Alexander V. Nemukhin

Quantum Chemistry Behind Bioimaging: Insights from Ab Initio Studies of Fluorescent Proteins and Their Chromophores

The unique properties of green fluorescent protein (GFP) have been harnessed in a variety of bioimaging techniques, revolutionizing many areas of the life sciences. Molecular-level understanding of the underlying photophysics provides an advantage in the design of new fluorescent proteins (FPs) with improved properties; however, because of its complexity, many aspects of the GFP photocycle remain unknown. In this Account, we discuss computational studies of FPs and their chromophores that provide qualitative insights into mechanistic details of their photocycle and the structural basis for their optical properties. In a reductionist framework, studies of well-defined model systems (such as isolated chromophores) help to understand their intrinsic properties, while calculations including protein matrix and/or solvent demonstrate, on the atomic level, how these properties are modulated by the environment. An interesting feature of several anionic FP chromophores in the gas phase is their low electron detachment energy. For example, the bright excited ππ* state of the model GFP chromophore (2.6 eV) lies above the electron detachment continuum (2.5 eV). Thus, the excited state is metastable with respect to electron detachment. This autoionizing character needs to be taken into account in interpreting gas-phase measurements and is very difficult to describe computationally. Solvation (and even microsolvation by a single water molecule) stabilizes the anionic states enough such that the resonance excited state becomes bound. However, even in stabilizing environments (such as protein or solution), the anionic chromophores have relatively low oxidation potentials and can act as light-induced electron donors. Protein appears to affect excitation energies very little (<0.1 eV), but alters ionization or electron detachment energies by several electron volts. Solvents (especially polar ones) have a pronounced effect on the chromophores electronic states; for example, the absorption wavelength changes considerably, the ground-state barrier for cis-trans isomerization is reduced, and fluorescence quantum yield drops dramatically. Calculations reveal that these effects can be explained in terms of electrostatic interactions and polarization, as well as specific interactions such as hydrogen bonding. The availability of efficient computer implementations of predictive electronic structure methods is essential. Important challenges include developing faster codes (to enable better equilibrium sampling and excited-state dynamics modeling), creating algorithms for properties calculations (such as nonlinear optical properties), extending standard excited-state methods to autoionizing (resonance) states, and developing accurate QM/MM schemes. The results of sophisticated first-principle calculations can be interpreted in terms of simpler, qualitative molecular orbital models to explain general trends. In particular, an essential feature of the anionic GFP chromophore is an almost perfect resonance (mesomeric) interaction between two Lewis structures, giving rise to charge delocalization, bond-order scrambling, and, most importantly, allylic frontier molecular orbitals spanning the methine bridge. We demonstrate that a three-center Hückel-like model provides a useful framework for understanding properties of FPs. It can explain changes in absorption wavelength upon protonation or other structural modifications of the chromophore, the magnitude of transition dipole moment, barriers to isomerization, and even non-Condon effects in one- and two-photon absorption.

Molecular Models Predict Light-Induced Glutamine Tautomerization in BLUF Photoreceptors☆

The recently discovered photoreceptor proteins containing BLUF (sensor of blue light using FAD) domains mediate physiological responses to blue light in bacteria and euglena. In BLUF domains, blue light activates the flavin chromophore yielding a signaling state characterized by a approximately 10 nm red-shifted absorption. We developed molecular models for the dark and light states of the BLUF domain of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides AppA protein, which are based on the crystal structures and quantum-mechanical simulations. According to these models, photon absorption by the flavin results in a tautomerization and 180 degree rotation of the Gln side chain that interacts with the flavin cofactor. This chemical modification of the Gln residue induces alterations in the hydrogen bond network in the core of the photoreceptor domain, which were observed in numerous spectroscopic experiments. The calculated electronic transition energies and vibrational frequencies of the proposed dark and light states are consistent with the optical and IR spectral changes observed during the photocycle. Light-induced isomerization of an amino acid residue instead of a chromophore represents a feature that has not been described previously in photoreceptors.

QM/MM modeling the Ras–GAP catalyzed hydrolysis of guanosine triphosphate

The mechanism of the hydrolysis reaction of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) by the protein complex Ras–GAP (p21ras – p120GAP) has been modeled by the quantum mechanical—molecular mechanical (QM/MM) and ab initio quantum calculations. Initial geometry configurations have been prompted by atomic coordinates of a structural analog (PDBID:1WQ1). It is shown that the minimum energy reaction path is consistent with an assumption of two‐step chemical transformations. At the first stage, a unified motion of Arg789 of GAP, Gln61, Thr35 of Ras, and the lytic water molecule results in a substantial spatial separation of the γ‐phosphate group of GTP from the rest of the molecule (GDP). This phase of hydrolysis process proceeds through the low‐barrier transition state TS1. At the second stage, Gln61 abstracts and releases protons within the subsystem including Gln61, the lytic water molecule and the γ‐phosphate group of GTP through the corresponding transition state TS2. Direct quantum calculations show that, in this particular environment, the reaction GTP + H2O → GDP + H2PO  4− can proceed with reasonable activation barriers of less than 15 kcal/mol at every stage. This conclusion leads to a better understanding of the anticatalytic effect of cancer‐causing mutations of Ras, which has been debated in recent years. Proteins 2005.

Mechanisms of guanosine triphosphate hydrolysis by Ras and Ras-GAP proteins as rationalized by ab initio QM/MM simulations

The hydrolysis reaction of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) by p21ras (Ras) has been modeled by using the ab initio type quantum mechanical–molecular mechanical simulations. Initial geometry configurations have been prompted by atomic coordinates of the crystal structure (PDBID: 1QRA) corresponding to the prehydrolysis state of Ras in complex with GTP. Multiple searches of minimum energy geometry configurations consistent with the hydrogen bond networks have been performed, resulting in a series of stationary points on the potential energy surface for reaction intermediates and transition states. It is shown that the minimum energy reaction path is consistent with an assumption of a two‐step mechanism of GTP hydrolysis. At the first stage, a unified action of the nearest residues of Ras and the nearest water molecules results in a substantial spatial separation of the γ‐phosphate group of GTP from the rest of the molecule (GDP). This phase of hydrolysis process proceeds through the low barrier (16.7 kcal/mol) transition state TS1. At the second stage, the inorganic phosphate is formed in consequence of proton transfers mediated by two water molecules and assisted by the Gln61 residue from Ras. The highest transition state at this segment, TS3, is estimated to have an energy 7.5 kcal/mol above the enzyme–substrate complex. The results of simulations are compared to the previous findings for the GTP hydrolysis in the Ras‐GAP (p21ras–p120GAP) protein complex. Conclusions of the modeling lead to a better understanding of the anticatalytic effect of cancer causing mutation of Gln61 from Ras, which has been debated in recent years. Proteins 2007.

Effect of Protein Environment on Electronically Excited and Ionized States of the Green Fluorescent Protein Chromophore

The effect of the protein environment on the electronic structure of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) chromophore is investigated by QM/MM (quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics) calculations. The protein has very small effect on the excitation energy of the bright absorbing and the lowest triplet states of the anionic GFP chromophore, deprotonated 4-hydroxybenzylidene-2,3-dimethylimidazolinone (HBDI) anion, however, it increases vertical detachment energy from 2.5 eV (gas-phase deprotonated HBDI anion) to 5.0 eV (solvated protein). We also investigated possible existence of the charge-transfer-to-solvent (CTTS) states associated with the GFP chromophore. Although precursors of such states appear in cluster calculations, a tightly packed structure of the protein prevents the formation of the CTTS states in this system. Motivated by a recently discovered new type of photoconversion, oxidative redding, we characterized the redox properties of GFP. The computed standard reduction potential of the anionic form of GFP is 0.47 V (for the GFP(•) + 1e → GFP(-) reaction), and the reduction potential at physiological conditions (pH 7, T = 25 °C) is 0.06 V.

Mechanism of the myosin catalyzed hydrolysis of ATP as rationalized by molecular modeling

The intrinsic chemical reaction of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis catalyzed by myosin is modeled by using a combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methodology that achieves a near ab initio representation of the entire model. Starting with coordinates derived from the heavy atoms of the crystal structure (Protein Data Bank ID code 1VOM) in which myosin is bound to the ATP analog ADP·VO4−, a minimum-energy path is found for the transformation ATP + H2O → ADP + Pi that is characterized by two distinct events: (i) a low activation-energy cleavage of the PγOβγ bond and separation of the γ-phosphate from ADP and (ii) the formation of the inorganic phosphate as a consequence of proton transfers mediated by two water molecules and assisted by the Glu-459–Arg-238 salt bridge of the protein. The minimum-energy model of the enzyme–substrate complex features a stable hydrogen-bonding network in which the lytic water is positioned favorably for a nucleophilic attack of the ATP γ-phosphate and for the transfer of a proton to stably bound second water. In addition, the PγOβγ bond has become significantly longer than in the unbound state of the ATP and thus is predisposed to cleavage. The modeled transformation is viewed as the part of the overall hydrolysis reaction occurring in the closed enzyme pocket after ATP is bound tightly to myosin and before conformational changes preceding release of inorganic phosphate.

Flexible effective fragment QM/MM method: Validation through the challenging tests

A new version of the QM/MM method, which is based on the effective fragment potential (EFP) methodology [Gordon, M. et al., J Phys Chem A 2001, 105, 293] but allows flexible fragments, is verified through calculations of model molecular systems suggested by different authors as challenging tests for QM/MM approaches. For each example, the results of QM/MM calculations for a partitioned system are compared to the results of an all‐electron ab initio quantum chemical study of the entire system. In each case we were able to achieve approximately similar or better accuracy of the QM/MM results compared to those described in original publications. In all calculations we kept the same set of parameters of our QM/MM scheme. A new test example is considered when calculating the potential of internal rotation in the histidine dipeptide around the CαCβ side chain bond.

Many‐body potentials and dynamics based on diatomics‐in‐molecules: Vibrational frequency shifts in ArnHF (n=1–12,62) clusters

The conjecture that limited basis diatomics‐in‐molecules type potentials may serve as an accurate representation of many‐body interactions is explored through molecular dynamics simulations of ArnHF (n=1–12,62). The important ingredient in the constructed potentials is the inclusion of ionic configurations of HF. Once the admixture between ionic and covalent configurations is calibrated by reference to an ab initio surface of the ArHF dimer, a single three‐body potential energy surface is defined, and used in subsequent simulations of larger clusters. The vibrational frequencies of HF, which are computed from velocity–velocity autocorrelation functions, quantitatively reproduce the cluster size dependent redshifts.

Gas Phase Absorption Studies of Photoactive Yellow Protein Chromophore Derivatives

Photoabsorption spectra of deprotonated trans p-coumaric acid and two of its methyl substituted derivatives have been studied in gas phase both experimentally and theoretically. We have focused on the spectroscopic effect of the location of the two possible deprotonation sites on the trans p-coumaric acid which originate to either a phenoxide or a carboxylate. Surprisingly, the three chromophores were found to have the same absorption maximum at 430 nm, in spite of having different deprotonation positions. However, the absorption of the chromophore in polar solution is substantially different for the distinct deprotonation locations. We also report on the time scales and pathways of relaxation after photoexcitation for the three photoactive yellow protein chromophore derivatives. As a result of these experiments, we could detect the phenoxide isomer within the deprotonated trans p-coumaric acid in gas phase; however, the occurrence of the carboxylate is uncertain. Several computational methods were used simultaneously to provide insights and assistance in the interpretation of our experimental results. The calculated excitation energies S(0)-S(1) are in good agreement with experiment for those systems having a negative charge on a phenoxide moiety. Although our augmented multiconfigurational quasidegenerate perturbation theory calculations agree with experiment in the description of the absorption spectrum of anions with a carboxylate functional group, there are some puzzling disagreements between experiment and some calculational methods in the description of these systems.

Photoinduced Chemistry in Fluorescent Proteins: Curse or Blessing?

Photoinduced reactions play an important role in the photocycle of fluorescent proteins from the green fluorescent protein (GFP) family. Among such processes are photoisomerization, photooxidation/photoreduction, breaking and making of covalent bonds, and excited-state proton transfer (ESPT). Many of these transformations are initiated by electron transfer (ET). The quantum yields of these processes vary significantly, from nearly 1 for ESPT to 10-4-10-6 for ET. Importantly, even when quantum yields are relatively small, at the conditions of repeated illumination the overall effect is significant. Depending on the task at hand, fluorescent protein photochemistry is regarded either as an asset facilitating new applications or as a nuisance leading to the loss of optical output. The phenomena arising due to phototransformations include (i) large Stokes shifts, (ii) photoconversions, photoactivation, and photoswitching, (iii) phototoxicity, (iv) blinking, (v) permanent bleaching, and (vi) formation of long-lived intermediates. The focus of this review is on the most recent experimental and theoretical work on photoinduced transformations in fluorescent proteins. We also provide an overview of the photophysics of fluorescent proteins, highlighting the interplay between photochemistry and other channels (fluorescence, radiationless relaxation, and intersystem crossing). The similarities and differences with photochemical processes in other biological systems and in dyes are also discussed.