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Polyol and sugar osmolytes can shorten protein hydrogen bonds to modulate function
Jingwen Li1,2, Jingfei Chen1,2, Liaoyuan An1,2,3
1Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China.
Polyols and sugars, common in protein drugs, shorten protein backbone hydrogen bonds by competing with water. This subtle change enhances protein stability and function, as seen in protein binding.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Chemical Biology
Background:
- Polyols and sugars are frequently utilized as osmolytes in therapeutic protein formulations.
- Understanding their impact on protein structure and function is crucial for drug development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of common osmolytes (glycerol, sorbitol, glucose) on protein backbone hydrogen bonds.
- To elucidate the mechanism by which osmolytes influence protein structure and interactions.
Main Methods:
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to measure hydrogen bond lengths.
- Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations to model and understand the underlying mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Glycerol, sorbitol, and glucose were shown to shorten protein backbone hydrogen bonds.
- NMR data indicated a small but significant increase in cross-hydrogen bond coupling constants.
- MD simulations revealed a hydrogen bond competition mechanism, weakening protein-solvent bonds to strengthen intra-protein bonds.
Conclusions:
- Osmolytes induce subtle yet impactful changes in protein hydrogen bonding.
- These changes can enhance protein stability and modulate protein-ligand binding, as demonstrated by PDZ3-peptide interactions.
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