Ring Puckering Landscapes of Glycosaminoglycan-Related Monosaccharides from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

<p>The conformational flexibility of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are known to be key in their binding and biological function, for example in regulating coagulation and cell growth. In this work, we employ enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations to probe the ring conformations of GAG-related monosaccharides, including a range of acetylated and sulfated GAG residues. We first perform unbiased MD simulations of glucose anomers and the epimers glucoronate and iduronate. These calculations indicate that in some cases, an excess of 15 microseconds are required for adequate sampling of ring pucker due to the high energy barriers between states. However, by applying our recently developed msesMD simulation method (multidimensional swarm enhanced sampling molecular dynamics), we were able to quantitatively and rapidly reproduce these ring pucker landscapes. From msesMD simulations, the puckering free energy profiles were then compared for eleven monosaccharides found in GAGs; this includes to our knowledge the first simulation study of sulfation effects on GalNAc ring puckering. For the force field employed, we find that in general the calculated pucker free energy profiles for sulfated sugars were similar to the corresponding unsulfated profiles. This accords with recent experimental studies suggesting that variation in ring pucker of sulfated GAG residues is primarily dictated by interactions with surrounding residues rather than by intrinsic conformational preference. As an exception to this, however, we predict that 4-O-sulfation of GalNAc leads to reduced ring rigidity, with a significant lowering in energy of the ¹C₄ ring conformation; this observation may have implications for understanding the structural basis of the biological function of GalNAc-containing glycosaminoglycans such as dermatan sulfate.</p>

Ring Puckering Landscapes of Glycosaminoglycan-Related Monosaccharides from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

<p>The conformational flexibility of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are known to be key in their binding and biological function, for example in regulating coagulation and cell growth. In this work, we employ enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations to probe the ring conformations of GAG-related monosaccharides, including a range of acetylated and sulfated GAG residues. We first perform unbiased MD simulations of glucose anomers and the epimers glucoronate and iduronate. These calculations indicate that in some cases, an excess of 15 microseconds are required for adequate sampling of ring pucker due to the high energy barriers between states. However, by applying our recently developed msesMD simulation method (multidimensional swarm enhanced sampling molecular dynamics), we were able to quantitatively and rapidly reproduce these ring pucker landscapes. From msesMD simulations, the puckering free energy profiles were then compared for eleven monosaccharides found in GAGs; this includes to our knowledge the first simulation study of sulfation effects on GalNAc ring puckering. For the force field employed, we find that in general the calculated pucker free energy profiles for sulfated sugars were similar to the corresponding unsulfated profiles. This accords with recent experimental studies suggesting that variation in ring pucker of sulfated GAG residues is primarily dictated by interactions with surrounding residues rather than by intrinsic conformational preference. As an exception to this, however, we predict that 4-O-sulfation of GalNAc leads to reduced ring rigidity, with a significant lowering in energy of the ¹C₄ ring conformation; this observation may have implications for understanding the structural basis of the biological function of GalNAc-containing glycosaminoglycans such as dermatan sulfate.</p>

Determinants of Substrate Specificity in APOBEC3B

APOBEC3B (A3B) is a newly discovered driver of mutation in many cancers. We use computational tools to revert a recent crystal structure of an A3B construct to its native sequence, and run molecular dynamics simulations to study its underlying dynamics and substrate recognition mechanisms. The A3B-oligonucleotide substrate simulations show a series of dynamic substrate-protein contacts that correlate with previous work on A3B substrate selectivity. A second series of simulations in which the target cytosine nucleotide was computationally mutated from a deoxyribose to a ribose showed a change in sugar ring pucker, leading to a rearrangement of the binding site and revealing a potential intermediate in the binding pathway. Finally, apo simulations of A3B beginning in the open state experience a rapid and consistent closure of the binding site, reaching a conformation incompatible with substrate binding. These simulations agree with previous experimental studies, and we report the atomistic details of these events to further therapeutic studies on A3B.

Determinants of Substrate Specificity in APOBEC3B

APOBEC3B (A3B) is a newly discovered driver of mutation in many cancers. We use computational tools to revert a recent crystal structure of an A3B construct to its native sequence, and run molecular dynamics simulations to study its underlying dynamics and substrate recognition mechanisms. The A3B-oligonucleotide substrate simulations show a series of dynamic substrate-protein contacts that correlate with previous work on A3B substrate selectivity. A second series of simulations in which the target cytosine nucleotide was computationally mutated from a deoxyribose to a ribose showed a change in sugar ring pucker, leading to a rearrangement of the binding site and revealing a potential intermediate in the binding pathway. Finally, apo simulations of A3B beginning in the open state experience a rapid and consistent closure of the binding site, reaching a conformation incompatible with substrate binding. These simulations agree with previous experimental studies, and we report the atomistic details of these events to further therapeutic studies on A3B.

Tessellate & Montage: Molecular analytics of cyclic conformations

The conformations and shapes of macromolecular structures in biological and synthetic materials often define the macroscopic functions of the systems. Tessellate and Montage provide a standardized toolset for rapid reporting of large datasets allowing comparisons of cyclic molecule conformations (ring pucker) from structural databases and simulation trajectory data. This facilitates an understanding of the dynamic transition between common conformations and the flexible range in a ring that underlies molecular behaviour and recognition properties.