Bhaskar Matcha

Identification and analysis of novel R308K mutation in glucokinase of type 2 diabetic patient and its kinetic correlation

Glucokinase (GK) plays a critical role in glucose homeostasis and the mutations in GK gene result in pathogenic complications known as Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young 2, an autosomal dominant form of diabetic condition. In the present study, GK was purified from human liver tissue and the pure enzyme showed single band in SDS‐PAGE with a molecular weight of 50 kDa. The kinetics of pure GK showed enzyme activity of 0.423 ± 0.02 µM glucose‐6‐phosphate (G6P)/mL/Min and Km value of 6.66 ± 0.02 µM. These values were compared in the liver biopsy of a clinically proven type 2 diabetic patient, where GK kinetics showed decreased enzyme activity of 0.16 ± 0.025 µM G6P/mL/Min and increased Km of 23 ± 0.9 µM, indicating the hyperglycemic condition in the patient. The genetic analysis of 10th exon of GK gene from this patient showed a R308K mutation. To substantiate these results, comparative molecular dynamics and docking studies were carried out where a higher docking score (−10.218 kcal/mol) was observed in the mutated GK than wild‐type GK structure (−12.593 kcal/mol) indicating affinity variations for glucose. During the simulation process, glucose was expelled out from the mutant conformation but not from wild‐type GK, making glucose unavailable for phosphorylation. Therefore, these results conclusively explain hyperglycemic condition in this patient.

Mutations in exons 10 and 11 of human glucokinase result in conformational variations in the active site of the structure contributing to poor substrate binding – explains hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients

Mutations in the glucokinase (GK) gene play a critical role in the establishment of type 2 diabetes. In our earlier study, R308K mutation in GK in a clinically proven type 2 diabetic patient showed, structural and functional variations that contributed immensely to the hyperglycemic condition. In the extension of this work, a cohort of 30 patients with established type 2 diabetic condition were chosen and the exons 10 and 11 of GK were PCR-amplified and sequenced. The sequence alignment showed A379S, D400Y, E300A, E395A, E395G, H380N, I348N, L301M, M298I, M381G, M402R, R308K, R394P, R397S, and S398R mutations in 12 different patients. The structural analysis of these mutated GKs, showed a variable number of β-α-β units, hairpins, β-bulges, strands, helices, helix–helix interactions, β-turns, and γ-turns along with the RMSD variations when compared to wild-type GK. Molecular modeling studies revealed that the substrate showed variable binding orientations and could not fit into the active site of these mutated structures; moreover, it was expelled out of the conformations. Therefore, these structural variations in GK due to mutations could be one of the strongest reasons for the hyperglycemic levels in these type 2 diabetic patients.

Design, synthesis, in silico and in vitro studies of novel 4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid derivatives as potent anti-cancer agents

Since inhibitors of mucin onco proteins are potential targets for breast cancer therapy, a series of novel 4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid (1) derivatives 3a-k were synthesized by the reaction of 1 with SOCl2 followed by different bases/alcohols in the presence of triethylamine. Once synthesized and characterized, their binding modes with MUC1 were studied by molecular docking analysis using Aruglab 4.0.1 and QSAR properties were determined using HyperChem. All synthesized compounds were screened for in vitro anti-breast cancer activity against MDA-MB-231 breast adenocarcinoma cell lines by Trypan-blue cell viability assay and MTT methods. Compounds 1, 3b, 3d, 3e, 3i and 3f showed good anti-breast cancer activity. Since 1 and 3d exhibited high potent activity against MDA-MB-231 cell lines, they show could be effective mucin onco protein inhibitors.

Structural Variations of Human Glucokinase Glu256Lys in MODY2 Condition Using Molecular Dynamics Study

Glucokinase (GK) is the predominant hexokinase that acts as glucose sensor and catalyses the formation of Glucose-6-phosphate. The mutations in GK gene influence the affinity for glucose and lead to altered glucose levels in blood causing maturity onset diabetes of the young type 2 (MODY2) condition, which is one of the prominent reasons of type 2 diabetic condition. In view of the importance of mutated GK resulting in hyperglycemic condition, in the present study, molecular dynamics simulations were carried out in intact and 256 E-K mutated GK structures and their energy values and conformational variations were correlated. Energy variations were observed in mutated GK (3500 Kcal/mol) structure with respect to intact GK (5000 Kcal/mol), and it showed increased γ-turns, decreased β-turns, and more helix-helix interactions that affected substrate binding region where its volume increased from 1089.152 Å2 to 1246.353 Å2. Molecular docking study revealed variation in docking scores (intact = −12.199 and mutated = −8.383) and binding mode of glucose in the active site of mutated GK where the involvement of A53, S54, K56, K256, D262 and Q286 has resulted in poor glucose binding which probably explains the loss of catalytic activity and the consequent prevailing of high glucose levels in MODY2 condition.

Calcium, zinc and vitamin E ameliorate cadmium-induced renal oxidative damage in albino Wistar rats

Graphical abstract

Structure based design, synthesis and biological evaluation of amino phosphonate derivatives as human glucokinase activators

Glucokinase (GK) is a potential therapeutic target of type 2 diabetes and GK activators (GKAs) represent a promising class of small organic molecules which enhance GK activity. Based on the configuration and conformation of the allosteric site of GK, we have designed a novel class of amino phosphonate derivatives in order to develop potent GKAs. The QSAR model developed using numerous descriptors revealed its potential with the best effective statistical values of RMSE=1.52 and r2=0.30. Moreover, application of this model on the present test set GKAs proved to be worthy to predict their activities as a better linear relationship was observed with RMSE=0.14 and r2=0.88. ADME studies and Lipinski filters encouraged them as safer therapeutics. The molecular dynamics and docking studies against the GK allosteric site revealed that all GKAs bind with best affinities and the complexes are strengthened by H-bonding, phosphonate salt bridges, hydrophobic and arene cat ionic interactions. Finally, in vitro evaluation with human liver GK revealed their potential to increase the GK activity by different folds. The results from QSAR, ADME, molecular docking and in vitro assays strongly suggested that the present molecules could be used as effective and safer therapeutics to control and manage type 2 diabetes.

Modeling, molecular docking, probing catalytic binding mode of acetyl-CoA malate synthase G in Brucella melitensis 16M

There are enormous evidences and previous reports standpoint that the enzyme of glyoxylate pathway malate synthase G (MSG) is a potential virulence factor in several pathogenic organisms, including Brucella melitensis 16M. Where the lack of crystal structures for best candidate proteins like MSG of B. melitensis 16M creates big lacuna to understand the molecular pathogenesis of brucellosis. In the present study, we have constructed a 3-D structure of MSG of Brucella melitensis 16M in MODELLER with the help of crystal structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis malate synthase (PDB ID: 2GQ3) as template. The stereo chemical quality of the restrained model was evaluated by SAVES server; remarkably we identified the catalytic functional core domain located at 4th cleft with conserved catalytic amino acids, start at ILE 59 to VAL 586 manifest the function of the protein. Furthermore, virtual screening and docking results reveals that best leadmolecules binds at the core domain pocket of MSG catalytic residues and these ligand leads could be the best prospective inhibitors to treat brucellosis.