Insight into HIV-1 reverse transcriptase-aptamer interaction from molecular dynamics simulations

J Mol Model. 2014 Aug;20(8):2380. doi: 10.1007/s00894-014-2380-8. Epub 2014 Jul 30.

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) is considered to be one of the key targets for antiviral drug therapy. The emergence of the aptamers as potential inhibitors against HIV-1 reverse transcriptase has attracted the attention of the scientific community because these macromolecules can effectively inhibit HIV-1 RT with between micromolar to picomolar concentrations. However, it is not clear how aptamers interact with HIV-1 RT. We have undertaken a molecular dynamics (MD) study in order to gain a keen insight into the conformational dynamics of HIV-1 RT on the formation of a complex with an aptamer or DNA substrate. We have therefore employed three separate models: apo HIV-1 RT, HIV-1 RT with a bound RNA aptamer, and HIV-1 RT with a bound DNA substrate. The results show that HIV-1 RT complex with an aptamer was more stable than that with DNA substrate. It was found that the aptamer interacted with HIV-1 RT in a fingers-and-thumb-closed conformation, at the bound at the nucleic acid substrate binding site. We identified key residues within the HIV-1 RT-aptamer complex in order to help design, develop, and test a new aptamer based on therapies in the future.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / metabolism*
  • DNA / chemistry
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / chemistry
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • DNA
  • reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase