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Title

 

 

 

 

 

Molecular dynamics simulation of a human thiopurine S-methyltransferase complexed with 6-mercaptopurine model

 

Authors

 

Wanwimon Mokmak1, Sissades Tongsima1, Ekachai Jenwitheesuk1*

 

Affiliation

 

1National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Road, Klong 1, Klongluang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand

 

Email

 

ekachai@biotec.or.th

Article Type

 

Hypothesis

 

Date

 

Received March 15, 2009; Revised April 21, 2009; Accepted July 18, 2009; Published September 05, 2009

 

Abstract

Human thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) is an essential protein in 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) drug metabolism. To understand the pharmacogenetics of TPMT and 6MP, X-ray co-crystal structures of TPMT complexes with S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) and 6MP are required. However, the co-crystal structure of this complex has not been reported because 6MP is poorly water soluble. We used molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to predict the structure of the complex of human TPMT-AdoHcy(CH2)6MP, where the sulfur atoms of AdoHcy and 6MP were linked by a CH2 group. After 1300 picoseconds of MD simulation, the trajectory showed that 6MP was stabilized in the TPMT active site by formation of non-bonded interactions between 6MP and Phe40, Pro196 and Arg226 side chains of TPMT. The intersulfur distance between AdoHcy and 6MP as well as the binding modes and the interactions of our TPMT-AdoHcy model are consistent with those observed in the X-ray crystal structure of murine TPMT-AdoHcy-6MP complex. The predicted binding modes of AdoHcy and 6MP in our model are consistent with those observed in murine TPMT X-ray crystal structures, which provides structural insights into the interactions of TPMT, AdoHcy, and 6MP at the atomic level and may be used as a starting point for further study of thiopurine drug pharmacogenetics.

 

Keywords

 

methyltransferase; ligand; molecular dynamics simulation; structural changes

Citation

 

Mokmak et al., Bioinformation 4(2): 59-62 (2009)

Edited by

 

P. Kangueane

 

ISSN

 

0973-2063

 

Publisher

 

Biomedical Informatics

 

License

 

 

This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. This is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.