Allosteric Inhibition of Adenylyl Cyclase Type 5 by G-Protein: A Molecular Dynamics Study

Adenylyl cyclases (ACs) have a crucial role in many signal transduction pathways, in particular in the intricate control of cyclic AMP (cAMP) generation from adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Using homology models developed from existing structural data and docking experiments, we have carried out all-atom, microsecond-scale molecular dynamics simulations on the AC5 isoform of adenylyl cyclase bound to the inhibitory G-protein subunit G alpha i in the presence and in the absence of ATP. The results show that G alpha i has significant effects on the structure and flexibility of adenylyl cyclase, as observed earlier for the binding of ATP and Gs alpha. New data on G alpha i bound to the C1 domain of AC5 help explain how G alpha i inhibits enzyme activity and obtain insight on its regulation. Simulations also suggest a crucial role of ATP in the regulation of the stimulation and inhibition of AC5.