Computational design and molecular dynamics simulations suggest the mode of substrate binding in ceramide synthases.

Zelnik, Iris D; Mestre, Beatriz; Weinstein, Jonathan J; Dingjan, Tamir; Izrailov, Stav; Ben-Dor, Shifra; Fleishman, Sarel J; Futerman, Anthony H · Nat Commun · 2023

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Until now, membrane-protein stabilization has relied on iterations of mutations and screening. We now validate a one-step algorithm, mPROSS, for stabilizing membrane proteins directly from an AlphaFold2 model structure. Applied to the lipid-generating enzyme, ceramide synthase, 37 designed mutations lead to a more stable form of human CerS2. Together with molecular dynamics simulations, we propose a pathway by which substrates might be delivered to the ceramide synthases.

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