Open AccessThree-Dimensional Model of Lanosterol 14α-Demethylase from Cryptococcus neoformans : Active-Site Characterization and Insights into Azole Binding
Author(s) -
Chunquan Sheng,
Zhenyuan Miao,
Haitao Ji,
Jianzhong Yao,
Wenya Wang,
Xiaoying Che,
Guoqiang Dong,
Jiaguo Lü,
Wei Guo,
Wannian Zhang
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.01630-08
Subject(s) - lanosterol , cryptococcus neoformans , azole , demethylase , docking (animal) , drug design , biology , active site , stereochemistry , computational biology , chemistry , antifungal , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , enzyme , medicine , gene , epigenetics , sterol , nursing , cholesterol
Cryptococcus neoformans is one of the most important causes of life-threatening fungal infections in immunocompromised patients. Lanosterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) is the target of azole antifungal agents. This study describes, for the first time, the 3-dimensional model of CYP51 fromCryptococcus neoformans (CnCYP51). The model was further refined by energy minimization and molecular-dynamics simulations. The active site of CnCYP51 was well characterized by multiple-copy simultaneous-search calculations, and four functional regions important for rational drug design were identified. The mode of binding of the natural substrate and azole antifungal agents with CnCYP51 was identified by flexible molecular docking. A G484S substitution mechanism for azole resistance in CnCYP51, which might be important for the conformation of the heme environment, is suggested.
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