Molecular basis of Toxoplasma gondii oryzalin resistance from a novel α-tubulin binding site model

Oryzalin (ORY) is a dinitroaniline derivative that inhibits the microtubule polymerization in plants and parasitic protozoa by selectively binding to the α-tubulin subunit. This herbicidal agent exhibits good antiprotozoal activity against major human parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis), Leishmania mexicana (leishmaniasis), and Plasmodium falciparum (malaria). Previous chemical mutagenesis assays on T. gondii α-tubulin (TgAT) have identified key mutations that lead to ORY resistance. Herein, we employed alchemical free energy methods and molecular dynamics simulations to determine if the ORY resistance mutations either decrease the TgAT's affinity of the compound or increase the protein stability. Our results here suggest that L136F and V202F mutations significantly decrease the affinity of ORY to TgAT, while T239I and V252L mutations diminish TgAT's flexibility. On the other hand, protein stability predictors determined that R243S mutation reduces TgAT stability due to the loss of its salt bridge interaction with E27. Interestingly, molecular dynamics simulations confirm that the loss of this key interaction leads to ORY binding site closure. Our study provides a better insight into the TgAT-ORY interaction, further supporting our recently proposed ORY-binding site.