Isaiah Sumner

Hydrogen Tunneling in an Enzyme Active Site: A Quantum Wavepacket Dynamical Perspective

We study the hydrogen tunneling problem in a model system that represents the active site of the biological enzyme, soybean lipoxygenase-1. Toward this, we utilize quantum wavepacket dynamics performed on potential surfaces obtained by using hybrid density functional theory under the influence of a dynamical active site. The kinetic isotope effect is computed by using the transmission amplitude of the wavepacket, and the experimental value is reproduced. By computing the hydrogen nuclear orbitals (eigenstates) along the reaction coordinate, we note that tunneling for both hydrogen and deuterium occurs through the existence of distorted, spherical s-type proton wave functions and p-type polarized proton wave functions for transfer along the donor-acceptor axis. In addition, there is also a significant population transfer through distorted p-type proton wave functions directed perpendicular to the donor-acceptor axis (via intervening pi-type proton eigenstate interactions) which underlines the three-dimensional nature of the tunneling process. The quantum dynamical evolution indicates a significant contribution from tunneling processes both along the donor-acceptor axis and along directions perpendicular to the donor-acceptor axis. Furthermore, the tunneling process is facilitated by the occurrence of curve crossings and avoided crossings along the proton eigenstate adiabats.

Proton Transport Pathways in [NiFe]-Hydrogenase

Hydrogenases reversibly catalyze the production of molecular hydrogen. Current interest in these enzymes is focused on understanding the catalysis, since this may prove useful for hydrogen-based fuel cell and photosynthetic hydrogen production cell technologies. A key step in the hydrogenase catalytic cycle and the focus of this work is proton transport (PT) to and from the active site. The PT mechanism of the enzyme is studied using reactive molecular dynamics simulations of the full protein and the excess proton transfers via the multistate empirical valence bond (MS-EVB) method. Pathways connecting the bulk and the active site are located that suggest possible participation by several protonatable residues. PT free energy surfaces are calculated to differentiate the pathways.

Computational Improvements to Quantum Wave Packet ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Using a Potential-Adapted, Time-Dependent Deterministic Sampling Technique

In a recent publication, we introduced a computational approach to treat the simultaneous dynamics of electrons and nuclei. The method is based on a synergy between quantum wave packet dynamics and ab initio molecular dynamics. Atom-centered density-matrix propagation or Born-Oppenheimer dynamics can be used to perform ab initio dynamics. In this paper, wave packet dynamics is conducted using a three-dimensional direct product implementation of the distributed approximating functional free-propagator. A fundamental computational difficulty in this approach is that the interaction potential between the two components of the methodology needs to be calculated frequently. Here, we overcome this problem through the use of a time-dependent deterministic sampling measure that predicts, at every step of the dynamics, regions of the potential which are important. The algorithm, when combined with an on-the-fly interpolation scheme, allows us to determine the quantum dynamical interaction potential and gradients at every dynamics step in an extremely efficient manner. Numerical demonstrations of our sampling algorithm are provided through several examples arranged in a cascading level of complexity. Starting from a simple one-dimensional quantum dynamical treatment of the shared proton in [Cl-H-Cl](-) and [CH3-H-Cl](-) along with simultaneous dynamical treatment of the electrons and classical nuclei, through a complete three-dimensional treatment of the shared proton in [Cl-H-Cl](-) as well as treatment of a hydrogen atom undergoing donor-acceptor transitions in the biological enzyme, soybean lipoxygenase-1 (SLO-1), we benchmark the algorithm thoroughly. Apart from computing various error estimates, we also compare vibrational density of states, inclusive of full quantum effects from the shared proton, using a novel unified velocity-velocity, flux-flux autocorrelation function. In all cases, the potential-adapted, time-dependent sampling procedure is seen to improve the computational scheme tremendously (by orders of magnitude) with minimal loss of accuracy.

Gauging the Flexibility of the Active Site in Soybean Lipoxygenase-1 (SLO-1) through an Atom-Centered Density Matrix Propagation (ADMP) Treatment That Facilitates the Sampling of Rare Events

We present a computational methodology to sample rare events in large biological enzymes that may involve electronically polarizing, reactive processes. The approach includes simultaneous dynamical treatment of electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom, where contributions from the electronic portion are computed using hybrid density functional theory and the computational costs are reduced through a hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) treatment. Thus, the paper involves a QM/MM dynamical treatment of rare events. The method is applied to probe the effect of the active site elements on the critical hydrogen transfer step in the soybean lipoxygenase-1 (SLO-1) catalyzed oxidation of linoleic acid. It is found that the dynamical fluctuations and associated flexibility of the active site are critical toward maintaining the electrostatics in the regime where the reactive process can occur smoothly. Physical constraints enforced to limit the active site flexibility are akin to mutations and, in the cases studied, have a detrimental effect on the electrostatic fluctuations, thus adversely affecting the hydrogen transfer process.

Chapter 16 - The Study of Dynamically Averaged Vibrational Spectroscopy of Atmospherically Relevant Clusters Using Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics in Conjunction with Quantum Wavepackets

Abstract The ab initio atom-centered density matrix propagation (ADMP) and the quantum wavepacket ab initio molecular dynamics (QWAIMD) computational methods are briefly described. Studies on vibrational and electronic properties obtained utilizing these methods are highlighted.

The Disulfide Bonds within BST-2 Enhance Tensile Strength during Viral Tethering

Human BST-2/tetherin is a host factor that inhibits the release of enveloped viruses, including HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV, from the cell surface by tethering viruses to the host cell membrane. BST-2 has an α-helical ectodomain that forms disulfide-linked dimers between two monomers forming a coiled coil. The ectodomain contains three cysteine residues that can participate in disulfide bond formation and are critical for viral tethering. The role of the disulfides in viral tethering is unknown but proposed to be for maintaining the dimer. We explored the role of the disulfides in the structure of BST-2 using experimental, biophysical methods. To understand the role of the disulfides in viral tethering, we used a new approach in viral tethering, steered molecular dynamics. We find that the disulfides coordinate the unfolding of the BST-2 monomers, which adds tensile strength to the coiled coil. Structural differences between oxidized and reduced BST-2 are apparent during unfolding, showing the monomers slide past each other in the absence of the disulfides. We found no evidence to support dissociation of the dimer upon reduction of the disulfide bonds. Moreover, the structure of BST-2 in the absence of the disulfides is similar to that of the oxidized form of BST-2, supporting previous X-ray crystallography and cellular work that showed the disulfides are not required for expression of BST-2. These data provide new insights into viral tethering by using novel techniques in the analysis of BST-2 to give amino acid level insight into functions of BST-2.

Mechanical dissociation of the M-band titin/obscurin complex is directionally dependent.

Titin and obscurin, two giant muscle proteins, bind to each other in an antiparallel Ig–Ig fashion at the M‐band. This interaction must be able to withstand the mechanical strain that the M‐band typically experiences and remain intact. The mechanical force on these domains is likely exerted along one of two axes: a longitudinal axis, resulting in a ‘shearing’ force, or a lateral axis, resulting in a ‘peeling’ force. Here we present molecular dynamics data suggesting that these forces result in distinct unraveling pathways of the titin/obscurin complex and that peeling the domains apart requires less work and force.

Molecular dynamics simulations reveal a new role for a conserved active site asparagine in a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme

The role of a highly conserved active site asparagine (N79) in the ubiquitin conjugating enzyme, Ubc13, is probed using molecular dynamics simulations. Both wild type and mutant enzymes (N79A and N79D) are studied. Contrary to a popular hypothesis, we show that it is unlikely that N79 stabilizes a reaction intermediate, but instead preferentially hydrogen bonds to a loop near the active site. This keeps the sidechain carboxylate of an aspartate in the loop (D119) near the sidechain amine of the substrate lysine. Our simulations show that this distance increases in the mutants. D119 has been hypothesized to play a variety of roles in the enzyme, including deprotonating the substrate lysine, so changing this distance can have an effect on the enzymes efficiency. Finally, we show that it is possible for the aspartate to deprotonate the substrate even across long distances if short water wires form that connect the proton donor and acceptor. Short water wires form with greater probability in the wild type than in mutant enzymes.