Impact of Ribosomal Modification on the Binding of the Antibiotic Telithromycin Using a Combined Grand Canonical Monte Carlo/Molecular Dynamics Simulation Approach

by Meagan C. Small, Pedro Lopes, Rodrigo B. Andrade, Alexander D. MacKerell

Resistance to macrolide antibiotics is conferred by mutation of A2058 to G or methylation by Erm methyltransferases of the exocyclic N6 of A2058 (E. coli numbering) that forms the macrolide binding site in the 50S subunit of the ribosome. Ketolides such as telithromycin mitigate A2058G resistance yet remain susceptible to Erm-based resistance. Molecular details associated with macrolide resistance due to the A2058G mutation and methylation at N6 of A2058 by Erm methyltransferases were investigated using empirical force field-based simulations. To address the buried nature of the macrolide binding site, the number of waters within the pocket was allowed to fluctuate via the use of a Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) methodology. The GCMC water insertion/deletion steps were alternated with Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations to allow for relaxation of the entire system. From this GCMC/MD approach information on the interactions between telithromycin and the 50S ribosome was obtained. In the wild-type (WT) ribosome, the 2′-OH to A2058 N1 hydrogen bond samples short distances with a higher probability, while the effectiveness of telithromycin against the A2058G mutation is explained by a rearrangement of the hydrogen bonding pattern of the 2′-OH to 2058 that maintains the overall antibiotic-ribosome interactions. In both the WT and A2058G mutation there is significant flexibility in telithromycin's ...

Source: PLoS Computational Biology - June 13, 2013 Category: Biology Authors: Meagan C. Small et al. Source Type: research