Chiral recognition mechanism of cellobiohydrolase Cel7A for ligands
based on the -blocker propranolol. The effect of explicit water
molecules on binding and selectivities.
Abstract
: Proteins are useful chiral selectors. In order to understand the
recognition mechanism and the chiral discrimination, binding of the (R)-
and (S)-enantiomers of a series of designed amino alcohol inhibitors
based on propranolol to cellobiohydrolase Cel7A (Trichoderma reesei) has
been studied more closely. X-ray crystal structures were determined of
the protein complex with the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of the strongest
binding propranolol analog. The combination of the structural data,
thermodynamic data from capillary electrophoresis and microcalorimetry
experiments and computational modeling give a clearer insight into the
origin of the enantioselectivity and its opposite thermodynamic
signature. The new crystal structures were used in computational
molecular flexible dockings of the propranolol analogues using the
program Glide. The results indicated that several water molecules in the
active site were essential for the docking of the (R)-enantiomers, but
not for the (S)-enantiomers. The results are discussed in relation to
the enantiomeric discrimination of the enzyme. Both dissociation
constants (Kd-values) and thermodynamical data are included to show the
effects of the structural modifications in the ligand on enthalpy and
entropy in relation to the enantioselectivity.