An Underutilized Tool in the Quest to Elucidate Radical SAM Dynamics
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molecules Review Computational Approaches: An Underutilized Tool in the Quest to Elucidate Radical SAM Dynamics Tamra C. Blue and Katherine M. Davis * Department of Chemistry, Emory University, 1515 Dickey Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Enzymes are biological catalysts whose dynamics enable their reactivity. Visualizing conformational changes, in particular, is technically challenging, and little is known about these crucial atomic motions. This is especially problematic for understanding the functional diversity associated with the radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) superfamily whose members share a common radical mechanism but ultimately catalyze a broad range of challenging reactions. Compu- tational chemistry approaches provide a readily accessible alternative to exploring the time-resolved behavior of these enzymes that is not limited by experimental logistics. Here, we review the appli- cation of molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and density functional theory, as well as hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods to the study of these enzymes, with a focus on understanding the mechanistic dynamics associated with turnover. Keywords: radical SAM enzymes; dynamics; computational; DFT; MD; docking; QM/MM 1. Introduction Citation: Blue, T.C.; Davis, K.M. Carefully choreographed structural dynamics underlie enzymatic activity. However, Computational Approaches: An Underutilized Tool in the Quest to these motions are often small in magnitude, notoriously difficult to visualize, and remain Elucidate Radical SAM Dynamics. largely unexplored. Short reaction timescales and/or a lack of intermediate state accumula- Molecules 2021, 26, 2590. https:// tion complicate data collection. Furthermore, structural biology methods typically rely on doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092590 cryogenic temperatures that limit study to stable states or those with lifetimes long enough for freeze trapping. Recent advancements in time-resolved crystallography show great Academic Editor: Rafik Karaman promise for monitoring atomic changes as catalysis occurs, but there are limitations [1,2]. Many membrane proteins, as well as large or flexible molecules, for example, are difficult to Received: 30 March 2021 crystallize [3]. Likewise, in order to study dynamical properties, the macromolecule must Accepted: 26 April 2021 be biologically active in the crystalline state, the lattice must support turnover, and near Published: 29 April 2021 simultaneous reaction initiation of all constituent molecules must be achieved. While the conformational dynamics of enzymes that rely on radical-based chemistry are of particular Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral interest due to their ability to catalyze challenging transformations during the biosynthesis with regard to jurisdictional claims in of many natural products and cofactors, these systems are often reactive to molecular published maps and institutional affil- oxygen, which similarly complicates handling. iations. This is especially true for the >300,000 members of the radical S-adenosyl-L-methionine (rSAM) superfamily [4]. These enzymes catalyze a diverse array of reactions that include C–C bond formation, decarboxylation, sulfur insertion, and methylation [5]. They are bioinformatically classified via the presence of a canonical CX3CX2C motif, the thiols Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. of which bind a catalytically-active [4Fe–4S] cluster. Homolytic cleavage of SAM bound Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. bidentate to the unique iron of this cluster yields methionine and a 50-deoxyadenosyl This article is an open access article radical (dAdo•; Figure1A) [ 5,6]. Most often rSAM enzymes employ this potent radical to distributed under the terms and abstract a substrate hydrogen, thereby enabling the enzymes’ impressive scope of reactivity. conditions of the Creative Commons Although they comprise one of the largest known enzyme superfamilies, characterization Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// of rSAM enzymes has been hindered by their recalcitrant nature. Computational chemistry creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ methods provide a readily accessible alternative to studying the mechanisms and atomic 4.0/). Molecules 2021, 26, 2590. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092590 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules Molecules 2021, 26, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 15 Moleculescharacterization2021, 26, 2590 of rSAM enzymes has been hindered by their recalcitrant nature. Com‐2 of 14 putational chemistry methods provide a readily accessible alternative to studying the mechanisms and atomic motions that facilitate rSAM catalysis while overcoming the tech‐ motions that facilitate rSAM catalysis while overcoming the technical limitations associated nical limitations associated with time‐resolved structure determination of these enzymes. with time-resolved structure determination of these enzymes. Figure 1. Substrate binding in TsrM. (A) Shared reaction of rSAM enzymes. (B) Reaction catalyzed by TsrM, which while Figure 1. Substrate binding in TsrM. (A) Shared reaction of rSAM enzymes. (B) Reaction catalyzed annotated as a rSAM enzyme, does not appear to generate dAdo•.(C) The active site structure of TsrM (PDB accession code: • 6WTF)by TsrM, depicts which the target while carbon annotated in an unproductive as a rSAM position. enzyme, Docking does simulations not appear suggest to generate an alternate dAdo flipped. (C) binding The modeactive for Trp site in structure the presence of of TsrM MeCbl. (PDB This accession proposal helps code: to rationalize 6WTF) depicts observed the reorientation target carbon of a nearby in an Tyr.unpro‐ ductive position. Docking simulations suggest an alternate flipped binding mode for Trp in the presence of MeCbl. This proposalComputational helps to approaches rationalize have observed played reorientation an integral role of ina nearby defining Tyr. the rSAM su- perfamily, since its classification in 2001, when bioinformatics was used to survey and Computationalcategorize approaches the original have played ~600 members an integral [7]. Computational role in defining chemistry the rSAM methods super that lever-‐ age our understanding of classical and quantum mechanics to analyze the fundamental family, since its classificationproperties of atoms,in 2001, molecules, when bioinformatics and chemical reactions, was used however, to survey have been and sorely cate under-‐ gorize the original utilized~600 members in the study [7]. of Computational these fascinating enzymes. chemistry Here, methods we summarize that leverage work that hasour been understanding of classicalperformed and to apply quantum both ab mechanics initio and semi-empirical to analyze the calculations fundamental to the study properties of rSAM en- of atoms, molecules,zyme and dynamics chemical with reactions, a focus on dockinghowever, (D), have molecular been dynamics sorely (MD),underutilized density functional in theory (DFT) and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods the study of these(Table fascinating1). Areas enzymes. of untapped Here, potential we are summarize highlighted alongwork with that potential has been pitfalls. per‐ formed to apply both ab initio and semi‐empirical calculations to the study of rSAM en‐ zyme dynamics with2. Molecular a focus Dockingon docking (D), molecular dynamics (MD), density func‐ tional theory (DFT) andSome hybrid of the most quantum critical conformational mechanics/molecular changes that anmechanics enzyme undergoes (QM/MM) are those methods (Table 1).associated Areas of with untapped substrate potential binding. Accordingly,are highlighted visualization along with of reactant potential complexes pit‐ can provide unprecedented insight into the structural basis for reactivity. Binding of a peptidyl falls. analog for the protein substrate pyruvate formate-lyase (PFL) by the radical SAM activating enzyme (PFL-AE) is accompanied by rearrangement of an active site beta strand, which 2. Molecular Dockingpartially loses secondary structure to provide contacts with the peptide [8]. Complexation with the PFL fragment further induces changes to side chain conformations that stabilize Some of the mostthe cosubstrate critical conformational SAM, a correlation changes that may that help an to enzyme prevent unproductive undergoes cleavage.are those More associated with substrategenerally, binding. loop motions Accordingly, that occlude solventvisualization access to theof reactant active site complexes appear to be relativelycan provide unprecedentedwidespread insight amongst into membersthe structural of the superfamily basis for [reactivity.9,10]. Despite Binding a shared mechanism,of a pep‐ the tidyl analog for thevast protein substrate substrate diversity pyruvate of rSAM enzymes formate precludes‐lyase (PFL) a common by substrate-bindingthe radical SAM motif, and conformational changes associated with ligand binding are often subtle. The structural activating enzyme (PFL‐AE) is accompanied by rearrangement of an active site beta strand, which partially loses secondary structure to provide contacts with the peptide [8]. Complexation with the PFL fragment further induces changes to side chain conformations that stabilize the cosubstrate SAM, a correlation that may help to prevent unproductive cleavage. More generally, loop motions that occlude solvent access to the active site ap‐ pear to be relatively widespread amongst members of the superfamily [9,10]. Despite a shared mechanism, the