• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2000

SNAP-25 was first investigated as a neuron-specific protein preferentially expressed in CA3 pyramidal neurons of mouse hippocampus. It is a presynaptic plasma membrane protein in the nerve cell and plays an important role in the synaptic vesicle membrane docking and fusion pathway. We have recently isolated SNAP-25 cDNA from a rat brain cDNA library using a probe of Z2 cDNA. It consisted of 2,101 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) was identified between nucleotides (nt) 209 and 827. The AUG codon (nt 209∼211) was surrounded by CTACCATGG, which corresponded to the consensus sequence of ribosomal binding site. The ORF was terminated by TAA (nt 827∼829) to encode a polypeptide of 206 amino acid residues. The 3'-untranslated region contained two extensive stretches of repeated (CA)28 and (CA)19 at positions 925∼980 and 1645∼1682. It is noteworthy that cysteine residues were clustered in the span of amino acid residues 84∼991 : Cys-Gly-Leu-Cys-Val-Cys-Pro-Cys. Rat SNAP-25 showed 88% and 97% identity in nucleotide sequences to that of human and mouse, respectively. Amino acid sequence of rat SNAP-25 showed 100% identity to that of mouse and human SNAP-21.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.3759-3765
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• 2015

Background: Approaches in disruption of MDM2-p53 interactions have now emerged as an important therapeutic strategy in resurrecting wild type p53 functional status. The present study highlights virtual screening strategies in identification of high affinity small molecule non-peptidic inhibitors. Nutlin3A and RG7112 belonging to compound class of Cis-imidazoline, MI219 of Spiro-oxindole class and Benzodiazepine derived TDP 665759 served as query small molecules for similarity search with a threshold of 95%. The query molecules and the similar molecules corresponding to each query were docked at the transactivation binding cleft of MDM2 protein. Aided by MolDock algorithm, high affinity compound against MDM2 was retrieved. Patch Dock supervised Protein-Protein interactions were established between MDM2 and ligand (query and similar) bound and free states of p53. Compounds with PubCid 68870345, 77819398, 71132874, and 11952782 respectively structurally similar to Nutlin3A, RG7112, Mi219 and TDP 665759 demonstrated higher affinity to MDM2 in comparison to their parent compounds. Evident from the protein-protein interaction studies, all the similar compounds except for 77819398 (similar to RG 7112) showed appreciable inhibitory potential. Of particular relevance, compound 68870345 akin to Nutlin 3A had highest inhibitory potential that respectively showed 1.3, 1.2, 1.16 and 1.26 folds higher inhibitory potential than Nutilin 3A, MI 219, RG 7112 and TDP 1665759. Compound 68870345 was further mapped for structure based pharamacophoric features. In the study, we report Cis-imidazoline derivative compound; Pubcid: 68870345 to have highest inhibitory potential in blocking MDM2-p53 interactions hitherto discovered.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.17.1-17.12
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• 2023

Coronavirus has left severe health impacts on the human population, globally. Still a significant number of cases are reported daily as no specific medications are available for its effective treatment. The presence of the CD147 receptor (human basigin) on the host cell facilitates the severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Therefore, the drugs that efficiently alter the formation of CD147 and spike protein complex could be the right drug candidate to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2. Hence, an e-Pharmacophore model was developed based on the receptor-ligand cavity of CD147 protein which was further mapped against pre-existing drugs of coronavirus disease treatment. A total of seven drugs were found to be suited as pharmacophores out of 11 drugs screened which was further docked with CD147 protein using CDOCKER of Biovia discovery studio. The active site sphere of the prepared protein was 101.44, 87.84, and 97.17 along with the radius being 15.33 and the root-mean-square deviation value obtained was 0.73 Å. The protein minimization energy was calculated to be -30,328.81547 kcal/mol. The docking results showed ritonavir as the best fit as it demonstrated a higher CDOCKER energy (-57.30) with correspond to CDOCKER interaction energy (-53.38). However, authors further suggest in vitro studies to understand the potential activity of the ritonavir.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
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• 2005.09a
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• pp.249-255
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• 2005

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is primarily responsible for human hypertension. Current ACE drugs show serious cough and angiodema health problems due to the un-specific activity of the drug to ACE protein. The availability of ACE crystal structure (1UZF) provided the plausible biological orientation of inhibitors to ACE active site (C-domain). Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) models have been constructed using the comparative molecula. field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) for a series of 28 ACE inhibitors. Alignment for CoMFA obtained by docking ligands to 1UZF protein using FlexX program showed better statistical model as compared to superposition of corresponding atoms. The statistical parameters indicate reasonable models for both CoMFA (q$^2$ = 0.530, r$^2$ = 0.998) and CoMSIA (q$^2$= 0.518, r$^2$ = 0.990). The 3D-QSAR analyses provide valuable information for the design of ACE inhibitors with potent activity towards C-domain of ACE. The group substitutions involving the phenyl ring and carbon chain at the propionyl and sulfonyl moieties of captopril are essential for specific activity to ACE.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.9
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• pp.488-493
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• 2014

Adaptor protein FADD forms the death inducing signaling complex (DISC) by recruiting the initiating caspases-8 and -10 through homotypic death effector domain (DED) interactions. Cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) is an inhibitor of death ligand-induced apoptosis downstream of death receptors, and FADD competes with procaspase-8/10 for recruitment for DISC. However, the mechanism of action of FADD and c-FLIP proteins remain poorly understood at the molecular level. In this study, we provide evidence indicating that the death effector domain (DED) of FADD interacts directly with the death effector domain of human c-FLIP. In addition, we use homology modeling to develop a molecular docking model of FADD and c-FLIP proteins. We also find that four structure-based mutants (E80A, L84A, K169A and Y171A) of c-FLIP DEDs disturb the interaction with FADD DED, and that these mutations lower the stability of the c-FLIP DED.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.1769-1776
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• 2014

Binding modes of a series of catechol derivatives such as protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors were identified by molecular modeling techniques. Docking, molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations were employed to determine the modes of these new inhibitors. Binding free energies were calculated by involving different energy components using the Molecular Mechanics-Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area and Generalized Born Surface Area methods. Relatively larger binding energies were obtained for the catechol derivatives compared to one of the PTP1B inhibitors already in use. The Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) free energy decomposition analysis indicated that the hydroxyl functional groups and biphenyl ring system had favorable interactions with Met258, Tyr46, Gln262 and Phe182 residues of PTP1B. The results of hydrogen bound analysis indicated that catechol derivatives, in addition to hydrogen bonding interactions, Val49, Ile219, Gln266, Asp181 and amino acid residues of PTP1B are responsible for governing the inhibitor potency of the compounds. The information generated from the present study should be useful for the design of more potent PTP1B inhibitors as anti-diabetic agents.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.72-77
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• 2010

Alginate lyases, also known as alginases or alginate depolymerases, catalyze the degradation of alginate by a ${\beta}$-elimination mechanism that has yet to be fully elucidated. Alginate is a copolymer of ${\alpha}$-L-guluronate (G) and its C5 epimer ${\beta}$-D-mannuronate (M), arranged as homopolymeric G blocks, M blocks, alternating GM or random heteropolymeric G/M stretches. Almost all alginate lyases depolymerize alginate in an endolytical fashion via a ${\beta}$-elimination reaction. The alginate lyase Atu3025 from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58, consisting of 776 amino-acid residues, is a novel exotype alginate lyase classified into polysaccharide lyase family 15. Till now there is no crystal structure available for this class of proteins. Since there is no template with high sequence identity, three-dimensional coordinates for exotype alginate lyase (PL 15 family) were determined using modeling methods (Comparitive modeling and Fold recognition). The structures were modeled using the X-ray coordinates from Heparinase protein family (PDB code: 3E7J). This enzyme (Atu3025) displays enzymatic activity for both poly-M and poly-G alginate. Since poly-M is widespread; docking of a tri-mannuronate against the modeled structure was performed. We identified some of those residues which are crucial for lyase activity. The results from this study should guide future mutagenesis studies and also provides a starting point for further proceedings.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1401-1411
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• 2018

The serine-threonine kinase AKT plays a pivotal role in tumor progression and is frequently overactivated in cancer cells; this protein is therefore a critical therapeutic target for cancer intervention. We aimed to identify small molecule inhibitors of the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of AKT to disrupt binding of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PIP3), thereby downregulating AKT activity. Liposome pulldown assays coupled with fluorescence spectrometry were used to screen flavonoids for inhibition of the AKT PH-PIP3 interaction. Western blotting was used to determine the effects of the inhibitors on AKT activation in cancer cells, and in silico docking was used for structural analysis and optimization of inhibitor structure. Several flavonoids showing up to 50% inhibition of the AKT PH-PIP3 interaction decreased the level of AKT activation at the cellular level. In addition, the modified flavonoid showed increased inhibitory effects and the approach would be applied to develop anticancer drug candidates. In this study, we provide a rationale for targeting the lipid-binding domain of AKT, rather than the catalytic kinase domain, in anticancer drug development.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.447-453
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• 2009

The quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors that antagonize TraR, a receptor protein for N-3-oxo-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactones (3-oxo-C8-HSL), a QS signal of Agrobacterium tumefaciens were developed. The structural analogues of 3-oxo-C8-HSL were designed by in silico molecular modeling using SYBYL packages, and synthesized by the solid phase organic synthesis (SPOS) method, where the carboxamide bond of 3-oxo-C8-HSL was replaced with a nicotinamide or a sulfonamide bond to make derivatives of N-nicotinyl-L-homoserine lactones or N-sulfonyl-L-homoserine lactones. The in vivo inhibitory activities of these compounds against QS signaling were assayed using reporter systems and compared with the estimated binding energies from the modeling study. This comparison showed fairly good correlation, suggesting that the in silico interpretation of ligand-receptor structures can be a valuable tool for the pre-design of better competitive inhibitors. In addition, these inhibitors also showed anti-biofilm activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.151-163
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• 2024

Background: Galangin, commonly employed in traditional Chinese medicine for its diverse medicinal properties, exhibits potential in treating inflammatory pain. Nevertheless, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Methods: Mice were randomly divided into 4 groups for 7 days: a normal control group, a galangin-treated (25 and 50 mg/kg), and a positive control celecoxib (20 mg/kg). Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated using a hot plate test, acetic acid-induced writhing test, acetic acid-induced vascular permeability test, formalin-induced paw licking test, and carrageenan-induced paw swelling test. The interplay between galangin, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), NF-κB, COX-2, and TNF-α proteins was evaluated via molecular docking. COX-2, PGE2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α levels in serum were measured using ELISA after capsaicin administration (200 nmol/L). TRPV1 expression in the dorsal root ganglion was analyzed by Western blot. The quantities of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were assessed using qPCR. Results: Galangin reduced hot plate-induced licking latency, acetic acid-induced contortions, carrageenan-triggered foot inflammation, and capillary permeability in mice. It exhibited favorable affinity towards TRPV1, NF-κB, COX-2, and TNF-α, resulting in decreased levels of COX-2, PGE2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in serum following capsaicin stimulation. Galangin effectively suppressed the upregulation of TRPV1 protein and associated receptor neuropeptides CGRP and SP mRNA, while concurrently inhibiting the expression of NF-κB, TNF-α, COX-2, and PGE2 mRNA. Conclusions: Galangin exerts its anti-inflammatory pain effects by inhibiting TRPV1 activation and regulating COX-2, NF-κB/TNF-α expression, providing evidence for the use of galangin in the management of inflammatory pain.