•A complete human thrombin-generating model is developed.•The factor Va A2 C-terminus with sulfotyrosines is crucial.•The ternary model is solvent-equilibrated with molecular dynamics.An all-atom human ternary model for the prothrombinase–prothrombin complex, including metal ions and post-translationally modified residues, was constructed from existing X-ray crystal structures. The factor Xa–prothrombin interface was taken from an existing ternary model, which locates the active site of factor Xa in the vicinity of prothrombin cleavage positions. The three sulfotyrosine residues at the C-terminal sequence of factor Va A2 domain are accommodated by modelling rational interactions with positively charged patches on the surface of prothrombin. The entire model is then solvent-equilibrated with molecular dynamics. This ternary model for the thrombin-generating complex provides an estimate as to the role of the C-terminus of the factor Va A2 domain: to establish an interface between FXa and prothrombin and to stabilize the orientation of this interface.

We investigate the dinuclear manganese, Mn(II)–Mn(II), active site of human cytosolic X-propyl aminopeptidase (XPNPEP1) by employing the QM/MM method. The optimized structure supports two manganese atoms at the active site and excludes the possibility of a single Mn(II) atom or another combination of divalent metal ions, Ca(II), Fe(II), an Mg(II). A broken-symmetry solution verifies an antiferromagnetically coupled state between the Mn(II)–Mn(II) pair, which is the ground state. From the energy difference between the high spin state (HS) and the broken-symmetry state (BS), we estimate the exchange coupling constant, J, to be 5.15 cm–1. Also, we observe multiple bridges (p orbitals) from the solvent and two carboxylates linking to the Mn(II)–Mn(II), which leads to the weakly antiferromagnetic interaction of d5–d5 electrons through superexchange coupling.Keywords: broken symmetry; dinuclear manganese atoms; enzyme; EPR; μ-carboxylato bridge; μ-H2O bridge;

An electrostatic model based on charge density is proposed as a model for future force fields. The model is composed of a nucleus and a single Slater-type contracted Gaussian multipole charge density on each atom. The Gaussian multipoles are fit to the electrostatic potential calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G* and HF/aug-cc-pVTZ levels of theory and tested by comparing electrostatic dimer energies, intermolecular density overlap integrals, and permanent molecular multipole moments with their respective ab initio values. For the case of water, the atomic Gaussian multipole moments Qlm are shown to be a smooth function of internal geometry (bond length and angle), which can be approximated by a truncated linear Taylor series. In addition, results are given when the Gaussian multipole charge density is applied to a model for exchange−repulsion energy based on the intermolecular density overlap.

Thrombin is generated enzymatically from prothrombin by two pathways with the intermediates of meizothrombin and prethrombin-2. Experimental concentration profiles from two independent groups for these two pathways have been re-analyzed. By rationally combining the independent data sets, a simple mechanism can be established and rate constants determined. A structural model is consistent with the data-derived finding that mechanisms that feature channeling or ratcheting are not necessary to describe thrombin production.

An effective approach of estimating molecular pKa values from simple density functional calculations is proposed in this work. Both the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) at the nucleus of the acidic atom and the sum of valence natural atomic orbitals are employed for three categories of compounds, amines and anilines, carbonyl acids and alcohols, and sulfonic acids and thiols. A strong correlation between experimental pKa values and each of these two quantities for each of the three categories has been discovered. Moreover, if the MEP is subtracted by the isolated atomic MEP for each category of compounds, we observe a single unique linear relationship between the resultant MEP difference and experimental pKa data of amines, anilines, carbonyl acids, alcohols, sulfonic acids, thiols, and their substituents. These results can generally be utilized to simultaneously estimate pKa values at multiple sites with a single calculation for either relatively small molecules in drug design or amino acids in proteins and macromolecules.

Protein Z-dependent protease inhibitor (ZPI) and antithrombin III (AT3) are members of the serpin superfamily of protease inhibitors that inhibit factor Xa (FXa) and other proteases in the coagulation pathway. While experimental structural information is available for the interaction of AT3 with FXa, at present there is no structural data regarding the interaction of ZPI with FXa, and the precise role of this interaction in the blood coagulation pathway is poorly understood. In an effort to gain a structural understanding of this system, we have built a solvent equilibrated three-dimensional structural model of the Michaelis complex of human ZPI/FXa using homology modeling, protein–protein docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods. Preliminary analysis of interactions at the complex interface from our simulations suggests that the interactions of the reactive center loop (RCL) and the exosite surface of ZPI with FXa are similar to those observed from X-ray crystal structure-based simulations of AT3/FXa. However, detailed comparison of our modeled structure of ZPI/FXa with that of AT3/FXa points to differences in interaction specificity at the reactive center and in the stability of the inhibitory complex, due to the presence of a tyrosine residue at the P1 position in ZPI, instead of the P1 arginine residue in AT3. The modeled structure also shows specific structural differences between AT3 and ZPI in the heparin-binding and flexible N-terminal tail regions. Our structural model of ZPI/FXa is also compatible with available experimental information regarding the importance for the inhibitory action of certain basic residues in FXa.

Based on a recent ternary complex crystal structure of human DNA polymerase β with a G:A mismatch in the active site, we carried out a theoretical investigation of the catalytic mechanism of incorrect nucleotide incorporation using molecular dynamics simulation, quantum mechanics, combined quantum mechanics, and molecular mechanics methods. A two-stage mechanism is proposed with a nonreactive active-site structural rearrangement prechemistry step occurring before the nucleotidyl transfer reaction. The free energy required for formation of the prechemistry state is found to be the major factor contributing to the decrease in the rate of incorrect nucleotide incorporation compared with correct insertion and therefore to fidelity enhancement. Hence, the transition state and reaction barrier for phosphodiester bond formation after the prechemistry state are similar to that for correct insertion reaction. Key residues that provide electrostatic stabilization of the transition state are identified.

A reaction path including transition states is generated for the Silverman mechanism [R.B. Silverman, Chemical model studies for the mechanism of Vitamin K epoxide reductase, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 103 (1981) 5939–5941] of action for Vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) using quantum mechanical methods (B3LYP/6-311G**). VKOR, an essential enzyme in mammalian systems, acts to convert Vitamin K epoxide, formed by Vitamin K carboxylase, to its (initial) quinone form for cellular reuse. This study elaborates on a prior work that focused on the thermodynamics of VKOR [D.W. Deerfield II, C.H. Davis, T. Wymore, D.W. Stafford, L.G. Pedersen, Int. J. Quant. Chem. 106 (2006) 2944–2952]. The geometries of proposed model intermediates and transition states in the mechanism are energy optimized. We find that once a key disulfide bond is broken, the reaction proceeds largely downhill. An important step in the conversion of the epoxide back to the quinone form involves initial protonation of the epoxide oxygen. We find that the source of this proton is likely a free mercapto group rather than a water molecule. The results are consistent with the current view that the widely used drug Warfarin likely acts by blocking binding of Vitamin K at the VKOR active site and thereby effectively blocking the initiating step. These results will be useful for designing more complete QM/MM studies of the enzymatic pathway once three-dimensional structural data is determined and available for VKOR.

A reaction path including transition states is generated for the Dowd mechanism [P. Dowd, R. Hershlne, S.W. Ham, S. Naganathan. Vitamin K and energy transduction: a base strength amplification mechanism. Science 269 (2005) 1684–1691] of action for Vitamin K carboxylase (VKC) using quantum chemical methods (B3LYP/6-311G**). VKC, an essential enzyme in mammalian systems, catalyzes the conversion of hydroquinone form of Vitamin K to the epoxide form in the presence of oxygen. An intermediate species of the oxidation of Vitamin K, an alkoxide, acts apparently to abstract the gamma hydrogen from specifically located glutamate residues. We are able to follow the Dowd proposed path to generate this alkoxide species. The geometries of the proposed model intermediates and transition states in the mechanism are energy optimized. We find that the most energetic step in the mechanism is the uni-deprotonation of the hydroquinone – once this occurs, there is only a small barrier of 3.5 kcal/mol for the interaction of oxygen with the carbon to be attacked – and then the reaction proceeds downhill in free energy to form the critical alkoxide species. The results are consistent with the idea that the enzyme probably acts to facilitate the formation of the epoxide by reducing the energy required to deprotonate the hydroquinone form.

Crystal structure determinations for neutral and protonated phencyclidine, 1-[1-(2-thienyl)cyclohexyl] piperidine, show that the piperidine-axial conformer on the cyclohexane ring is present in the neutral compound, and that the piperidine-equatorial conformer in the protonated species. Quantum mechanical calculations in vacuo using ab initio techniques also arrive at the same conclusion. A search of the crystallographic literature via the Cambridge structural database reveals that all protonated phencyclidines assume the piperidine-equatorial conformation, and most neutral phencyclidines assume the piperidine-axial conformation.