Unlocking the unfolded structure of ubiquitin: Combining time-resolved x-ray solution scattering and molecular dynamics to generate unfolded ensembles.

The unfolding dynamics of ubiquitin were studied using a combination of x-ray solution scattering (XSS) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The kinetic analysis of the XSS ubiquitin signals showed that the protein unfolds through a two-state process, independent of the presence of destabilizing salts. In order to characterize the ensemble of unfolded states in atomic detail, the experimental XSS results were used as a constraint in the MD simulations through the incorporation of x-ray scattering derived potential to drive the folded ubiquitin structure toward sampling unfolded states consistent with the XSS signals. We detail how biased MD simulations provide insight into unfolded states that are otherwise difficult to resolve and underscore how experimental XSS data can be combined with MD to efficiently sample structures away from the native state. Our results indicate that ubiquitin samples unfolded in states with a high degree of loss in secondary structure yet without a collapse to a molten globule or fully solvated extended chain. Finally, we propose how using biased-MD can significantly decrease the computational time and resources required to sample experimentally relevant nonequilibrium states.

tinyIFD: A High-Throughput Binding Pose Refinement Workflow Through Induced-Fit Ligand Docking.

A critical step in structure-based drug discovery is predicting whether and how a candidate molecule binds to a model of a therapeutic target. However, substantial protein side chain movements prevent current screening methods, such as docking, from accurately predicting the ligand conformations and require expensive refinements to produce viable candidates. We present the development of a high-throughput and flexible ligand pose refinement workflow, called "tinyIFD". The main features of the workflow include the use of specialized high-throughput, small-system MD simulation code mdgx.cuda and an actively learning model zoo approach. We show the application of this workflow on a large test set of diverse protein targets, achieving 66% and 76% success rates for finding a crystal-like pose within the top-2 and top-5 poses, respectively. We also applied this workflow to the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) inhibitors, where we demonstrate the benefit of the active learning aspect in this workflow.

Revealing Excited-State Trajectories on Potential Energy Surfaces with Atomic Resolution in Real Time.

Photoexcited molecular trajectories on potential energy surfaces (PESs) prior to thermalization are intimately connected to the photochemical reaction outcome. The excited-state trajectories of a diplatinum complex featuring photo-activated metal-metal σ-bond formation and associated Pt-Pt stretching motions were detected in real time using femtosecond wide-angle X-ray solution scattering. The observed motions correspond well with coherent vibrational wavepacket motions detected by femtosecond optical transient absorption. Two key coordinates for intersystem crossing have been identified, the Pt-Pt bond length and the orientation of the ligands coordinated with the platinum centers, along which the excited-state trajectories can be projected onto the calculated PESs of the excited states. This investigation has gleaned novel insight into electronic transitions occurring on the time scales of vibrational motions measured in real time, revealing ultrafast nonadiabatic or non-equilibrium processes along excited-state trajectories involving multiple excited-state PESs.

Unfolding bovine α-lactalbumin with T-jump: Characterizing disordered intermediates via time-resolved x-ray solution scattering and molecular dynamics simulations.

The protein folding process often proceeds through partially folded transient states. Therefore, a structural understanding of these disordered states is crucial for developing mechanistic models of the folding process. Characterization of unfolded states remains challenging due to their disordered nature, and incorporating multiple methods is necessary. Combining the time-resolved x-ray solution scattering (TRXSS) signal with molecular dynamics (MD), we are able to characterize transient partially folded states of bovine α-lactalbumin, a model system widely used for investigation of molten globule states, during its unfolding triggered by a temperature jump. We track the unfolding process between 20 µs and 70 ms and demonstrate that it passes through three distinct kinetic states. The scattering signals associated with these transient species are then analyzed with TRXSS constrained MD simulations to produce protein structures that are compatible with the input signals. Without utilizing any experimentally extracted kinetic information, the constrained MD simulation successfully drove the protein to an intermediate molten globule state; signals for two later disordered states are refined to terminal unfolded states. From our examination of the structural characteristics of these disordered states, we discuss the implications disordered states have on the folding process, especially on the folding pathway. Finally, we discuss the potential applications and limitations of this method.

Integrating solvation shell structure in experimentally driven molecular dynamics using x-ray solution scattering data.

In the past few decades, prediction of macromolecular structures beyond the native conformation has been aided by the development of molecular dynamics (MD) protocols aimed at exploration of the energetic landscape of proteins. Yet, the computed structures do not always agree with experimental observables, calling for further development of the MD strategies to bring the computations and experiments closer together. Here, we report a scalable, efficient MD simulation approach that incorporates an x-ray solution scattering signal as a driving force for the conformational search of stable structural configurations outside of the native basin. We further demonstrate the importance of inclusion of the hydration layer effect for a precise description of the processes involving large changes in the solvent exposed area, such as unfolding. Utilization of the graphics processing unit allows for an efficient all-atom calculation of scattering patterns on-the-fly, even for large biomolecules, resulting in a speed-up of the calculation of the associated driving force. The utility of the methodology is demonstrated on two model protein systems, the structural transition of lysine-, arginine-, ornithine-binding protein and the folding of deca-alanine. We discuss how the present approach will aid in the interpretation of dynamical scattering experiments on protein folding and association.

Insulin hexamer dissociation dynamics revealed by photoinduced T-jumps and time-resolved X-ray solution scattering.

The structural dynamics of insulin hexamer dissociation were studied by the photoinduced temperature jump technique and monitored by time-resolved X-ray scattering. The process of hexamer dissociation was found to involve several transient intermediates, including an expanded hexamer and an unstable tetramer. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms of protien-protein association.

Deciphering Charge Transfer Processes in Transition Metal Complexes from the Perspective of Ultrafast Electronic and Nuclear Motions.

Chemical transformations in charge transfer states result from the interplay between electronic dynamics and nuclear reorganization along excited-state trajectories. Here, we investigate the ultrafast structural dynamics following photoinduced electron transfer from the metal-metal-to-ligand charge transfer state of an electron donor, a Pt dimer complex, to a covalently linked electron acceptor group using ultrafast time-resolved wide-angle X-ray scattering and optical transient absorption spectroscopy methods to disentangle the interdependence of the excited-state electronic and nuclear dynamics. Following photoexcitation, Pt-Pt bond formation and contraction takes up to 1 ps, much slower than the corresponding process in analogous complexes without electron acceptor groups. Because the Pt-Pt distance change is slow with respect to excited-state electron transfer, it can affect the rate of electron transfer. These results have potential impacts on controlling electron transfer rates via structural alterations to the electron donor group, tuning the charge transfer driving force.

The Role of Transient Intermediate Structures in the Unfolding of the Trp-Cage Fast-Folding Protein: Generating Ensembles from Time-Resolved X-ray Solution Scattering with Genetic Algorithms.

The Trp-cage miniprotein is one of the smallest systems to exhibit a stable secondary structure and fast-folding dynamics, serving as an apt model system to study transient intermediates with both experimental and computational analyses. Previous spectroscopic characterizations that have been done on Trp-cage have inferred a single stable intermediate on a pathway from folded to unfolded basins. We aim to bridge the understanding of Trp-cage structural folding dynamics on microsecond-time scales, by utilizing time-resolved X-ray solution scattering to probe the temperature-induced unfolding pathway. Our results indicate the formation of a conformationally extended intermediate on the time scale of 1 µs, which undergoes complete unfolding within 5 µs. We further investigated the atomistic structural details of the unfolding pathway using a genetic algorithm to generate ensemble model fits to the scattering profiles. This analysis paves the way for direct benchmarking of theoretical models of protein folding ensembles produced with molecular dynamics simulations.

Unveiling ultrafast dynamics in bridged bimetallic complexes using optical and X-ray transient absorption spectroscopies.

In photosynthetic systems employing multiple transition metal centers, the properties of charge-transfer states are tuned by the coupling between metal centers. Here, we use ultrafast optical and X-ray spectroscopies to elucidate the effects of metal-metal interactions in a bimetallic tetrapyridophenazine-bridged Os(ii)/Cu(i) complex. Despite having an appropriate driving force for Os-to-Cu hole transfer in the Os(ii) moiety excited state, no such charge transfer was observed. However, excited-state coupling between the metal centers is present, evidenced by variations in the Os MLCT lifetime depending on the identity of the opposite metal center. This coupling results in concerted coherent vibrations appearing in the relaxation kinetics of the MLCT states for both Cu and Os centers. These vibrations are dominated by metal-ligand contraction at the Cu/Os centers, which are in-phase and linked through the conjugated bridging ligand. This study shows how vibronic coupling between transition metal centers affects the ultrafast dynamics in bridged, multi-metallic systems from the earliest times after photoexcitation to excited-state decay, presenting avenues for tuning charge-transfer states through judicious choice of metal/ligand groups.

Hit Expansion of a Noncovalent SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitor.

Inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a major focus of drug discovery efforts against COVID-19. Here we report a hit expansion of non-covalent inhibitors of Mpro. Starting from a recently discovered scaffold (The COVID Moonshot Consortium. Open Science Discovery of Oral Non-Covalent SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitor Therapeutics. bioRxiv 2020.10.29.339317) represented by an isoquinoline series, we searched a database of over a billion compounds using a cheminformatics molecular fingerprinting approach. We identified and tested 48 compounds in enzyme inhibition assays, of which 21 exhibited inhibitory activity above 50% at 20 µM. Among these, four compounds with IC50 values around 1 µM were found. Interestingly, despite the large search space, the isoquinolone motif was conserved in each of these four strongest binders. Room-temperature X-ray structures of co-crystallized protein-inhibitor complexes were determined up to 1.9 Å resolution for two of these compounds as well as one of the stronger inhibitors in the original isoquinoline series, revealing essential interactions with the binding site and water molecules. Molecular dynamics simulations and quantum chemical calculations further elucidate the binding interactions as well as electrostatic effects on ligand binding. The results help explain the strength of this new non-covalent scaffold for Mpro inhibition and inform lead optimization efforts for this series, while demonstrating the effectiveness of a high-throughput computational approach to expanding a pharmacophore library.

Resolving Dynamics in the Ensemble: Finding Paths through Intermediate States and Disordered Protein Structures.

Proteins have been found to inhabit a diverse set of three-dimensional structures. The dynamics that govern protein interconversion between structures happen over a wide range of time scales─picoseconds to seconds. Our understanding of protein functions and dynamics is largely reliant upon our ability to elucidate physically populated structures. From an experimental structural characterization perspective, we are often limited to measuring the ensemble-averaged structure both in the steady-state and time-resolved regimes. Generating kinetic models and understanding protein structure-function relationships require atomistic knowledge of the populated states in the ensemble. In this Perspective, we present ensemble refinement methodologies that integrate time-resolved experimental signals with molecular dynamics models. We first discuss integration of experimental structural restraints to molecular models in disordered protein systems that adhere to the principle of maximum entropy for creating a complete set of ensemble structures. We then propose strategies to find kinetic pathways between the refined structures, using time-resolved inputs to guide molecular dynamics trajectories and the use of inference to generate tailored stimuli to prepare a desired ensemble of protein states.

X-ray snapshots reveal conformational influence on active site ligation during metalloprotein folding.

Cytochrome c (cyt c) has long been utilized as a model system to study metalloprotein folding dynamics and the interplay between active site ligation and tertiary structure. However, recent reports regarding the weakness of the native Fe(ii)-S bond (Fe-Met80) call into question the role of the active site ligation in the protein folding process. In order to investigate the interplay between protein conformation and active site structures, we directly tracked the evolution of both during a photolysis-induced folding reaction using X-ray transient absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved X-ray solution scattering techniques. We observe an intermediate Fe-Met80 species appearing on ∼2 µs timescale, which should not be sustained without stabilization from the folded protein structure. We also observe the appearance of a new active site intermediate: a weakly interacting Fe-H2O state. As both intermediates require stabilization of weak metal-ligand interactions, we surmise the existence of a local structure within the unfolded protein that protects and limits the movement of the ligands, similar to the entatic state found in the native cyt c fold. Furthermore, we observe that in some of the unfolded ensemble, the local stabilizing structure is lost, leading to expansion of the unfolded protein structure and misligation to His26/His33 residues.

Revealing Fast Structural Dynamics in pH-Responsive Peptides with Time-Resolved X-ray Scattering.

Many biomaterials can adapt to changes in the local biological environment (such as pH, temperature, or ionic composition) in order to regulate function or deliver a payload. Such adaptation to environmental perturbation is typically a hierarchical process that begins with a response at a local structural level and then propagates to supramolecular and macromolecular scales. Understanding fast structural dynamics that occur upon perturbation is important for rational design of functional biomaterials. However, few nanosecond time-resolved methods can probe both intra- and intermolecular scales simultaneously with a high structural resolution. Here, we utilize time-resolved X-ray scattering to probe nanosecond to microsecond structural dynamics of poly-l-glutamic acid undergoing protonation via a pH jump initiated by photoexcitation of a photoacid. Our results provide insights into the protonation-induced hierarchical changes in packing of peptide chains, formation of a helical structure, and the associated collapse of the peptide chain.

Probing Cytochrome c Folding Transitions upon Phototriggered Environmental Perturbations Using Time-Resolved X-ray Scattering.

Direct tracking of protein structural dynamics during folding-unfolding processes is important for understanding the roles of hierarchic structural factors in the formation of functional proteins. Using cytochrome c (cyt c) as a platform, we investigated its structural dynamics during folding processes triggered by local environmental changes (i.e., pH or heme iron center oxidation/spin/ligation states) with time-resolved X-ray solution scattering measurements. Starting from partially unfolded cyt c, a sudden pH drop initiated by light excitation of a photoacid caused a structural contraction in microseconds, followed by active site restructuring and unfolding in milliseconds. In contrast, the reduction of iron in the heme via photoinduced electron transfer did not affect conformational stability at short timescales (<1 ms), despite active site coordination geometry changes. These results demonstrate how different environmental perturbations can change the nature of interaction between the active site and protein conformation, even within the same metalloprotein, which will subsequently affect the folding structural dynamics.

Direct Observation of Insulin Association Dynamics with Time-Resolved X-ray Scattering.

Biological functions frequently require protein-protein interactions that involve secondary and tertiary structural perturbation. Here we study protein-protein dissociation and reassociation dynamics in insulin, a model system for protein oligomerization. Insulin dimer dissociation into monomers was induced by a nanosecond temperature-jump (T-jump) of ∼8 °C in aqueous solution, and the resulting protein and solvent dynamics were tracked by time-resolved X-ray solution scattering (TRXSS) on time scales of 10 ns to 100 ms. The protein scattering signals revealed the formation of five distinguishable transient species during the association process that deviate from simple two-state kinetics. Our results show that the combination of T-jump pump coupled to TRXSS probe allows for direct tracking of structural dynamics in nonphotoactive proteins.