tRNA-guanine transglycosylase, an enzyme catalyzing replacement of guanine with queuine in human tRNA and participating in the translation mechanism, is involved in the development of cancer. However, information on the small-molecule inhibitors that can suppress activity of this enzyme is very limited. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to determine the amino acid residues that provide efficient binding of inhibitors in the active site of tRNA-guanine transglycosylase. It was demonstrated using 7-methylguanine molecule as a probe that the ability of the inhibitor to adopt a charged state in the environment of hydrogen bond acceptors Asp105 and Asp159 plays a key role in complex formation. Formation of the hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts with Gln202, Gly229, Phe109, and Met259 residues are also important. It has been predicted that introduction of the substituents would have a different effect on the ability to inhibit tRNA-guanine transglycosylase, as well as the DNA repair protein poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1, which can contribute to the development of more efficient and selective compounds.
Keywords: 7-methylguanine; docking; inhibitor; molecular dynamics; queuine; tRNA-guanine transglycosylase.