Acetylcholinesterase: mechanisms of covalent inhibition of H447I mutant determined by computational analyses

Chem Biol Interact. 2008 Sep 25;175(1-3):196-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2008.04.044. Epub 2008 May 7.

Abstract

The reaction mechanisms of two inhibitor TFK(+) and TFK(0) binding to H447I mutant mouse acetylcholinesterase (mAChE) have been investigated by using a combined ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) approach and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. TFK(+) binding to the H447I mutant may proceed with a different reaction mechanism from the wild-type. A water molecule takes over the role of His447 and participates in the bond breaking and forming as a "charge relayer". Unlike in the wild-type mAChE case, Glu334, a conserved residue from the catalytic triad, acts as a catalytic base in the reaction. The calculated energy barrier for this reaction is about 8kcal/mol. These predictions await experimental verification. In the case of the neutral ligand TFK(0), however, multiple MD simulations on the TFK(0)/H447I complex reveal that none of the water molecules can be retained in the active site as a "catalytic" water. Taken together our computational studies confirm that TFK(0) is almost inactive in the H447I mutant, and also provide detailed mechanistic insights into the experimental observations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / drug effects*
  • Acetylcholinesterase / genetics
  • Animals
  • Catalysis
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation*
  • Quantum Theory

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Acetylcholinesterase