Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dahae Lee, Hyejung Jo, Yoojin Jang, Suhyun Bae, Tomoyo Agura, Dongmin Kang, Minsoo Kang, Yuri Kim, Nam-Hyuk Cho, Yejin Kim, Jae Seung Kang
Summary: The use of vaccines is the most effective and reliable method for preventing viral infections, but effective therapeutic agents for treatment after infection are needed. Zanamivir, an inhalable drug, has been used to treat pandemic influenza A/H1N1, but drug-resistant strains can quickly emerge. Alloferon, an immunomodulatory drug, has been found to have antiviral effects against various viruses, including influenza viruses. Therefore, a combination of alloferon and zanamivir was tested to improve antiviral effects and reduce H1N1 resistance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Muthu Kumar Thirunavukkarasu, Ramanathan Karuppasamy
Summary: The study screened a candidate with high binding affinity in MEK protein from a library of 11,808 compounds, and suggested that Nebivolol may be an excellent candidate for MEK inhibition in NSCLC patients in the future.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
R. A. Jeyaram, C. Anu Radha
Summary: The study found that SIA can serve as an inhibitor for the N1 neuraminidase of H5N1 influenza virus, with two possible binding modes, among which BM1 is the most preferred. Unlike other drugs, SIA can bind to N1 neuraminidase in a preferred conformation.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Yan-jing Sheng, Yue-wen Yin, Yu-qiang Ma, Hong-ming Ding
Summary: Accurate calculation of protein-protein binding free energy is crucial in biological and medical science, and a new strategy involving screened electrostatic energy has been developed in this study to improve the accuracy of calculations. The modified MM/PBSA method shows better correlation and smaller errors compared to the standard method, especially in systems with proteins carrying like charges. This study highlights the potential of the modified MM/PBSA in accurately predicting binding energies in highly charged biosystems.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL INFORMATION AND MODELING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Mingna Zheng, Yanwei Li, Weiliang Dong, Shanshan Feng, Qingzhu Zhang, Wenxing Wang
Summary: Four concerted steps are needed to complete the catalytic cycle of PET biotransformation by leaf-branch compost cutinase (LCC), with deacylation identified as the rate-determining step. Unprecedented fluctuations of hydrogen bond length were observed during LCC catalyzed transformation process toward PET, indicating a potential widespread phenomenon in enzymes containing catalytic triads. Possible features influencing the catalytic reaction were identified, establishing correlations between activation energies and key features.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Trupti S. Chitre, Purvaj V. Hirode, Deepak K. Lokwani, Aniket L. Bhatambrekar, Sayli G. Hajare, Shubhangi B. Thorat, D. Priya, Kunal B. Pradhan, Kalyani D. Asgaonkar, Shirish P. Jain
Summary: A significant three descriptor QSAR model was established to predict the Hec1/Nek2 inhibitory activity of 2-aminothiazoles derivatives, based on which new lead molecules were designed and further studied through ADMET and molecular docking. The study provides insights into the key interactions between the derivatives and Hec1/Nek2 protein, facilitating the development of potential anticancer molecules.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jie Wang-Jairaj, Irene Miller, Aditya Joshi, Tharaka Jayabalan, Amanda Peppercorn, Peter Zammit-Tabona, Amanda Oliver
Summary: This study reviewed a total of 4,033 requests for intravenous zanamivir treatment from hospitalized patients in 38 countries between 2009 and 2019. The majority of patients received zanamivir via IV route, with Europe being the region with the highest number of requests. No new safety concerns were identified in the Compassionate Use Program.
INFLUENZA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Halise Yalazan, Damla Koc, Fadime Aydin Kose, Seda Fandakli, Burak Tuzun, Muhammed Ismail Akgul, Nastaran Sadeghian, Parham Taslimi, Halit Kantekin
Summary: In this study, new Schiff base compounds derived from chalcone-derived amine compounds containing halogen groups and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde were synthesized and characterized. The synthesized compounds showed inhibitory activity against Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase enzymes, as well as potential anticancer activity against neuroblastoma cell lines. Molecular docking and ADME analysis were also conducted to further investigate the properties of the compounds.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Review
Virology
Gloria Perez-Rubio, Marco Antonio Ponce-Gallegos, Bruno Andre Dominguez-Mazzocco, Jaime Ponce-Gallegos, Roman Alejandro Garcia-Ramirez, Ramces Falfan-Valencia
Summary: Research has shown that genetic susceptibility to Influenza A virus infection is influenced by multiple pathways, including innate immune response, complement activation, and variants in inflammatory response genes. Specific gene polymorphisms such as SNPs play key roles in host immune responses, affecting viral replication and host response, representing important factors in genetic susceptibility to IAV infection.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zijian Wang, Qingzhu Zhang, Guoqiang Wang, Wenxing Wang, Qiao Wang
Summary: This study systematically investigated the hydrolysis mechanism of methomyl catalyzed by esterase PestE. The results provided atomic-level details of the mechanism and free energy profiles. Serine-initiated nucleophilic attack was identified as the rate-determining step, and the importance of protein-substrate interactions and key active site residues was elucidated.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Shriram D. Ranade, Shankar G. Alegaon, U. Venkatasubramanian, A. Soundarya Priya, Rohini S. Kavalapure, Jagdish Chand, Sunil S. Jalalpure, D. Vinod
Summary: This study aimed to design, synthesize, and evaluate 4-aminoquinoline hybrid compounds as potential Eg5 inhibitors. Compounds 6c, 6d, 6g, and 6h showed sensitivity to Eg5 inhibition based on data from Malachite green and steady state ATPase assays. Compound 4 and 6c exhibited promising inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 2.32 ± 0.23 μM and 1.97 ± 0.23 μM, respectively. Molecular docking, MM/GBSA calculations, and molecular dynamic simulations were performed to evaluate the interactions between ligands and the binding site of the kinesin spindle protein, indicating that these 4-aminoquinoline Schiff's base hybrids may be potential candidates for Eg5 inhibitors. Further in-vivo research is needed.
COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Mingna Zheng, Yanwei Li, Rui Xue, Weiliang Dong, Qingzhu Zhang, Wenxing Wang
Summary: Enzymatic depolymerization is an important method for dealing with PET pollution, but the understanding of depolymerization mechanism of environment-relevant PET waste and the influence of PET size on depolymerization efficiency is still limited. This study used nanosized model substrate to investigate the PET depolymerization process and elucidated the effects of PET size and active site features on activation energy barriers. These findings provide important insights for the development of rational enzyme engineering strategies for environmentally friendly and efficient removal of PET.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sofia D'Souza, S. Balaji, K. Prema
Summary: This study successfully developed new 3CL protease inhibitors using 2D and 3D QSAR models, and validated their inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The newly designed compounds showed higher interaction energies with active site residues and improved pharmacokinetic properties.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vikram Dalal, Poonam Dhankhar, Vishakha Singh, Vishakha Singh, Gaddy Rakhaminov, Dasantila Golemi-Kotra, Pravindra Kumar
Summary: Staphylococcus aureus is resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics due to the presence of FmtA, an esterase that plays a key role in methicillin resistance. Computational drug screening identified ofloxacin, roflumilast, and furazolidone as potential molecules with high binding affinities to FmtA. Molecular dynamics simulations and analysis revealed that the FmtA-drug complexes are stable and the residues in the active site of FmtA are essential for forming stable protein-ligand complexes with lower energy. Further testing and modification of these screened molecules are needed to develop antimicrobial compounds against S. aureus.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Banoth Karan Kumar, Faheem, Kondapalli Venkata Gowri Chandra Sekhar, Rupal Ojha, Vijay Kumar Prajapati, Aravinda Pai, Sankaranarayanan Murugesan
Summary: This study identified potential ligands that may act as inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 M-pro through computational screening. The molecules SN00293542 and SN00382835 showed the highest docking scores and demonstrated stability through molecular dynamics studies.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuoyan Tan, Qianqian Zhang, Jun Wang, Peng Gao, Guotong Xie, Huanxiang Liu, Xiaojun Yao
Summary: In this study, molecular dynamics simulation and pharmacophore modeling methods were used to explore the critical residues in LRRK2 for binding of inhibitors and investigate the general structural features of the inhibitors. The results suggest that the hinge region residues play a significant role in the interaction between LRRK2 and inhibitors, and high activity LRRK2 inhibitors should have specific molecular features.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Qianqian Zhang, Nannan Zhao, Xiaoxiao Meng, Fansen Yu, Xiaojun Yao, Huanxiang Liu
Summary: Various sampling methods for protein-ligand unbinding are introduced, along with their applications in predicting aspects of protein-ligand unbinding. Despite successful applications in numerous systems, these methods still have limitations and deficiencies. The combination of machine learning and enhanced sampling methods shows promise in improving prediction accuracy and addressing challenges in studying complex systems in drug research.
EXPERT OPINION ON DRUG DISCOVERY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yun-Hao Ma, Wan-Tong Ma, Zhong-Kun Zhou, Xiu Huang, Xin-Rong Jiang, Kang-Jia Du, Meng-Ze Sun, Hao Zhang, Hong Fang, Yi Zhao, Hong-Mei Zhu, Huan-Xiang Liu, Peng Chen, Ying-Qian Liu
Summary: Neocryptolepine derivatives, especially 8-Fluoroneocryptolepine (8FNC), have shown promising cytotoxic activity against gastric cancer cells (AGS) with greater selectivity and cytotoxicity compared to commonly used drugs. Structural modifications improved the cytotoxic effect and reduced toxicity to normal gastric cells (GES-1), making 8FNC a potential lead compound for the development of gastric cancer treatment. Mechanistic studies suggest that 8FNC inhibits AGS cell migration and induces apoptosis through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qianqian Zhang, Yuwei Yang, Xiaoqing Gong, Nannan Zhao, Yang Zhang, Huanxiang Liu
Summary: This study aims to investigate the cross-resistance mechanism of isoniazid and ethionamide through theoretical calculations. The research reveals that the S94A mutation in InhA leads to decreased binding affinity of isoniazid and ethionamide with the mutant, and the mutation also indirectly affects the energy contribution of other key residues, resulting in changes in the binding conformation.
PROTEINS-STRUCTURE FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yanan Tian, Xiaorui Wang, Xiaojun Yao, Huanxiang Liu, Ying Yang
Summary: This paper proposes a novel graph neural network, IFGN, which gradually identifies the key atoms/groups in the molecule related to predicted properties by a multistep focus mechanism. It also generates multistep interpretations to provide a deeper understanding of the model's predictive behaviors.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)
Review
Biochemical Research Methods
Yuan-Qin Huang, Ping Sun, Yi Chen, Huan-Xiang Liu, Ge-Fei Hao, Bao-An Song
Summary: Drug resistance is a major issue impacting human health and agriculture. Developing approaches to address target mutation-induced drug resistance is crucial in biological research. Bioinformatics tools have been developed over the past decade to explore this type of drug resistance, offering a cost-effective and efficient means of analysis. However, these tools are underutilized and their strengths and limitations have not been thoroughly evaluated. This study systematically surveyed 59 freely available bioinformatics tools and analyzed their functionality, data volume, source, operating principle, and performance. The study also discussed the strengths, limitations, and application examples of these tools, providing a valuable toolbox for researchers in biomedical, pesticide, bioinformatics, and pharmaceutical engineering fields, as well as a platform for non-specialists to understand drug resistance prediction.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Shukai Gu, Chao Shen, Jiahui Yu, Hong Zhao, Huanxiang Liu, Liwei Liu, Rong Sheng, Lei Xu, Zhe Wang, Tingjun Hou, Yu Kang
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of structural dynamic information on binding affinity prediction and found that the optimized molecular dynamics protocol improved the predictive performance for the TAF1-BD2 target with high structural flexibility, but not for the less flexible JAK1 and DDR1 targets.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fengling Wang, Wenling Ye, Yongxing He, Haiyang Zhong, Yongchang Zhu, Jianting Han, Xiaoqing Gong, Yanan Tian, Yuwei Wang, Shuang Wang, Shaoping Ji, Huanxiang Liu, Xiaojun Yao
Summary: Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 immunologic checkpoint has provided a breakthrough in cancer therapy. A small molecule inhibitor called CBPA was identified as an effective PD-L1 inhibitor with blocking activity and T-cell reinvigoration capacity. CBPA also showed significant antitumor efficacy in mouse tumor models without observable organ toxicity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Syed Jawad Ali Shah, Qianqian Zhang, Jingjing Guo, Hongli Liu, Huanxiang Liu, Jordi Villa-Freixa
Summary: The microtubule-associated protein tau plays a critical role in the development and protection of the nervous system. Dysfunction and accumulation of tau in the brain can lead to various neurodegenerative diseases. This study reveals the detailed mechanism of acetylation-driven tau aggregation.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shuoyan Tan, Jun Wang, Peng Gao, Guotong Xie, Qianqian Zhang, Huanxiang Liu, Xiaojun Yao
Summary: Understanding the selectivity mechanisms of inhibitors for highly similar proteins is crucial in new drug discovery. Developing highly selective targeting of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) kinases for Parkinson's disease is challenging due to the similarity of the kinase ATP binding pocket. In this study, computational methods and comprehensive analyses were conducted to investigate the selectivity mechanisms of two representative LRRK2 inhibitors (DNL201 and GNE7915). The results suggest that structural and kinetic differences between the proteins may play a key role in determining the activity of selective small-molecule inhibitors. The proposed selectivity mechanisms could aid in the rational design of novel LRRK2 kinase inhibitors for Parkinson's disease.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Yang Yue, Shu Li, Lingling Wang, Huanxiang Liu, Henry H. Y. Tong, Shan He
Summary: In this study, a novel framework called MpbPPI is proposed for accurate prediction of amino acid mutations on protein-protein interactions. Pre-training on a strictly screened dataset enables MpbPPI to generate high-quality representations and support flexible application on different mutant-type protein-protein complexes.
BRIEFINGS IN BIOINFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yunhao Ma, Hongmei Zhu, Xinrong Jiang, Zhongkun Zhou, Yong Zhou, Yanan Tian, Hao Zhang, Mengze Sun, Lixue Tu, Juan Lu, Yuqing Niu, Huanxiang Liu, Yingqian Liu, Peng Chen
Summary: This study evaluated the cytotoxicity of 8-methoxy-2,5-dimethyl-5H-indolo[2,3-b]quinoline (MMNC) in colorectal cancer cells and found that MMNC exerted cytotoxicity by inhibiting the expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway-related proteins, inhibiting cell proliferation, blocking the cell cycle, and inducing apoptosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Zhe Wang, Haiyang Zhong, Jintu Zhang, Peichen Pan, Dong Wang, Huanxiang Liu, Xiaojun Yao, Tingjun Hou, Yu Kang
Summary: This study systematically evaluates the performance of traditional methods and AI models in small-molecule conformer generation. The results show that traditional methods outperform AI models in reproducing bioactive conformations, while an AI model has an advantage in generating low-energy conformations.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL INFORMATION AND MODELING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Jieyu Jin, Dong Wang, Guqin Shi, Jingxiao Bao, Jike Wang, Haotian Zhang, Peichen Pan, Dan Li, Xiaojun Yao, Huanxiang Liu, Tingjun Hou, Yu Kang
Summary: Recently, deep generative models, such as FFLOM, have shown promise in fragment-based drug design by generating molecules with desired properties. FFLOM achieves state-of-the-art performance in terms of validity, uniqueness, novelty, and recovery of generated molecules. It also demonstrates excellent potential in practical scenarios including fragment linking, PROTAC design, R-group growing, and R-group optimization, generating molecules with novel fragments and higher binding affinity.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jingjing Guo, Yiqiong Bao, Mengrong Li, Shu Li, Lili Xi, Pengyang Xin, Lei Wu, Huanxiang Liu, Yuguang Mu
Summary: Biological membranes are complex structures vital for life. Experimental investigation of biomembranes is challenging, but computational approaches such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have provided insights into their atomic details and cellular functions. This review highlights the latest advancements in computational methods, from force fields to MD simulations and trajectory analysis. It also discusses current research topics, challenges, and future directions for applying computational technologies in biomembrane systems.
WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE
(2023)