@article{WolffGastEversetal.2021,
  author    = {Wolff, Martin and Gast, Klaus and Evers, Andreas and Kurz, Michael and Pfeiffer-Marek, Stefania and Sch{\"u}ler, Anja and Seckler, Robert and Thalhammer, Anja},
  title     = {A Conserved Hydrophobic Moiety and Helix-Helix Interactions Drive the Self-Assembly of the Incretin Analog Exendin-4},
  series = {Biomolecules},
  volume    = {11},
  journal   = {Biomolecules},
  number    = {9},
  publisher = {MDPI},
  address   = {Basel},
  issn      = {2218-273X},
  doi       = {10.3390/biom11091305},
  pages     = {20},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Exendin-4 is a pharmaceutical peptide used in the control of insulin secretion. Structural information on exendin-4 and related peptides especially on the level of quaternary structure is scarce. We present the first published association equilibria of exendin-4 directly measured by static and dynamic light scattering. We show that exendin-4 oligomerization is pH dependent and that these oligomers are of low compactness. We relate our experimental results to a structural hypothesis to describe molecular details of exendin-4 oligomers. Discussion of the validity of this hypothesis is based on NMR, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy, and light scattering data on exendin-4 and a set of exendin-4 derived peptides. The essential forces driving oligomerization of exendin-4 are helix-helix interactions and interactions of a conserved hydrophobic moiety. Our structural hypothesis suggests that key interactions of exendin-4 monomers in the experimentally supported trimer take place between a defined helical segment and a hydrophobic triangle constituted by the Phe22 residues of the three monomeric subunits. Our data rationalize that Val19 might function as an anchor in the N-terminus of the interacting helix-region and that Trp25 is partially shielded in the oligomer by C-terminal amino acids of the same monomer. Our structural hypothesis suggests that the Trp25 residues do not interact with each other, but with C-terminal Pro residues of their own monomers.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{RakersSchumacherMeinletal.2016,
  author    = {Rakers, Christin and Schumacher, Fabian and Meinl, Walter and Glatt, Hansruedi and Kleuser, Burkhard and Wolber, Gerhard},
  title     = {In Silico Prediction of Human Sulfotransferase 1E1 Activity Guided by Pharmacophores from Molecular Dynamics Simulations},
  series = {The journal of biological chemistry},
  volume    = {291},
  journal   = {The journal of biological chemistry},
  publisher = {American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology},
  address   = {Bethesda},
  issn      = {0021-9258},
  doi       = {10.1074/jbc.M115.685610},
  pages     = {58 -- 71},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Acting during phase II metabolism, sulfotransferases (SULTs) serve detoxification by transforming a broad spectrum of compounds from pharmaceutical, nutritional, or environmental sources into more easily excretable metabolites. However, SULT activity has also been shown to promote formation of reactive metabolites that may have genotoxic effects. SULT subtype 1E1 (SULT1E1) was identified as a key player in estrogen homeostasis, which is involved in many physiological processes and the pathogenesis of breast and endometrial cancer. The development of an in silico prediction model for SULT1E1 ligands would therefore support the development of metabolically inert drugs and help to assess health risks related to hormonal imbalances. Here, we report on a novel approach to develop a model that enables prediction of substrates and inhibitors of SULT1E1. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate enzyme flexibility and sample protein conformations. Pharmacophores were developed that served as a cornerstone of the model, and machine learning techniques were applied for prediction refinement. The prediction model was used to screen the DrugBank (a database of experimental and approved drugs): 28\% of the predicted hits were reported in literature as ligands of SULT1E1. From the remaining hits, a selection of nine molecules was subjected to biochemical assay validation and experimental results were in accordance with the in silico prediction of SULT1E1 inhibitors and substrates, thus affirming our prediction hypotheses.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{PengUteschYarmanetal.2015,
  author    = {Peng, Lei and Utesch, Tillmann and Yarman, Aysu and Jeoung, Jae-Hun and Steinborn, Silke and Dobbek, Holger and Mroginski, Maria Andrea and Tanne, Johannes and Wollenberger, Ursula and Scheller, Frieder W.},
  title     = {Surface-Tuned Electron Transfer and Electrocatalysis of Hexameric Tyrosine-Coordinated Heme Protein},
  series = {Chemistry - a European journal},
  volume    = {21},
  journal   = {Chemistry - a European journal},
  number    = {20},
  publisher = {Wiley-VCH},
  address   = {Weinheim},
  issn      = {0947-6539},
  doi       = {10.1002/chem.201405932},
  pages     = {7596 -- 7602},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Molecular modeling, electrochemical methods, and quartz crystal microbalance were used to characterize immobilized hexameric tyrosine-coordinated heme protein (HTHP) on bare carbon or on gold electrodes modified with positively and negatively charged self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), respectively. HTHP binds to the positively charged surface but no direct electron transfer (DET) is found due to the long distance of the active sites from the electrode surfaces. At carboxyl-terminated surfaces, the neutrally charged bottom of HTHP can bind to the SAM. For this "disc" orientation all six hemes are close to the electrode and their direct electron transfer should be efficient. HTHP on all negatively charged SAMs showed a quasi-reversible redox behavior with rate constant k(s) values between 0.93 and 2.86 s(-1) and apparent formal potentials E-app(0)' between -131.1 and -249.1 mV. On the MUA/MU-modified electrode, the maximum surface concentration corresponds to a complete monolayer of the hexameric HTHP in the disc orientation. HTHP electrostatically immobilized on negatively charged SAMs shows electrocatalysis of peroxide reduction and enzymatic oxidation of NADH.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{GhobadiHeuchelKratzetal.2013,
  author    = {Ghobadi, Ehsan and Heuchel, Matthias and Kratz, Karl and Lendlein, Andreas},
  title     = {Simulating the shape-Memory behavior of amorphous switching domains of Poly(L-lactide) by molecular dynamics},
  series = {Macromolecular chemistry and physics},
  volume    = {214},
  journal   = {Macromolecular chemistry and physics},
  number    = {11},
  publisher = {Wiley-VCH},
  address   = {Weinheim},
  issn      = {1022-1352},
  doi       = {10.1002/macp.201200450},
  pages     = {1273 -- 1283},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {The thermally induced shape-memory effect of polymers is typically characterized by cyclic uniaxial thermomechanical tests. Here, a molecular-dynamics (MD) simulation approach of such a cyclic uniaxial thermomechanical test is presented for amorphous switching domains of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA). Uniaxial deformation of the constructed PLLA models is simulated with a Parinello-Rahman scheme, as well as a pragmatic geometrical approach. We are able to describe two subsequent test cycles using the presented simulation approach. The obtained simulated shape-memory properties in both test cycles are similar and independent of the applied deformation protocols. The simulated PLLA shows high shape fixity ratios (Rf 94\%), but only a moderate shape recovery ratio is obtained (Rr 30\%). Finally, the structural changes during the simulated test are characterized by analysis of the changes in the dihedral angle distributions.},
  language  = {en}
}