Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: The recently discovered 150-cavity in the active site of group-1 influenza A neuraminidase (NA) proteins provides a target for rational structure-based drug development to counter the increasing frequency of antiviral resistance in influenza. Surprisingly, the 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus (09N1) neuramidase was crystalized without the 150-cavity characteristic of group-1 NAs. Here we demonstrate, through a total sum of 1.6 μs of biophysical simulations, that 09N1 NA exists in solution preferentially with an open 150-cavity. Comparison with simulations using avian N1, human N2 and 09N1 with a I149V mutation and an extensive bioinformatics analysis suggests that the conservation of a key salt bridge is crucial in the stabilization of the 150-cavity across both subtypes. This result provides an atomic-level structural understanding of the recent finding that antiviral compounds designed to take advantage of contacts in the 150-cavity can inactivate both 2009 H1N1 pandemic and avian H5N1 viruses. Group-1 influenza A neuramidase proteins have a 150-cavity that can be targeted by drugs, but the 2009 H1N1 virus neuramidase is not thought to have a 150-cavity. Here, biophysical simulations show that the 2009 H1N1 neuramidase exists in solution with an open 150-cavity, which is stabilized by a salt bridge.
Source: Nature Communications
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1390
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Awards: Collaborative Research SI2-SSE: Comprehensive Sustained Innovation in Acceleration of Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Analysis on Graphics Processing Units., A Structural Systems Biology Approach to Drug Discovery, Computational Models of Pathogen Evolution and Vaccinat*, NATIONAL BIOMEDICAL COMPUTATION RESOURCE, G6309538130, Towards a Structural Systems Biology Approach for Anti-Trypanosomal Therapeutics
OpenAlex ID: W2159524042