The Effect of Force-Field Parameters on Cytochrome P450-Membrane Interactions: Structure and Dynamics

Sci Rep. 2020 Apr 29;10(1):7284. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-64129-7.

Abstract

The simulation of membrane proteins requires compatible protein and lipid force fields that reproduce the properties of both the protein and the lipid bilayer. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are bitopic membrane proteins with a transmembrane helical anchor and a large cytosolic globular domain that dips into the membrane. As such, they are representative and challenging examples of membrane proteins for simulations, displaying features of both peripheral and integral membrane proteins. We performed molecular dynamics simulations of three cytochrome P450 isoforms (2C9, 2C19 and 1A1) in a 2-oleoyl-1-palmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine bilayer using two AMBER force field combinations: GAFF-LIPID with ff99SB for the protein, and LIPID14 with ff14SB for the protein. Comparison of the structural and dynamic properties of the proteins, the lipids and the protein-membrane interactions shows differing sensitivity of the cytochrome P450 isoforms to the choice of force field, with generally better agreement with experiment for the LIPID14 + ff14SB combination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Lipid Bilayers / chemistry*
  • Membrane Lipids / chemistry*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary

Substances

  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Membrane Lipids
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System