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1.
Phys Rev Lett ; 132(24): 248401, 2024 Jun 14.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38949349

RÉSUMÉ

Cellular Potts models are broadly applied across developmental biology and cancer research. We overcome limitations of the traditional approach, which reinterprets a modified Metropolis sampling as ad hoc dynamics, by introducing a physical timescale through Poissonian kinetics and by applying principles of stochastic thermodynamics to separate thermal and relaxation effects from athermal noise and nonconservative forces. Our method accurately describes cell-sorting dynamics in mouse-embryo development and identifies the distinct contributions of nonequilibrium processes, e.g., cell growth and active fluctuations.


Sujet(s)
Modèles biologiques , Processus stochastiques , Animaux , Souris , Cinétique , Thermodynamique , Développement embryonnaire/physiologie , Embryon de mammifère/cytologie
2.
J Food Sci ; 89(7): 4109-4122, 2024 Jul.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38957103

RÉSUMÉ

The elucidation of the interaction mechanism between phospholipids and milk proteins within emulsions is pivotal for comprehending the properties of infant formula fat globules. In this study, multispectral methods and molecular docking were employed to explore the relationship between phosphatidylcholine (PC) and whey protein isolate (WPI). Observations indicate that the binding constant, alongside thermodynamic parameters, diminishes as temperature ascends, hinting at a predominantly static quenching mechanism. Predominantly, van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds constitute the core interactions between WPI and PC. This assertion is further substantiated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which verifies PC's influence on WPI's secondary structure. A detailed assessment of thermodynamic parameters coupled with molecular docking reveals that PC predominantly adheres to specific sites within α-lactalbumin, ß-lactoglobulin, and bovine serum albumin, propelled by a synergy of hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces, with binding energies noted at -5.59, -6.71, and -7.85 kcal/mol, respectively. An increment in PC concentration is observed to amplify the emulsification properties of WPI whilst concurrently diminishing the zeta potential. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for applying the PC-WPI interaction mechanism in food.


Sujet(s)
Liaison hydrogène , Interactions hydrophobes et hydrophiles , Simulation de docking moléculaire , Phosphatidylcholines , Thermodynamique , Protéines de lactosérum , Protéines de lactosérum/composition chimique , Phosphatidylcholines/composition chimique , Spectroscopie infrarouge à transformée de Fourier/méthodes , Lactoglobulines/composition chimique , Lactoglobulines/métabolisme , Émulsions/composition chimique , Lactalbumine/composition chimique , Lactalbumine/métabolisme , Sérumalbumine bovine/composition chimique , Préparation pour nourrissons/composition chimique
3.
J Chem Phys ; 161(1)2024 Jul 07.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38958156

RÉSUMÉ

Force Field X (FFX) is an open-source software package for atomic resolution modeling of genetic variants and organic crystals that leverages advanced potential energy functions and experimental data. FFX currently consists of nine modular packages with novel algorithms that include global optimization via a many-body expansion, acid-base chemistry using polarizable constant-pH molecular dynamics, estimation of free energy differences, generalized Kirkwood implicit solvent models, and many more. Applications of FFX focus on the use and development of a crystal structure prediction pipeline, biomolecular structure refinement against experimental datasets, and estimation of the thermodynamic effects of genetic variants on both proteins and nucleic acids. The use of Parallel Java and OpenMM combines to offer shared memory, message passing, and graphics processing unit parallelization for high performance simulations. Overall, the FFX platform serves as a computational microscope to study systems ranging from organic crystals to solvated biomolecular systems.


Sujet(s)
Logiciel , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Variation génétique , Algorithmes , Thermodynamique , Protéines/composition chimique , Cristallisation , Acides nucléiques/composition chimique
4.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 15106, 2024 07 02.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38956156

RÉSUMÉ

We applied computing-as-a-service to the unattended system-agnostic miscibility prediction of the pharmaceutical surfactants, Vitamin E TPGS and Tween 80, with Copovidone VA64 polymer at temperature relevant for the pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion process. The computations were performed in lieu of running exhaustive hot melt extrusion experiments to identify surfactant-polymer miscibility limits. The computing scheme involved a massively parallelized architecture for molecular dynamics and free energy perturbation from which binodal, spinodal, and mechanical mixture critical points were detected on molar Gibbs free energy profiles at 180 °C. We established tight agreement between the computed stability (miscibility) limits of 9.0 and 10.0 wt% vs. the experimental 7 and 9 wt% for the Vitamin E TPGS and Tween 80 systems, respectively, and identified different destabilizing mechanisms applicable to each system. This paradigm supports that computational stability prediction may serve as a physically meaningful, resource-efficient, and operationally sensible digital twin to experimental screening tests of pharmaceutical systems. This approach is also relevant to amorphous solid dispersion drug delivery systems, as it can identify critical stability points of active pharmaceutical ingredient/excipient mixtures.


Sujet(s)
Excipients , Polysorbates , Excipients/composition chimique , Polysorbates/composition chimique , Vitamine E/composition chimique , Tensioactifs/composition chimique , Pyrrolidines/composition chimique , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Thermodynamique , Technologie d'extrusion par fusion à chaud/méthodes , Composés vinyliques
5.
Methods Enzymol ; 700: 49-76, 2024.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38971612

RÉSUMÉ

High pressure is both an environmental challenge to which deep sea biology has to adapt, and a highly sensitive thermodynamic tool that can be used to trigger structural changes in biological molecules and assemblies. Lipid membranes are amongst the most pressure sensitive biological assemblies and pressure can have a large influence on their structure and properties. In this chapter, we will explore the use of high pressure small angle X-ray diffraction and high pressure microscopy to measure and quantify changes in the lateral structure of lipid membranes under both equilibrium high pressure conditions and in response to pressure jumps.


Sujet(s)
Pression hydrostatique , Double couche lipidique , Diffraction des rayons X , Diffraction des rayons X/méthodes , Double couche lipidique/composition chimique , Double couche lipidique/métabolisme , Diffusion aux petits angles , Lipides membranaires/composition chimique , Lipides membranaires/métabolisme , Thermodynamique
6.
Mol Pharm ; 21(7): 3540-3552, 2024 Jul 01.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38900044

RÉSUMÉ

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of linear amylose fragments containing 10 to 40 glucose units were used to study the complexation of the prototypical compound, 3-pentadecylphenol (PDP)─a natural product with surfactant-like properties─in aqueous solution. The amylose-PDP binding leverages mainly hydrophobic interactions together with excluded volume effects. It was found that while the most stable complexes contained PDP inside the helical structure of the amylose in the expected guest-host (inclusion) complexation manner, at higher temperatures, the commonly observed PDP-amylose complexes often involved more nonspecific interactions than inclusion complexation. In the case where a stoichiometric excess of PDP was added to the simulation box, self-aggregation of the small molecule precluded its ability to enter the internal helical part of the oligosaccharide, and as a result, inclusion complexation became ineffective. MD simulation trajectories were analyzed preliminarily using cluster analysis (CA), followed by more rigorous solvent accessible surface area (SASA) determination over the temperature range spanning from 277 to 433 K. It was found that using the SASA of PDP corrected for its intrinsic conformational changes, together with a generic hidden Markov model (HMM), an adequate quantification of the different types of PDP-amylose aggregates was obtained to allow further analysis. The enthalpy change associated with the guest-host binding equilibrium constant (Kgh) in aqueous solution was estimated to be -75 kJ/mol, which is about twice as high as one might expect based on experimentally measured values of similar complexes in the solid state where the (unsolvated) helical structure of amylose remains rigid. On the other hand, the nonspecific binding (Kns) enthalpy change associated with PDP-amylose interactions in the same solution environment was found to be about half of the inclusion complexation value.


Sujet(s)
Amylose , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Phénols , Amylose/composition chimique , Phénols/composition chimique , Eau/composition chimique , Interactions hydrophobes et hydrophiles , Tensioactifs/composition chimique , Température , Thermodynamique
7.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 26(25): 17720-17744, 2024 Jun 26.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38869513

RÉSUMÉ

In this study, we combined AlphaFold-based approaches for atomistic modeling of multiple protein states and microsecond molecular simulations to accurately characterize conformational ensembles evolution and binding mechanisms of convergent evolution for the SARS-CoV-2 spike Omicron variants BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.75, BA.3, BA.4/BA.5 and BQ.1.1. We employed and validated several different adaptations of the AlphaFold methodology for modeling of conformational ensembles including the introduced randomized full sequence scanning for manipulation of sequence variations to systematically explore conformational dynamics of Omicron spike protein complexes with the ACE2 receptor. Microsecond atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations provide a detailed characterization of the conformational landscapes and thermodynamic stability of the Omicron variant complexes. By integrating the predictions of conformational ensembles from different AlphaFold adaptations and applying statistical confidence metrics we can expand characterization of the conformational ensembles and identify functional protein conformations that determine the equilibrium dynamics for the Omicron spike complexes with the ACE2. Conformational ensembles of the Omicron RBD-ACE2 complexes obtained using AlphaFold-based approaches for modeling protein states and MD simulations are employed for accurate comparative prediction of the binding energetics revealing an excellent agreement with the experimental data. In particular, the results demonstrated that AlphaFold-generated extended conformational ensembles can produce accurate binding energies for the Omicron RBD-ACE2 complexes. The results of this study suggested complementarities and potential synergies between AlphaFold predictions of protein conformational ensembles and MD simulations showing that integrating information from both methods can potentially yield a more adequate characterization of the conformational landscapes for the Omicron RBD-ACE2 complexes. This study provides insights in the interplay between conformational dynamics and binding, showing that evolution of Omicron variants through acquisition of convergent mutational sites may leverage conformational adaptability and dynamic couplings between key binding energy hotspots to optimize ACE2 binding affinity and enable immune evasion.


Sujet(s)
Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Liaison aux protéines , SARS-CoV-2 , Glycoprotéine de spicule des coronavirus , Glycoprotéine de spicule des coronavirus/composition chimique , Glycoprotéine de spicule des coronavirus/métabolisme , Glycoprotéine de spicule des coronavirus/génétique , Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2/métabolisme , Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2/composition chimique , SARS-CoV-2/composition chimique , SARS-CoV-2/métabolisme , Humains , Thermodynamique , Conformation des protéines , Sites de fixation , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/composition chimique , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/métabolisme , COVID-19/virologie
8.
Phys Chem Chem Phys ; 26(25): 17481-17488, 2024 Jun 26.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38887991

RÉSUMÉ

This study utilizes molecular dynamics simulations aided with multiple walker parallel bias metadynamics to investigate the TCF unbinding mechanism from the ß-catenin interface. The results, consistent with experimental binding affinity calculations, unveil a folding-assisted unbinding mechanism.


Sujet(s)
Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Liaison aux protéines , Pliage des protéines , bêta-Caténine , bêta-Caténine/métabolisme , bêta-Caténine/composition chimique , Humains , Thermodynamique , Facteurs de transcription TCF/métabolisme , Facteurs de transcription TCF/composition chimique
9.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(12)2024 Jun 07.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38928048

RÉSUMÉ

Olive oil phenols are recognized as molecules with numerous positive health effects, many of which rely on their antioxidative activity, i.e., the ability to transfer hydrogen to radicals. Proton-coupled electron transfer reactions and hydrogen tunneling are ubiquitous in biological systems. Reactions of olive oil phenols, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, oleuropein, oleacein, oleocanthal, homovanillyl alcohol, vanillin, and a few phenolic acids with a DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical in a 1,4-dioxane:water = 95:5 or 99:1 v/v solvent mixture were studied through an experimental kinetic analysis and computational chemistry calculations. The highest rate constants corresponding to the highest antioxidative activity are obtained for the ortho-diphenols hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and oleacein. The experimentally determined kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) for hydroxytyrosol, homovanillyl alcohol, and caffeic acid reactions are 16.0, 15.4, and 16.7, respectively. Based on these KIEs, thermodynamic activation parameters, and an intrinsic bond orbital (IBO) analysis along the IRC path calculations, we propose a proton-coupled electron transfer mechanism. The average local ionization energy and electron donor Fukui function obtained for the phenolic compounds show that the most reactive electron-donating sites are associated with π electrons above and below the aromatic ring, in support of the IBO analysis and proposed PCET reaction mechanism. Large KIEs and isotopic values of Arrhenius pre-exponential factor AH/AD determined for the hydroxytyrosol, homovanillyl alcohol, and caffeic acid reactions of 0.6, 1.3, and 0.3, respectively, reveal the involvement of hydrogen tunneling in the process.


Sujet(s)
Hydrogène , Huile d'olive , Phénols , Protons , Huile d'olive/composition chimique , Hydrogène/composition chimique , Phénols/composition chimique , Transport d'électrons , Cinétique , Thermodynamique , Antioxydants/composition chimique
10.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(12)2024 Jun 08.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38928065

RÉSUMÉ

Ferrochelatase (FECH) is the terminal enzyme in human heme biosynthesis, catalyzing the insertion of ferrous iron into protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) to form protoheme IX (Heme). Phosphorylation increases the activity of FECH, and it has been confirmed that the activity of FECH phosphorylated at T116 increases. However, it remains unclear whether the T116 site and other potential phosphorylation modification sites collaboratively regulate the activity of FECH. In this study, we identified a new phosphorylation site, T218, and explored the allosteric effects of unphosphorylated (UP), PT116, PT218, and PT116 + PT218 states on FECH in the presence and absence of substrates (PPIX and Heme) using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Binding free energies were evaluated with the MM/PBSA method. Our findings indicate that the PT116 + PT218 state exhibits the lowest binding free energy with PPIX, suggesting the strongest binding affinity. Additionally, this state showed a higher binding free energy with Heme compared to UP, which facilitates Heme release. Moreover, employing multiple analysis methods, including free energy landscape (FEL), principal component analysis (PCA), dynamic cross-correlation matrix (DCCM), and hydrogen bond interaction analysis, we demonstrated that phosphorylation significantly affects the dynamic behavior and binding patterns of substrates to FECH. Insights from this study provide valuable theoretical guidance for treating conditions related to disrupted heme metabolism, such as various porphyrias and iron-related disorders.


Sujet(s)
Domaine catalytique , Ferrochelatase , Hème , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Protoporphyrines , Ferrochelatase/métabolisme , Ferrochelatase/composition chimique , Humains , Phosphorylation , Hème/métabolisme , Hème/composition chimique , Protoporphyrines/composition chimique , Protoporphyrines/métabolisme , Liaison aux protéines , Sites de fixation , Thermodynamique
11.
J Inorg Biochem ; 258: 112635, 2024 Sep.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38852294

RÉSUMÉ

Morin (MRN), an intriguing bioflavonol, has received increasing interest for its antioxidant properties, as have its metal complexes (Mz+-MRN). Understanding their antioxidant behavior is critical to assess their pharmaceutical, nutraceutical potential, and therapeutic impact in the design of advanced antioxidant drugs. To this end, knowing the speciation of different H+-MRN and Mz+-MRN is pivotal to understand and compare their antioxidant ability. In this work, the protonation constant values of MRN under physiological ionic strength and temperature conditions (I = 0.15 mol L-1 and t = 37 °C), determined by UV-vis spectrophotometric titrations, are introduced. Thus, a reliable speciation model on H+-MRN species in aqueous solution is presented, which exhibits five stable forms depending on pH, supplemented by quantum-mechanical calculations useful to determine the proton affinities of each functional group and corresponding deprotonation order. Furthermore, potentiometry and UV-vis spectrophotometry have been exploited to determine the thermodynamic interaction parameters of MRN with different metal cations (Mg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Al3+). The antioxidant ability of H+-MRN and Mz+-MRN has been evaluated by the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-benzopyran-4-one (DPPH) method, and the Zn2+-MRN system has proven to afford the most potent antioxidant effect. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of Mz+-MRN species at all possible chelation sites and under explicit water solvation allowed for the fine characterization not only of the metal chelation modalities of MRN in explicit water, but also of the role played by the local water environment around the metal cations. Those microscopic patterns reveal to be informative on the different antioxidant capabilities recorded experimentally.


Sujet(s)
Antioxydants , Complexes de coordination , Flavonoïdes , Zinc , Flavonoïdes/composition chimique , Antioxydants/composition chimique , Complexes de coordination/composition chimique , Zinc/composition chimique , Magnésium/composition chimique , Aluminium/composition chimique , Manganèse/composition chimique , Thermodynamique , Flavones
12.
Mol Pharm ; 21(7): 3471-3484, 2024 Jul 01.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38872243

RÉSUMÉ

Oligonucleotides are short nucleic acids that serve as one of the most promising classes of drug modality. However, attempts to establish a physicochemical evaluation platform of oligonucleotides for acquiring a comprehensive view of their properties have been limited. As the chemical stability and the efficacy as well as the solution properties at a high concentration should be related to their higher-order structure and intra-/intermolecular interactions, their detailed understanding enables effective formulation development. Here, the higher-order structure and the thermodynamic stability of the thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA) and four modified TBAs, which have similar sequences but were expected to have different higher-order structures, were evaluated using ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), circular dichroism (CD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Then, the relationship between the higher-order structure and the solution properties including solubility, viscosity, and stability was investigated. The impact of the higher-order structure on the antithrombin activity was also confirmed. The higher-order structure and intra-/intermolecular interactions of the oligonucleotides were affected by types of buffers because of different potassium concentrations, which are crucial for the formation of the G-quadruplex structure. Consequently, solution properties, such as solubility and viscosity, chemical stability, and antithrombin activity, were also influenced. Each instrumental analysis had a complemental role in investigating the higher-order structure of TBA and modified TBAs. The utility of each physicochemical characterization method during the preclinical developmental stages is also discussed.


Sujet(s)
Aptamères nucléotidiques , Dichroïsme circulaire , Oligonucléotides , Aptamères nucléotidiques/composition chimique , Dichroïsme circulaire/méthodes , Oligonucléotides/composition chimique , Calorimétrie différentielle à balayage/méthodes , Viscosité , Spectroscopie par résonance magnétique/méthodes , Solubilité , Thermodynamique , G-quadruplexes , Stabilité de médicament , Humains
13.
Molecules ; 29(11)2024 Jun 06.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38893576

RÉSUMÉ

Rare tautomeric forms of nucleobases can lead to Watson-Crick-like (WC-like) mispairs in DNA, but the process of proton transfer is fast and difficult to detect experimentally. NMR studies show evidence for the existence of short-time WC-like guanine-thymine (G-T) mispairs; however, the mechanism of proton transfer and the degree to which nuclear quantum effects play a role are unclear. We use a B-DNA helix exhibiting a wGT mispair as a model system to study tautomerization reactions. We perform ab initio (PBE0/6-31G*) quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations to examine the free energy surface for tautomerization. We demonstrate that while the ab initio QM/MM simulations are accurate, considerable sampling is required to achieve high precision in the free energy barriers. To address this problem, we develop a QM/MM machine learning potential correction (QM/MM-ΔMLP) that is able to improve the computational efficiency, greatly extend the accessible time scales of the simulations, and enable practical application of path integral molecular dynamics to examine nuclear quantum effects. We find that the inclusion of nuclear quantum effects has only a modest effect on the mechanistic pathway but leads to a considerable lowering of the free energy barrier for the GT*⇌G*T equilibrium. Our results enable a rationalization of observed experimental data and the prediction of populations of rare tautomeric forms of nucleobases and rates of their interconversion in B-DNA.


Sujet(s)
Appariement de bases , Guanine , Apprentissage machine , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Protons , Théorie quantique , Thymine , Guanine/composition chimique , Thymine/composition chimique , ADN/composition chimique , Thermodynamique
14.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 14526, 2024 06 24.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38914559

RÉSUMÉ

Generally, medicinal plants are harvested with high amount of water, so it is essential to subject the product to drying as soon as possible to prevent degradation before application. Most compounds from medicinal plants are sensitive to drying processes, so it is important to adjust the drying conditions. The objective of this study was to describe the drying of Rue (Ruta chalepensis L.) leaves, select the models that best fit each drying condition, determine the activation energy and thermodynamic properties of the leaves, and evaluate their quality after drying. Leaves were harvested with moisture content of 3.55 ± 0.05 kg water kg-1dry matter and subjected to drying at temperatures of 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C. Valcam model showed the best fit to represent the drying kinetics of Rue leaves at temperatures of 40 and 70 °C, and Midilli model proved to be better for the temperatures of 50 and 60 °C. Effective diffusion coefficient increased linearly with the increase in drying air temperature, and the activation energy was 60.58 kJ mol-1. Enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy values ranged from 57.973 to 57.723 kJ mol-1, from - 0.28538 to - 0.28614 kJ mol-1 K-1 and from 147.34 to 155.91 kJ mol-1, respectively, for the temperature range of 40-70 °C. Drying air temperature promoted darkening or tendency to loss of green color; increase in drying air temperature leads to greater discoloration, as well as a higher concentration of total phenolic compounds (about 221.10 mg GAE mL-1 g-1 dm), with a peak at temperature of 60 °C.


Sujet(s)
Dessiccation , Feuilles de plante , Thermodynamique , Feuilles de plante/composition chimique , Cinétique , Dessiccation/méthodes , Température , Eau/composition chimique , Plantes médicinales/composition chimique
15.
J Phys Chem B ; 128(23): 5601-5611, 2024 Jun 13.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38831581

RÉSUMÉ

While GLP-1 and its analogues are important pharmaceutical agents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, their susceptibility to aggregate into amyloid fibrils poses a significant safety issue. Many factors may contribute to the aggregation propensity, including pH. While it is known that the monomeric structure of GLP-1 has a strong impact on primary nucleation, probing its diverse structural ensemble is challenging. Here, we investigated the monomer structural ensembles at pH 3, 4, and 7.5 using state-of-the-art computational methods in combination with experimental data. We found significant stabilization of ß-strand structures and destabilization of helical structures at lower pH, correlating with observed aggregation lag times, which are lower under these conditions. We further identified helical defects at pH 4, which led to the fastest observed aggregation, in agreement with our far-UV circular dichroism data. The detailed atomistic structures that result from the computational studies help to rationalize the experimental results on the aggregation propensity of GLP-1. This work provides a new insight into the pH-dependence of monomeric structural ensembles of GLP-1 and connects them to experimental observations.


Sujet(s)
Glucagon-like peptide 1 , Glucagon-like peptide 1/composition chimique , Glucagon-like peptide 1/métabolisme , Concentration en ions d'hydrogène , Thermodynamique , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Agrégats de protéines
16.
Astrobiology ; 24(6): 613-627, 2024 Jun.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38853680

RÉSUMÉ

Computation, if treated as a set of physical processes that act on information represented by states of matter, encompasses biological systems, digital systems, and other constructs and may be a fundamental measure of living systems. The opportunity for biological computation, represented in the propagation and selection-driven evolution of information-carrying organic molecular structures, has been partially characterized in terms of planetary habitable zones (HZs) based on primary conditions such as temperature and the presence of liquid water. A generalization of this concept to computational zones (CZs) is proposed, with constraints set by three principal characteristics: capacity (including computation rates), energy, and instantiation (or substrate, including spatial extent). CZs naturally combine traditional habitability factors, including those associated with biological function that incorporate the chemical milieu, constraints on nutrients and free energy, as well as element availability. Two example applications are presented by examining the fundamental thermodynamic work efficiency and Landauer limit of photon-driven biological computation on planetary surfaces and of generalized computation in stellar energy capture structures (a.k.a. Dyson structures). It is suggested that CZs that involve nested structures or substellar objects could manifest unique observational signatures as cool far-infrared emitters. While these latter scenarios are entirely hypothetical, they offer a useful, complementary introduction to the potential universality of CZs.


Sujet(s)
Exobiologie , Environnement extraterrestre , Planètes , Exobiologie/méthodes , Environnement extraterrestre/composition chimique , Thermodynamique , Eau/composition chimique , Température
17.
J Biomol Struct Dyn ; 42(11): 5903-5911, 2024 Jul.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38870351

RÉSUMÉ

Osmolytes are small organic molecules that are known to stabilize proteins and other biological macromolecules under various stressful conditions. They belong to various categories such as amino acids, methylamines, and polyols. These substances are commonly known as 'compatible solutes' because they do not disrupt cellular processes and help regulate the osmotic balance within cells. In the case of ribonuclease A (RNase A), which is prone to aggregation, the presence of osmolytes can help to maintain its structural stability and prevent unwanted interactions leading to protein aggregation. In this study, we investigated the interaction between RNase A and several osmolytes using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We performed molecular docking to predict the binding mode and binding affinity of each osmolyte with RNase A. MD simulations were then carried out to investigate the dynamics and stability of the RNase A-osmolyte complexes. Our results show that two osmolytes, glucosylglycerol and sucrose have favorable binding affinities with RNase A. The possible role of these osmolytes in stabilizing the RNase A and prevention of aggregation is also explored. By providing computational insights into the interaction between RNase A and osmolytes, the study offers valuable information that could aid in comprehending the mechanisms by which osmolytes protect proteins and help in designing therapeutics for protein-related disorders based on osmolytes. These findings may have significant implications for the development of novel strategies aimed at preventing protein misfolding and aggregation in diverse disease conditions.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.


Sujet(s)
Simulation de docking moléculaire , Simulation de dynamique moléculaire , Liaison aux protéines , Pancreatic ribonuclease , Pancreatic ribonuclease/composition chimique , Pancreatic ribonuclease/métabolisme , Thermodynamique , Sites de fixation , Méthylamines/composition chimique , Méthylamines/métabolisme , Liaison hydrogène
18.
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc ; 319: 124586, 2024 Oct 15.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38833886

RÉSUMÉ

Pesticides, including fungicides, are one of the important groups of environmental toxins that affect human and animal health. Studies have shown that these compounds are considered chemical pollutants. Carbendazim is a systemic fungicide. Unfortunately, excessive use of carbendazim has caused environmental pollution all over the world. In this study, the effect of carbendazim on the enzyme elastase (secreted from the endocrine gland of the pancreas) has been investigated. In a study, the performance and reaction of carbendazim with elastase were investigated using spectroscopic techniques. The stability and structure of elastase enzymes were studied under the influence of carbendazim. The results of fluorescence emission and UV-visible absorption spectrum showed that in the presence of carbendazim, there is an increase in UV-Vis absorption and a decrease in the intensity of the intrinsic fluorescence emission in the protein spectrum. Additionally, a decrease in the thermal stability of elastase was observed in the presence of carbendazim. The stability and structure of elastase enzyme were investigated in the presence of carbendazim. The results revealed that the UV-Vis absorption increased due to the presence of carbendazim, as indicated by the hyperchromic spectrum at 220 and 280 nm peaks. Additionally, the intrinsic fluorescence emission in the protein spectrum decreased with increasing carbendazim concentration at three different temperatures (298, 303, and 313 K). Moreover, the study demonstrated that the TM decreased from 2.59 to 4.58 with the increase of carbendazim, suggesting a decrease in the stability of the elastase structure in response to the elevated carbendazim concentration. According to the results of the research, the interaction between elastase and carbendazim has occurred, and changes have been made in the enzyme under the influence of carbendazim. The formation of the complex between elastase and carbendazim was consistent with the results obtained from molecular simulation and confirmed the thermodynamic data.


Sujet(s)
Benzimidazoles , Carbamates , Pancreatic elastase , Spectrométrie de fluorescence , Carbamates/composition chimique , Carbamates/métabolisme , Benzimidazoles/composition chimique , Pancreatic elastase/métabolisme , Simulation de docking moléculaire , Spectrophotométrie UV , Animaux , Thermodynamique , Stabilité enzymatique/effets des médicaments et des substances chimiques , Liaison aux protéines , Simulation numérique , Humains , Fongicides industriels/composition chimique
19.
J Med Chem ; 67(12): 10012-10024, 2024 Jun 27.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38843875

RÉSUMÉ

Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) plays a critical role in orchestrating hematopoiesis, and its deregulation leads to various blood disorders, most importantly myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Ruxolitinib, fedratinib, momelotinib, and pacritinib are FDA-/EMA-approved JAK inhibitors effective in relieving symptoms in MPN patients but show variable clinical profiles due to poor JAK selectivity. The development of next-generation JAK2 inhibitors is hampered by the lack of comparative functional analysis and knowledge of the molecular basis of their selectivity. Here, we provide mechanistic profiling of the four approved and six clinical-stage JAK2 inhibitors and connect selectivity data with high-resolution structural and thermodynamic analyses. All of the JAK inhibitors potently inhibited JAK2 activity. Inhibitors differed in their JAK isoform selectivity and potency for erythropoietin signaling, but their general cytokine inhibition signatures in blood cells were comparable. Structural data indicate that high potency and moderate JAK2 selectivity can be obtained by targeting the front pocket of the adenosine 5'-triphosphate-binding site.


Sujet(s)
Kinase Janus-2 , Inhibiteurs de protéines kinases , Kinase Janus-2/antagonistes et inhibiteurs , Kinase Janus-2/métabolisme , Kinase Janus-2/composition chimique , Humains , Inhibiteurs de protéines kinases/pharmacologie , Inhibiteurs de protéines kinases/composition chimique , Relation structure-activité , Modèles moléculaires , Pyrimidines/composition chimique , Pyrimidines/pharmacologie , Pyrimidines/synthèse chimique , Thermodynamique , Sites de fixation , Pyrazoles/composition chimique , Pyrazoles/pharmacologie , Pyrazoles/synthèse chimique
20.
J Food Sci ; 89(7): 4205-4215, 2024 Jul.
Article de Anglais | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38847754

RÉSUMÉ

The present study investigated the effects of different deep-frying times and temperatures on the amylose content, crystal structure, thermodynamics, and other properties of deep-fried dough sticks. Results showed that the change of amylose content in deep-fried dough sticks during the deep-frying process was positively correlated with time and temperature. Moreover, the deep-frying process of deep-fried dough sticks was accompanied by the formation of starch-lipid complexes that led to the destruction of starch structure. The degreased sample and the oil sample had the same absorption peaks at 2854 and 1746 cm-1, respectively. The melting enthalpy (ΔH) of the starch-lipid complex decreased significantly. In addition, the viscosity of starch reduced as the deep-frying time and temperature increased. Furthermore, it was found that the effect of increasing deep-frying temperature was greater than that of time. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: As a popular deep-fried food, the main component of deep-fried dough sticks is starch. Starch gelatinization, protein denaturation, and interaction among components occurred during deep-frying. At present, there are few studies focusing on the properties of starch in deep-fried dough sticks in the real deep-frying system. Therefore, this study provided a theoretical basis for subsequent research by measuring the effects of different deep-frying conditions on the properties of starch in deep-fried dough sticks.


Sujet(s)
Amylose , Cuisine (activité) , Acides gras , Amidon , Thermodynamique , Triticum , Amidon/composition chimique , Triticum/composition chimique , Acides gras/analyse , Acides gras/composition chimique , Amylose/composition chimique , Amylose/analyse , Viscosité , Cuisine (activité)/méthodes , Température élevée , Farine/analyse
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