholarly journals Role of allosteric switches and adaptor domains in long-distance cross-talk and transient tunnel formation

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (14) ◽  
pp. eaay7919
Author(s):  
Nandini Sharma ◽  
Navjeet Ahalawat ◽  
Padmani Sandhu ◽  
Erick Strauss ◽  
Jagannath Mondal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Interface Control ◽  
Protein Energy ◽  
Catalytic Loop ◽  
Ammonia Tunnel ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Transient tunnels that assemble and disassemble to facilitate passage of unstable intermediates in enzymes containing multiple reaction centers are controlled by allosteric cues. Using the 140-kDa purine biosynthetic enzyme PurL as a model system and a combination of biochemical and x-ray crystallographic studies, we show that long-distance communication between ~25-Å distal active sites is initiated by an allosteric switch, residing in a conserved catalytic loop, adjacent to the synthetase active site. Further, combinatory experiments seeded from molecular dynamics simulations help to delineate transient states that bring out the central role of nonfunctional adaptor domains. We show that carefully orchestrated conformational changes, facilitated by interplay of dynamic interactions at the allosteric switch and adaptor-domain interface, control reactivity and concomitant formation of the ammonia tunnel. This study asserts that substrate channeling is modulated by allosteric hotspots that alter protein energy landscape, thereby allowing the protein to adopt transient conformations paramount to function.

scholarly journals Monomeric amyloid β-peptide (1-42) significantly populates compact fibril-like conformations

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bogdan Barz ◽  
Alexander K. Buell ◽  
Soumav Nath
Keyword(s):  
Amyloid Fibrils ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Random Coil ◽  
Amyloid Β Peptide ◽  
Secondary Nucleation ◽  
Fibril Structure ◽  
Amyloid Fibril Formation ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Structural Ensemble

AbstractThe aggregation of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide is a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. This peptide can aggregate into oligomers, proto-fibrils, and mature fibrils, which eventually assemble into amyloid plaques. The peptide monomers are the smallest assembly units, and play an important role in most of the individual processes involved in amyloid fibril formation, such as primary and secondary nucleation and elongation. The structure of the Aβ monomer has been shown to be very dynamic and mostly disordered, both in experimental and in computational studies, similar to a random coil. This structural state of the monomer contrasts with the very stable and well defined structural core of the amyloid fibrils. An important question is whether the monomer can adopt transient fibril-like conformations in solution and what role such conformations might play in the aggregation process. Here we use enhanced and extensive molecular dynamics simulations to study the Aβ42 monomer structural flexibility with different force fields, water models and salt concentrations. We show that the monomer behaves as a random coil under different simulation conditions. Importantly, we find a conformation with the N-terminal region structured very similarly to that of recent experimentally determined fibril models. This is to the best of our knowledge the first monomeric structural ensemble to show such a similarity with the fibril structure.

scholarly journals Mapping the sequence specificity of heterotypic amyloid interactions enables the identification of aggregation modifiers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolaos N Louros ◽  
Meine Ramakers ◽  
Emiel Michiels ◽  
Katerina Konstantoulea ◽  
Chiara Morelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Homology ◽  
Protein Sequences ◽  
Sequence Specificity ◽  
Structural Mechanism ◽  
Structural Rules ◽  
Amyloidogenic Proteins ◽  
Systematic Understanding ◽  
Fibril Morphology ◽  
Amyloid Assembly

Heterotypic amyloid interactions between related protein sequences have been observed in functional and disease amyloids. While sequence homology seems to favour heterotypic amyloid interactions, we have no systematic understanding of the structural rules determining such interactions nor whether they inhibit or facilitate amyloid assembly. Using structure-based thermodynamic calculations and extensive experimental validation, we performed a comprehensive exploration of the defining role of sequence promiscuity in amyloid interactions. Using this knowledge, we demonstrate, using tau as a model system, that predicted cross-interactions driven by sequence homology indeed can modify nucleation, fibril morphology, kinetic assembly and cellular spreading of aggregates. We also find that these heterotypic amyloid interactions can result in the mis-localisation of brain-expressed protein sequences with prevalent activities in neurodegenerative disorders. Our findings suggest a structural mechanism by which the proteomic background can modulate the aggregation propensity of amyloidogenic proteins and discuss how such sequence-specific proteostatic perturbations could contribute to the selective cellular susceptibility of amyloid disease progression.

The Role of Hydrophobicity in the Stability and pH-Switchability of (RXDX)4 and Coumarin-RXDX Conjugate β-Sheets

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Weber ◽  
Martin McCullagh
Keyword(s):  
Biological Imaging ◽  
Ph Sensing ◽  
Hydrophobic Residue ◽  
Ideal Candidate ◽  
Self Assembling ◽  
Sensing Applications ◽  
Β Sheets ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

<p>pH-switchable, self-assembling materials are of interest in biological imaging and sensing applications. Here we propose that combining the pH-switchability of RXDX (X=Ala, Val, Leu, Ile, Phe) peptides and the optical properties of coumarin creates an ideal candidate for these materials. This suggestion is tested with a thorough set of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. We first investigate the dependence of pH-switchabiliy on the identity of the hydrophobic residue, X, in the bare (RXDX)<sub>4</sub> systems. Increasing the hydrophobicity stabilizes the fiber which, in turn, reduces the pH-switchabilty of the system. This behavior is found to be somewhat transferable to systems in which a single hydrophobic residue is replaced with a coumarin containing amino acid. In this case, conjugates with X=Ala are found to be unstable and both pHs while conjugates with X=Val, Leu, Ile and Phe are found to form stable β-sheets at least at neutral pH. The (RFDF)<sub>4</sub>-coumarin conjugate is found to have the largest relative entropy value of 0.884 +/- 0.001 between neutral and acidic coumarin ordering distributions. Thus, we posit that coumarin-(RFDF)<sub>4</sub> containing peptide sequences are ideal candidates for pH-sensing bioelectronic materials.</p>

Exploring secondary interactions and the role of temperature in moisture-contaminated polymer networks through molecular simulations

Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 2942-2956
Author(s):  
Rishabh D. Guha ◽  
Ogheneovo Idolor ◽  
Katherine Berkowitz ◽  
Melissa Pasquinelli ◽  
Landon R. Grace
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Temperature Variation ◽  
Polymer Networks ◽  
Molecular Simulations ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Secondary Interactions ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Secondary Bonding

We investigated the effect of temperature variation on the secondary bonding interactions between absorbed moisture and epoxies with different morphologies using molecular dynamics simulations.

scholarly journals Towards designing globular antimicrobial peptide mimics: role of polar functional groups in biomimetic ternary antimicrobial polymers

Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garima Rani ◽  
Kenichi Kuroda ◽  
Satyavani Vemparala
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Antimicrobial Peptide ◽  
Bacterial Membrane ◽  
Simulation Data ◽  
Antimicrobial Polymers ◽  
Polar Groups ◽  
Methacrylate Polymers ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Polar Functional Groups

Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we study the interaction of ternary methacrylate polymers, composed of charged cationic, hydrophobic and neutral polar groups, with model bacterial membrane. Our simulation data shows...

scholarly journals Prediction of Functional Consequences of Missense Mutations in ANO4 Gene

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2732
Author(s):  
Nadine Reichhart ◽  
Vladimir M. Milenkovic ◽  
Christian H. Wetzel ◽  
Olaf Strauß
Keyword(s):  
Transmembrane Protein ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
Functional Consequences ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
And Function

The anoctamin (TMEM16) family of transmembrane protein consists of ten members in vertebrates, which act as Ca2+-dependent ion channels and/or Ca2+-dependent scramblases. ANO4 which is primarily expressed in the CNS and certain endocrine glands, has been associated with various neuronal disorders. Therefore, we focused our study on prioritizing missense mutations that are assumed to alter the structure and stability of ANO4 protein. We employed a wide array of evolution and structure based in silico prediction methods to identify potentially deleterious missense mutations in the ANO4 gene. Identified pathogenic mutations were then mapped to the modeled human ANO4 structure and the effects of missense mutations were studied on the atomic level using molecular dynamics simulations. Our data show that the G80A and A500T mutations significantly alter the stability of the mutant proteins, thus providing new perspective on the role of missense mutations in ANO4 gene. Results obtained in this study may help to identify disease associated mutations which affect ANO4 protein structure and function and might facilitate future functional characterization of ANO4.

scholarly journals Molecular insights on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coil-to-globule transition induced by pressure

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 5984-5991
Author(s):  
Letizia Tavagnacco ◽  
Ester Chiessi ◽  
Emanuela Zaccarelli
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Polymer Chain ◽  
Linear Polymer ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Linear Polymer Chain

By using extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of an atactic linear polymer chain, we unveil the role of pressure in the coil-to-globule transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM).

scholarly journals “Newton’s cradle” proton relay with amide–imidic acid tautomerization in inverting cellulase visualized by neutron crystallography

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (7) ◽  
pp. e1500263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akihiko Nakamura ◽  
Takuya Ishida ◽  
Katsuhiro Kusaka ◽  
Taro Yamada ◽  
Shinya Fushinobu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glycoside Hydrolases ◽  
Side Chain ◽  
Enzymatic Reactions ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Peptide Bonds ◽  
Proton Relay ◽  
Newton’S Cradle ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

Hydrolysis of carbohydrates is a major bioreaction in nature, catalyzed by glycoside hydrolases (GHs). We used neutron diffraction and high-resolution x-ray diffraction analyses to investigate the hydrogen bond network in inverting cellulase PcCel45A, which is an endoglucanase belonging to subfamily C of GH family 45, isolated from the basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Examination of the enzyme and enzyme-ligand structures indicates a key role of multiple tautomerizations of asparagine residues and peptide bonds, which are finally connected to the other catalytic residue via typical side-chain hydrogen bonds, in forming the “Newton’s cradle”–like proton relay pathway of the catalytic cycle. Amide–imidic acid tautomerization of asparagine has not been taken into account in recent molecular dynamics simulations of not only cellulases but also general enzyme catalysis, and it may be necessary to reconsider our interpretation of many enzymatic reactions.

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