0000000000977048
AUTHOR
Francisca Sánchez-jiménez
Analysis of the Decarboxylation Step in Mammalian Histidine Decarboxylase
We report a hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics theoretical study on the reaction mechanism of mammalian histidine decarboxylase that allows us to obtain valuable insights on the structure of the cofactor-substrate adduct (external aldimine) in the active site of rat histidine decarboxylase. By means of molecular dynamics simulations, we traced the potential of mean force corresponding to the decarboxylation reaction of the adduct both in the active site of the enzyme and in aqueous solution. By comparing this process in both media, we have identified the key electrostatic interactions that explain the lowering of the free energy barrier in the enzyme. Our analysis also offers a va…
FT-Raman and QM/MM study of the interaction between histamine and DNA
The interaction between histamine and highly polymerized calf-thymus DNA has been investigated using FT-Raman spectroscopy and the hybrid QM/MM (quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics) methodology. Raman spectra of solutions containing histamine and calf-thymus DNA, at different molar ratios, were recorded. Solutions were prepared at physiological settings of pH and ionic strength, using both natural and heavy water as the solvent. The analysis of the spectral changes on the DNA Raman spectra when adding different concentrations of histamine allowed us to identify the reactive sites of DNA and histamine, which were used to built two minor groove and one intercalated binding models. They were…