The 3D structures of G-quadruplexes of HIV-1 integrase inhibitors: molecular dynamics simulations in aqueous solution and in the gas phase

J Mol Model. 2010 Apr;16(4):645-57. doi: 10.1007/s00894-009-0592-0. Epub 2009 Oct 4.

Abstract

The unimolecular G-quadruplex structures of d(GGGTGGGTGGGTGGGT) (G1) and d(GTGGTGGGTGGGTGGGT) (G2) are known as the potent nanomolar HIV-1 integrase inhibitors, thus investigating the 3D structures of the two sequences is significant for structure-based rational anti-HIV drug design. In this research, based on the experimental data of circular dichroism (CD) spectropolarimetry and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), the initial models of G1 and G2 were constructed by molecular modeling method. The modeling structures of G1 and G2 are intramolecular parallel-stranded quadruplex conformation with three guanine tetrads. Particularly, the structure of G2 possesses a T loop residue between the first and the second G residues that are the component of two adjacent same-stranded G-tetrad planes. This structure proposed by us has a very novel geometry and is different from all reported G-quadruplexes. The extended (35 ns) molecular dynamic (MD) simulations for the models indicate that the G-quadruplexes maintain their structures very well in aqueous solution whether the existence of K(+) or NH (4) (+) in the central channel. Furthermore, we perform 500 ns MD simulations for the models in the gas phase. The results show that all the ion-G-quadruplex complexes are maintained during the whole simulations, despite the large magnitude of phosphate-phosphate repulsions. The gas phase MD simulations provide a good explanation to ESI-MS experiments. Our 3D structures for G1 and G2 will assist in understanding geometric formalism of G-quadruplex folding and may be helpful as a platform for rational anti-HIV drug design.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Drug Design
  • G-Quadruplexes*
  • Gases
  • HIV Integrase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Solutions
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Substances

  • Gases
  • HIV Integrase Inhibitors
  • Solutions