Electrostatic interactions often play key roles in the recognition of small molecules by nucleic acids. An example is aminoglycoside antibiotics, which by binding to ribosomal RNA (rRNA) affect bacterial protein synthesis. These antibiotics remain one of the few valid treatments against hospital-acquired infections by Gram-negative bacteria. It is necessary to understand the amplitude of electrostatic interactions between aminoglycosides and their rRNA targets to introduce aminoglycoside modifications that would enhance their binding or to design new scaffolds. Here, we calculated the electrostatic energy of interactions and its per-ring contributions between aminoglycosides and their primary rRNA binding site. We applied either the methodology based on the exact potential multipole moment (EPMM) or classical molecular mechanics force field single-point partial charges with Coulomb formula. For EPMM, we first reconstructed the aspherical electron density of 12 aminoglycoside-RNA complexes from the atomic parameters deposited in the University at Buffalo Databank. The University at Buffalo Databank concept assumes transferability of electron density between atoms in chemically equivalent vicinities and allows reconstruction of the electron densities from experimental structural data. From the electron density, we then calculated the electrostatic energy of interaction using EPMM. Finally, we compared the two approaches. The calculated electrostatic interaction energies between various aminoglycosides and their binding sites correlate with experimentally obtained binding free energies. Based on the calculated energetic contributions of water molecules mediating the interactions between the antibiotic and rRNA, we suggest possible modifications that could enhance aminoglycoside binding affinity.

Protein kinases are targets for the treatment of a number of diseases. Sunitinib malate is a type I inhibitor of tyrosine kinases and was approved as a drug in 2006. This contribution constitutes the first comprehensive analysis of the crystal structures of sunitinib malate and of complexes of sunitinib with a series of protein kinases. The high-resolution single-crystal X-ray measurement and aspherical atom databank approach served as a basis for reconstruction of the charge-density distribution of sunitinib and its protein complexes. Hirshfeld surface and topological analyses revealed a similar interaction pattern in the sunitinib malate crystal structure to that in the protein binding pockets. Sunitinib forms nine preserved bond paths corresponding to hydrogen bonds and also to the C-H···O and C-H···π contacts common to the VEGRF2, CDK2, G2, KIT and IT kinases. In general, sunitinib interacts with the studied proteins with a similar electrostatic interaction energy and can adjust its conformation to fit the binding pocket in such a way as to enhance the electrostatic interactions, e.g. hydrogen bonds in ligand-kinase complexes. Such behaviour may be responsible for the broad spectrum of action of sunitinib as a kinase inhibitor.

Isochorismatase-like hydrolases (IHL) constitute a large family of enzymes divided into five structural families (by SCOP). IHLs are crucial for siderophore-mediated ferric iron acquisition by cells. Knowledge of the structural characteristics of these molecules will enhance the understanding of the molecular basis of iron transport, and perhaps resolve which of the mechanisms previously proposed in the literature is the correct one. We determined the crystal structure of the apo-form of a putative isochorismatase hydrolase OaIHL (PDB code: 3LQY) from the antarctic γ-proteobacterium Oleispira antarctica, and did comparative sequential and structural analysis of its closest homologs. The characteristic features of all analyzed structures were identified and discussed. We also docked isochorismate to the solved crystal structure by in silico methods, to highlight the interactions of the active center with the substrate. The putative isochorismate hydrolase OaIHL from Oleispira antarctica possesses the typical catalytic triad for IHL proteins. Its active center resembles those IHLs with a D-K-C catalytic triad, rather than those variants with a D-K-X triad. OaIHL shares some structural and sequential features with other members of the IHL superfamily. In silico docking results showed that despite small differences in active site composition, isochorismate binds to in the structure of OaIHL in a similar mode to its binding in phenazine biosynthesis protein PhzD (PDB code 1NF8).

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This study provides a detailed charge density distribution analysis supported by comprehensive energetic investigations. The nature of the intermolecular interactions existing in the 9-methyladenine:1-methylthymine cocrystal structure with respect to those specific for the corresponding monocomponent crystals is explored. Charge density topological investigations lead to reliable hydrogen-bond interaction energies consistent with the results of the DFT approach with Grimme dispersion correction applied. The cocrystal structure cohesive energy corresponds with the average stability of its components' crystals. This is in agreement with the experimental observations. Thus, formation of the particularly strong 9-methyladenine:1-methylthymine motif (interaction energy around −70 kJ•mol −1 , DFT(B3LYP)/pVTZ, BSSE and dispersive corrections applied) may constitute the driving force for cocrystal growth. All three systems form molecular layers governed by hydrogen-bond interactions whereas interacting mostly dispersively with each other. The interlayer contacts are found to be significant. Formation of particularly short H•••H contacts is a distinctive feature of the cocrystal lattice. Also, creation of the cis-Hoogsteen−Watson−Crick (cHW) adeninethymine base pair motif (Leontis and Westhof classification), instead of creating the most frequently appearing DNA Watson− Crick base pair (cWW), is remarkable. It occurs that this A:U/T orientation is slightly more stable than the analogous cWW one. Nevertheless, in RNA chains, being more flexible than DNA molecules, the cHW A:U base pairing remains rather rarely encountered, which is probably the effect of the rigidity of nucleic acid chain backbones. In general, the purine-pyrimidine interaction strength is most sensitive to the directionality of the formed hydrogen bonds.

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