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Ab initio QM/MM dynamics simulation of the tetrahedral intermediate of serine proteases: Insights into the active site hydrogen-bonding network

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 06:23 authored by Maya Topf, Peter Varnai, W Graham Richards
Ab initio QM/MM dynamics simulation is employed to examine the stability of the tetrahedral intermediate during the deacylation step in elastase-catalyzed hydrolysis of a simple peptide. An extended quantum region includes the catalytic triad, the tetrahedral structure, and the oxyanion hole. The calculations indicate that the tetrahedral intermediate of serine proteases is a stable species on the picosecond time scale. On the basis of geometrical and dynamical properties, and in agreement with many experimental and theoretical studies, it is suggested that the crucial hydrogen bonds involved in stabilizing this intermediate are between Asp-102 and His-57 and between the charged oxygen of the intermediate and the backbone N-H group of Gly-193 in the oxyanion hole. The mobility of the imidazolium ring between Ow and O¿, two of the oxygens of the tetrahedral structure, shows how the intermediate could proceed toward the product state without a ¿ring-flip mechanism¿, proposed earlier on the basis of NMR data. In addition to the proposed Ce1-O hydrogen bond between the imidazolium ring and the backbone carbonyl of Ser-214, we observe an alternative Ce1-O hydrogen bond with the backbone carbonyl of Thr-213, that can stabilize the intermediate during the imidazolium movement. Proton hopping occurs between Asp-102 and His-57 during the simulation. The proton is, however, largely localized on the nitrogen, and hence it does not participate in a low-barrier hydrogen bond. The study also suggests factors that may be implicated in product release: breaking the hydrogen bond of the charged oxygen with the backbone of Ser-195 in the oxyanion hole and a loop opening between residues 216-225 that enables the breaking of a hydrogen bond in subsite S3.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Journal of the American Chemical Society

ISSN

0002-7863

Publisher

ACS Publications

Issue

49

Volume

124

Page range

14780-14788

Pages

9.0

Department affiliated with

  • Chemistry Publications

Notes

MT,PV+WGR designed research, MT performed computer simulations, PV+MT analyzed data and wrote the paper. Computational evidence for the existence of tetrahedral intermediate in the catalytic pathway of serine proteases. A challenging simulation to describe the stability and hydrogen bonding network in a transient intermediate structure, cited 34 times.

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

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