Conformational dynamics of a regulator of G-protein signaling protein reveals a mechanism of allosteric inhibition by a small molecule

ACS Chem Biol. 2013 Dec 20;8(12):2778-84. doi: 10.1021/cb400568g. Epub 2013 Oct 24.

Abstract

Regulators of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins are key players in regulating signaling via G protein-coupled receptors. RGS proteins directly bind to the Gα-subunits of activated heterotrimeric G-proteins, and accelerate the rate of GTP hydrolysis, thereby rapidly deactivating G-proteins. Using atomistic simulations and NMR spectroscopy, we have studied in molecular detail the mechanism of action of CCG-50014, a potent small molecule inhibitor of RGS4 that covalently binds to cysteine residues on RGS4. We apply temperature-accelerated molecular dynamics (TAMD) to carry out enhanced conformational sampling of apo RGS4 structures, and consistently find that the α5-α6 helix pair of RGS4 can spontaneously span open-like conformations, allowing binding of CCG-50014 to the buried side-chain of Cys95. Both NMR experiments and MD simulations reveal chemical shift perturbations in residues in the vicinity of inhibitor binding site as well as in the RGS4-Gα binding interface. Consistent with a loss of G-protein binding, GAP activity, and allosteric mechanism of action of CCG-50014, our simulations of the RGS4-Gα complex in the presence of inhibitor suggest a relatively unstable protein-protein interaction. These results have potential implications for understanding how the conformational dynamics among RGS proteins may play a key role in the sensitivity of inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Allosteric Regulation
  • Allosteric Site
  • Cysteine / chemistry*
  • Cysteine / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RGS Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • RGS Proteins / chemistry*
  • RGS Proteins / metabolism
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry*
  • Small Molecule Libraries / metabolism
  • Thiazolidinediones / chemistry*
  • Thiazolidinediones / metabolism

Substances

  • 4-(4-fluorobenzyl)-2-p-tolyl-1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione
  • RGS Proteins
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • Thiazolidinediones
  • RGS4 protein
  • Cysteine