Poomani Kumaradhas

A combined molecular docking and charge density analysis is a new approach for medicinal research to understand drug–receptor interaction: Curcumin–AChE model

In the present study, a molecular docking analysis has been performed on diketone form of curcumin molecule with acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The calculated lowest docked energy of curcumin molecule in the active site of AChE is -11.21 kcal/mol; this high negative value indicates that the molecule exhibits large binding affinity towards AChE. When the curcumin molecule present in the active site of AChE, subsequently, its conformation has altered significantly and the molecule adopts a U-shape geometry as it is linear in gas phase (before entering into the active site). This conformational transition facilitates curcumin to form strong interaction with Phe330 of acyl-binding pocket and the choline binding site with indole ring of Trp84 and Asp72. The gas phase and the active site analysis of curcumin allows to understand the conformational geometry, nature of molecular flexibility, charge density redistribution and the variation of electrostatic properties of curcumin in the active site. To obtain the gas phase structure, the curcumin molecule was optimized using Hartree-Fock and density functional methods (B3LYP) with the basis set 6-311G(∗∗). A charge density analysis on both gas phase as well as the molecule lifted from the active site was carried out using Baders theory of atoms in molecules (AIM). The difference in molecular electrostatic potential between the two forms of curcumin displays the difference in charge distribution. The large dipole moment of curcumin (7.54 D) in the active site reflects the charge redistribution as it is much less in the gas phase (4.34 D).

Topological analysis of electron density and the electrostatic properties of isoniazid: an experimental and theoretical study

Isoniazid (isonicotinohydrazide) is an important first-line antitubercular drug that targets the InhA enzyme which synthesizes the critical component of the mycobacterial cell wall. An experimental charge-density analysis of isoniazid has been performed to understand its structural and electronic properties in the solid state. A high-resolution single-crystal X-ray intensity data has been collected at 90 K. An aspherical multipole refinement was carried out to explore the topological and electrostatic properties of the isoniazid molecule. The experimental results were compared with the theoretical charge-density calculations performed using CRYSTAL09 with the B3LYP/6-31G** method. A topological analysis of the electron density reveals that the Laplacian of electron density of the N-N bond is significantly less negative, which indicates that the charges at the b.c.p. (bond-critical point) of the bond are least accumulated, and so the bond is considered to be weak. As expected, a strong negative electrostatic potential region is present in the vicinity of the O1, N1 and N3 atoms, which are the reactive locations of the molecule. The C-H···N, C-H···O and N-H···N types of intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions stabilize the crystal structure. The topological analysis of the electron density on hydrogen bonding shows the strength of intermolecular interactions.

Understanding the conformational flexibility and electrostatic properties of curcumin in the active site of rhAChE via molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and charge density analysis

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an important enzyme responsible for Alzheimer’s disease, as per report, keto-enol form of curcumin inhibits this enzyme. The present study aims to understand the binding mechanism of keto-enol curcumin with the recombinant human Acetylcholinesterase (rhAChE) from its conformational flexibility, intermolecular interactions, charge density distribution, and the electrostatic properties at the active site of rhAChE. To accomplish this, a molecular docking analysis of curcumin with the rhAChE was performed, which gives the structure and conformation of curcumin in the active site of rhAChE. Further, the charge density distribution and the electrostatic properties of curcumin molecule (lifted from the active site of rhAChE) were determined from the high level density functional theory (DFT) calculations coupled with the charge density analysis. On the other hand, the curcumin molecule was optimized (gas phase) using DFT method and further, the structure and charge density analysis were also carried out. On comparing the conformation, charge density distribution and the electrostatic potential of the active site form of curcumin with the corresponding gas phase form reveals that the above said properties are significantly altered when curcumin is present in the active site of rhAChE. The conformational stability and the interaction of curcumin in the active site are also studied using molecular dynamics simulation, which shows a large variation in the conformational geometry of curcumin as well as the intermolecular interactions.

Intermolecular interactions, charge-density distribution and the electrostatic properties of pyrazinamide anti-TB drug molecule: an experimental and theoretical charge-density study.

An experimental charge-density analysis of pyrazinamide (a first line antitubercular drug) was performed using high-resolution X-ray diffraction data [(sin θ/λ)max = 1.1 Å(-1)] measured at 100 (2) K. The structure was solved by direct methods using SHELXS97 and refined by SHELXL97. The total electron density of the pyrazinamide molecule was modeled using the Hansen-Coppens multipole formalism implemented in the XD software. The topological properties of electron density determined from the experiment were compared with the theoretical results obtained from CRYSTAL09 at the B3LYP/6-31G** level of theory. The crystal structure was stabilized by N-H...N and N-H...O hydrogen bonds, in which the N3-H3B...N1 and N3-H3A...O1 interactions form two types of dimers in the crystal. Hirshfeld surface analysis was carried out to analyze the intermolecular interactions. The fingerprint plot reveals that the N...H and O...H hydrogen-bonding interactions contribute 26.1 and 18.4%, respectively, of the total Hirshfeld surface. The lattice energy of the molecule was calculated using density functional theory (B3LYP) methods with the 6-31G** basis set. The molecular electrostatic potential of the pyrazinamide molecule exhibits extended electronegative regions around O1, N1 and N2. The existence of a negative electrostatic potential (ESP) region just above the upper and lower surfaces of the pyrazine ring confirm the π-electron cloud.

Topological characterization of electron density, electrostatic potential and intermolecular interactions of 2-nitroimidazole: an experimental and theoretical study

An experimental charge density distribution of 2-nitroimidazole was determined from high-resolution X-ray diffraction and the Hansen-Coppens multipole model. The 2-nitroimidazole compound was crystallized and a high-angle X-ray diffraction intensity data set has been collected at low temperature (110 K). The structure was solved and further, an aspherical multipole model refinement was performed up to octapole level; the results were used to determine the structure, bond topological and electrostatic properties of the molecule. In the crystal, the molecule exhibits a planar structure and forms weak and strong intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions with the neighbouring molecules. The Hirshfeld surface of the molecule was plotted, which explores different types of intermolecular interactions and their strength. The topological analysis of electron density at the bond critical points (b.c.p.) of the molecule was performed, from that the electron density ρbcp(r) and the Laplacian of electron density ∇2ρbcp(r) at the b.c.p.s of the molecule have been determined; these parameters show the charge concentration/depletion of the nitroimidazole bonds in the crystal. The electrostatic parameters like atomic charges and the dipole moment of the molecule were calculated. The electrostatic potential surface of the molecule has been plotted, and it displays a large electronegative region around the nitro group. All the experimental results were compared with the corresponding theoretical calculations performed using CRYSTAL09.

Charge density distribution and electrostatic interactions of ethionamide: an inhibitor of the enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (inhA) enzyme of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

An experimental charge density analysis of an anti-TB drug ethionamide was carried out from high resolution X-ray diffraction at 100 K to understand its charge density distribution and electrostatic properties. The experimental results were validated from periodic theoretical charge density calculations performed using CRYSTAL09 at the B3LYP/6-31G** level of theory. The electron density rho(bcp)(r) and the Laplacian of electron density del(2)(rho bcp)(r) of the molecule calculated from both the methods display the charge density distribution of the ethionamide molecule in the crystal field. The electrostatic potential map shows a large electropositive region around the pyridine ring and a large electronegative region at the vicinity of the thiol atom. The calculated experimental dipole moment is 10.6D, which is higher than the value calculated from theory (8.2D). The topological properties of C-H center dot center dot center dot S, N-H center dot center dot center dot N and N-H center dot center dot center dot S hydrogen bonds were calculated, revealing their strength. The charge density analysis of the ethionamide molecule determined from both the experiment and theory gives the topological and electrostatic properties of the molecule, which allows to precisely understand the nature of intra and intermolecular interactions.

Probing the effect of nitro groups in nitramine based energetic molecules: a DFT and charge density study

The structure, electron density distribution, energetic and electrostatic properties of simple nitramine based energetic TMA, DMNA, MDA and TNA molecules were determined using density functional theory (B3LYP) with the 6-311G** and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets coupled with Baders theory of atoms in molecules. In the NO2 group substituted molecules, the N–N bond distance increases with the increase of NO2 groups, whereas in C–N bonds, this effect is relatively less, and the distances are almost equal. The topological analysis of electron density reveals that the electron density ρbcp(r) of C–N and N–N bonds are significantly decreasing with the increase of NO2 groups in the nitramine molecules. The Laplacian of electron density ▽2ρbcp(r) of N–NO2 bonds [DMNA: − 16.7 eÅ− 5, MDA: − 12.8 eÅ− 5 and TNA: − 7.9 eÅ− 5] of the molecules are relatively less negative, and the values also decrease with the increase of NO2 groups; this implies that the charge concentration decreases with the increase of NO2 groups, which leads to weakening the N–N bonds of the molecules. The isosurface of molecular electrostatic potential displays high electronegative regions around the NO2 groups. The oxygen balance OB100 of the molecules increases as the number of NO2 group increases in the molecules, in which, the TNA molecule having maximum OB100 value [+7.89]. The band gap, heat of detonation, bond dissociation energy and charge imbalance are predominantly depends on the number of NO2 group present in the molecule. The charge imbalance parameter (ν) has been calculated for all molecules, which reveals that TNA is a highly sensitive molecule, the corresponding ν value is 0.047.

Ab initio Crystal Structure and Charge Density Distribution of a Highly Energetic 2,4-dinitrobenzoic Acid Molecule

The energetic parameters, such as density, bond strength, and sensitivity of explosives/ propellants decide their detonation power and safety. Experimentally, optimization of these parameters is found to be a difficult task; therefore, prior to synthesis, it makes sense to estimate these parameters by computational techniques, ab initio crystal structure prediction, and quantum chemical calculation coupled with the AIM analysis. Here, we predict the density of an energetic 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid (DNBA) molecule from different ab initio crystal structure models and validate the results through comparisons with experimental data. The bond topological characterization reveals that the C NO2 bonds are the weakest bonds and are identified as sensitive bonds in the molecule. The bond sensitivity is estimated from Murray’s method. The impact sensitivity of this molecule is also calculated. Large negative electrostatic potential regions are found near the NO2 and carboxylic groups, which are the reactive sites of the molecule.

Ethyl 4-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl)-6-methyl-1-phenyl-2-thioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate

In the title compound, C22H23N3O6S, the pyridimine ring adopts a screw boat conformation, with one C and one N atom displaced from the plane of the remaining atoms. In the crystal structure, centrosymmetric dimers are formed via pairs of N—H⋯S hydrogen bonds. The keto O atom of the ester group is disordered equally over two positions.

Investigation of activation mechanism and conformational stability of N-(4-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-2-ethoxybenzamide and N-(4-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-2-ethoxy-6-pentadecyl-benzamidein the active site of p300 histone acetyl transferase enzyme by molecular dynamics and binding free-energy studies

Abstract The CBP (CREB-binding protein) and p300 are related to transcriptional coactivator family and are involved in several post-translational modifications, in which the acetylation is an important factor because it commences the transcription process. Experimental studies report that CTPB (N-(4-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-2-ethoxy-6-pentadecyl-benzamide) and CTB (N-(4-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-2-ethoxybenzamide) are good activators of p300 HAT enzyme, but yet, the molecular mechanism of their activation is not explored. The present study pertains to determine the intermolecular interactions, stability and binding free energy of CTB and CTPB from the molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and binding free energy calculation. The docking studies of the molecules reveal that the docking score of CTPB (−15.64 kcal/mol) is higher than that of CTB (−12.30 kcal/mol); on the contrary, CTB forms a strong interaction with the key residues of catalytic site (Tyr1467 and Trp1436) compared with CTPB. The MD simulation shows the stability of both molecules in the active site of p300 and their interactions. Furthermore, both docking and MD simulation studies of CTB confirm that it forms expected key interactions and retain the interactions with the active site amino acid residues of p300 when compared with CTPB. For this reason, the CTB recruits more acetyl-CoA in the active site of p300 compared with CTPB; it leads to activate the acetylation process; hence, CTB may be a best activator than CTPB. The binding free energy value of CTPB (−24.79  2.38 kcal/mol) is higher when compared with that of CTB (−12.14  1.30 kcal/mol) molecule; perhaps, the interaction of pentadecyl chain of CTPB with p300, whereas in CTB, such a group is absent. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma