Limitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hosts

Transmembrane anion transport by synthetic ionophores has received increasing interest not only because of its relevance for understanding endogenous anion transport, but also because of potential implications for therapeutic routes in disease states where chloride transport is impaired. Computation...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Seiferth, D, Tucker, SJ, Biggin, PC
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Royal Society of Chemistry 2023
_version_ 1826314991555313664
author Seiferth, D
Tucker, SJ
Biggin, PC
author_facet Seiferth, D
Tucker, SJ
Biggin, PC
author_sort Seiferth, D
collection OXFORD
description Transmembrane anion transport by synthetic ionophores has received increasing interest not only because of its relevance for understanding endogenous anion transport, but also because of potential implications for therapeutic routes in disease states where chloride transport is impaired. Computational studies can shed light on the binding recognition process and can deepen our mechanistic understanding of them. However, the ability of molecular mechanics methods to properly capture solvation and binding properties of anions is known to be challenging. Consequently, polarizable models have been suggested to improve the accuracy of such calculations. In this study, we calculate binding free energies for different anions to the synthetic ionophore, biotin[6]uril hexamethyl ester in acetonitrile and to biotin[6]uril hexaacid in water by employing non-polarizable and polarizable force fields. Anion binding shows strong solvent dependency consistent with experimental studies. In water, the binding strengths are iodide > bromide > chloride, and reversed in acetonitrile. These trends are well captured by both classes of force fields. However, the free energy profiles obtained from potential of mean force calculations and preferred binding positions of anions depend on the treatment of electrostatics. Results from simulations using the AMOEBA force-field, which recapitulate the observed binding positions, suggest strong effects from multipoles dominate with a smaller contribution from polarization. The oxidation status of the macrocycle was also found to influence anion recognition in water. Overall, these results have implications for the understanding of anion host interactions not just in synthetic ionophores, but also in narrow cavities of biological ion channels.
first_indexed 2024-12-09T03:15:48Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:19355d13-c361-4dea-92ca-b1d83f9ebe7e
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-09T03:15:48Z
publishDate 2023
publisher Royal Society of Chemistry
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:19355d13-c361-4dea-92ca-b1d83f9ebe7e2024-10-24T16:29:44ZLimitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hostsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:19355d13-c361-4dea-92ca-b1d83f9ebe7eEnglishSymplectic ElementsRoyal Society of Chemistry2023Seiferth, DTucker, SJBiggin, PCTransmembrane anion transport by synthetic ionophores has received increasing interest not only because of its relevance for understanding endogenous anion transport, but also because of potential implications for therapeutic routes in disease states where chloride transport is impaired. Computational studies can shed light on the binding recognition process and can deepen our mechanistic understanding of them. However, the ability of molecular mechanics methods to properly capture solvation and binding properties of anions is known to be challenging. Consequently, polarizable models have been suggested to improve the accuracy of such calculations. In this study, we calculate binding free energies for different anions to the synthetic ionophore, biotin[6]uril hexamethyl ester in acetonitrile and to biotin[6]uril hexaacid in water by employing non-polarizable and polarizable force fields. Anion binding shows strong solvent dependency consistent with experimental studies. In water, the binding strengths are iodide > bromide > chloride, and reversed in acetonitrile. These trends are well captured by both classes of force fields. However, the free energy profiles obtained from potential of mean force calculations and preferred binding positions of anions depend on the treatment of electrostatics. Results from simulations using the AMOEBA force-field, which recapitulate the observed binding positions, suggest strong effects from multipoles dominate with a smaller contribution from polarization. The oxidation status of the macrocycle was also found to influence anion recognition in water. Overall, these results have implications for the understanding of anion host interactions not just in synthetic ionophores, but also in narrow cavities of biological ion channels.
spellingShingle Seiferth, D
Tucker, SJ
Biggin, PC
Limitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hosts
title Limitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hosts
title_full Limitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hosts
title_fullStr Limitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hosts
title_full_unstemmed Limitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hosts
title_short Limitations of non-polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non-polar synthetic hosts
title_sort limitations of non polarizable force fields in describing anion binding poses in non polar synthetic hosts
work_keys_str_mv AT seiferthd limitationsofnonpolarizableforcefieldsindescribinganionbindingposesinnonpolarsynthetichosts
AT tuckersj limitationsofnonpolarizableforcefieldsindescribinganionbindingposesinnonpolarsynthetichosts
AT bigginpc limitationsofnonpolarizableforcefieldsindescribinganionbindingposesinnonpolarsynthetichosts