Molecular dynamics and protein frustration analysis of human fused in Sarcoma protein variants in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis type 6: An In Silico approach

PLoS One. 2021 Sep 29;16(9):e0258061. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258061. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most frequent adult-onset motor neuron disorder. The disease is characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons, leading to death usually within five years after the onset of symptoms. While most cases are sporadic, 5%-10% of cases can be associated with familial inheritance, including ALS type 6, which is associated with mutations in the Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) gene. This work aimed to evaluate how the most frequent ALS-related mutations in FUS, R521C, R521H, and P525L affect the protein structure and function. We used prediction algorithms to analyze the effects of the non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms and performed evolutionary conservation analysis, protein frustration analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations. Most of the prediction algorithms classified the three mutations as deleterious. All three mutations were predicted to reduce protein stability, especially the mutation R521C, which was also predicted to increase chaperone binding tendency. The protein frustration analysis showed an increase in frustration in the interactions involving the mutated residue 521C. Evolutionary conservation analysis showed that residues 521 and 525 of human FUS are highly conserved sites. The molecular dynamics results indicate that protein stability could be compromised in all three mutations. They also affected the exposed surface area and protein compactness. The analyzed mutations also displayed high flexibility in most residues in all variants, most notably in the interaction site with the nuclear import protein of FUS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* / genetics
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* / mortality
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis* / pathology
  • Computer Simulation*
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Databases, Protein
  • Humans
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Mutation*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • RNA-Binding Protein FUS* / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Protein FUS* / metabolism

Substances

  • FUS protein, human
  • RNA-Binding Protein FUS

Grants and funding

This study was supported in the form of funding by Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ) (http://www.faperj.br/) awarded to LFSB, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) (http://www.capes.gov.br/) awarded to LFSB, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) (http://www.finep.gov.br/) awarded to LFSB, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (http://cnpq.br/) awarded to LFSB, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro to LFSB, and in the form of material support by NVIDIA Corporation awarded to LFSB. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.