Chloroperoxidase (CPO) is a potential biocatalyst for use in asymmetric synthesis. The mechanisms of CPO catalysis are therefore of interest. The halogenation reaction, one of several chemical reactions that CPO catalyzes, is not fully understood and is the subject of this dissertation. The mechanism by which CPO catalyzes halogenation is disputed. It has been postulated that halogenation of substrates occurs at the active site. Alternatively, it has been proposed that hypochlorous acid, produced at the active site via oxidation of chloride, is released prior to reaction, so that halogenation occurs in solution. The free-solution mechanism is supported by the observation that halogenation of most substrates often occurs non-stereospecifically. On the other hand, the enzyme-bound mechanism is supported by the observation that some large substrates undergo halogenation stereospecifically. The major purpose of this research is to compare chlorination of the substrate beta-cyclopentanedione in the two environments. One study was of the reaction with limited hydration because such a level of hydration is typical of the active site. For this work, a purely quantum mechanical approach was used. To model the aqueous environment, the limited hydration environment approach is not appropriate. Instead, reaction precursor conformations were obtained from a solvated molecular dynamics simulation, and reaction of potentially reactive molecular encounters was modeled with a hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach. Extensive work developing parameters for small molecules was pre-requisite for the molecular dynamics simulation. It is observed that a limited and optimized (active-site-like) hydration environment leads to a lower energetic barrier than the fully solvated model representative of the aqueous environment at room temperature, suggesting that the stable water network near the active site is likely to facilitate the chlorination mechanism. The influence of the solvent environment on the reaction barrier is critical. It is observed that stabilization of the catalytic water by other solvent molecules lowers the barrier for keto-enol tautomerization. Placement of water molecules is more important than the number of water molecules in such studies. The fully-solvated model demonstrates that reaction proceeds when the instantaneous dynamical water environment is close to optimal for stabilizing the transition state.

<p>Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the causative agent of the pandemic disease Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV acts to disrupt the immune system which makes the body susceptible to opportunistic infections. Untreated, AIDS is generally fatal. Twenty years of research by countless scientists around the world has led to the discovery and exploitation of several targets in the replication cycle of HIV. Many lives have been saved, prolonged and improved as a result of this massive effort. One particularly successful target has been the inhibition of HIV protease. In combination with the inhibition of HIV reverse transcriptase, protease inhibitors have helped to reduce viral loads and partially restore the immune system. Unfortunately, viral mutations leading to drug resistance and harmful side-effects of the current medicines have identified the need for new drugs to combat HIV.</p><p>This study presents computational efforts to understand the interaction of inhibitors to HIV protease. The first part of this study has used molecular modelling and Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) to help explain the structure-active relationship of a novel series of protease inhibitors. The inhibitors are sulfamide derivatives structurally similar to the cyclic urea candidate drug mozenavir (DMP-450). The central ring of the sulfamides twists to adopt a nonsymmetrical binding mode distinct from that of the cyclic ureas. The energetics of this twist has been studied with <i>ab initio</i> calculations to develop improved empirical force field parameters for use in molecular modelling.</p><p>The second part of this study has focused on an analysis of the association and dissociation kinetics of a broad collection of HIV protease inhibitors. Quantitative models have been derived using CoMFA which relate the dissociation rate back to the chemical structures. Efforts have also been made to improve the models by systematically varying the parameters used to generate them.</p>

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the causative agent of the pandemic disease Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV acts to disrupt the immune system which makes the body susceptible to opportunistic infections. Untreated, AIDS is generally fatal. Twenty years of research by countless scientists around the world has led to the discovery and exploitation of several targets in the replication cycle of HIV. Many lives have been saved, prolonged and improved as a result of this massive effort. One particularly successful target has been the inhibition of HIV protease. In combination with the inhibition of HIV reverse transcriptase, protease inhibitors have helped to reduce viral loads and partially restore the immune system. Unfortunately, viral mutations leading to drug resistance and harmful side-effects of the current medicines have identified the need for new drugs to combat HIV. This study presents computational efforts to understand the interaction of inhibitors to HIV protease. The first part of this study has used molecular modelling and Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) to help explain the structure-active relationship of a novel series of protease inhibitors. The inhibitors are sulfamide derivatives structurally similar to the cyclic urea candidate drug mozenavir (DMP-450). The central ring of the sulfamides twists to adopt a nonsymmetrical binding mode distinct from that of the cyclic ureas. The energetics of this twist has been studied with ab initio calculations to develop improved empirical force field parameters for use in molecular modelling. The second part of this study has focused on an analysis of the association and dissociation kinetics of a broad collection of HIV protease inhibitors. Quantitative models have been derived using CoMFA which relate the dissociation rate back to the chemical structures. Efforts have also been made to improve the models by systematically varying the parameters used to generate them.

Submitted by MARCIA ROVADOSCHI (marciar@unifra.br) on 2018-08-20T12:55:10Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_MarianaZancanTonel.pdf: 6177598 bytes, checksum: e830fe652c79ad380053f80cae3e2382 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T12:55:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Tese_MarianaZancanTonel.pdf: 6177598 bytes, checksum: e830fe652c79ad380053f80cae3e2382 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-25 / Graphene is a nanomaterial that has several applications including drug delivery and pollutant remover. However, graphene is hydrophobic, which makes it difficult to apply in biological media, and one of the alternatives is through functionalization. At the same time, aromatic molecules are precursors of several essential compounds for life, and are also important in industry. However, some of them are pollutants that can severely affect people and the environment, so developing effective removal methods is extremely interesting. Some molecules of biological interest like dopamine and serotonin have an aromatic part, recent studies show the use of these molecules as mediators for specific and selective drug delivery. Therefore, the study of the interaction of these molecules as pure and modified graphene is of great importance in the biomedical area as well as for diagnostic and treatment studies. In this work, we perform a theoretical study through the density functional theory; initially we analyze the changes caused by the effect of the concentration of the functional groups -COOH, -COH, -OH, -O- or -NH2 on graphene. The results show that in all cases it is possible to modulate the electronic properties depending on the number and location of the groups. Subsequently, we analyzed the graphene pure and functionalized with a group -COOH, -COH, -OH, -O- or -NH2, with the molecules of biological interest as dopamine, serotonin and the pollutants: benzene, aniline, benzoic acid and phenol. The results show that all interactions occur under a physical adsorption regime, there are no changes in the original geometric structures of the molecules after adsorption, it may be of interest to create possible routes as mediators for the delivery of drugs and to assist in the treatment of various diseases or in a system of removal of pollutants based on pristine and modified graphene. Finally, we developed a method to parameterize the benzene-benzene and benzene-graphene force field through the data obtained from the ab initio calculations, the results obtained agree with studies described in the literature. Thus, this work presents the understanding through the simulation of the biomedical part for drug delivery systems, and removal of pollutants, in addition to the parameterization to be used in simulations of the biological environment which may aid in the development of future experimental studies. / O grafeno é um nanomaterial que possui diversas aplicações tecnológicas entre elas como carreador de fármacos e removedor de poluentes. No entanto, o grafeno é hidrofóbico, o que dificulta sua aplicação em meios biológicos, sendo que uma das alternativas para controlar este problema é através de funcionalizações. Paralelamente, moléculas aromáticas são precursoras de diversos compostos imprescindíveis para a vida, e também são importantes na indústria. No entanto, algumas delas são poluentes que podem afetar severamente as pessoas e o meio ambiente. Assim, o desenvolvimento de métodos efetivos para remoção desses é extremante importante. Algumas moléculas de interesse biológico como a dopamina e serotonina apresentam parte aromática. Estudos recentes têm mostrado a utilização dessas moléculas como mediadoras para entrega de fármacos específica e seletiva. Portanto, o estudo dessas moléculas visando este tipo de aplicação é de grande importância na área biomédica. Realizamos um estudo teórico através da Teoria do Funcional da Densidade. Inicialmente, analisamos as alterações causadas pelo efeito da concentração de grupos funcionais -COOH, -COH, -OH, -O- ou -NH2 no grafeno. Os resultados mostram que em todos os casos é possível modular as propriedades eletrônicas dependendo do número e do local dos grupos. Posteriormente, analisamos o grafeno puro e funcionalizado com um grupo –COOH, -COH, -OH, –O- ou -NH2, com as moléculas de interesse biológico dopamina, serotonina e os poluentes benzeno, anilina, ácido benzóico e fenol. Os resultados mostram que todas as interações ocorrem sob um regime de adsorção física, sem alterações nas estruturas geométricas originais das moléculas após adsorção. Esses resultados são de interesse para criar possíveis rotas como mediadores para a entrega de fármacos e auxiliar no tratamento de várias doenças ou ainda em um sistema de remoção de poluentes baseados no grafeno puro e modificado. E, por fim, desenvolvemos um novo método para parametrizar campo de força do benzeno-benzeno e benzeno-grafeno através dos dados obtidos dos cálculos ab initio. Os resultados obtidos concordam com estudos descritos na literatura. Dessa forma, este trabalho apresenta a compreensão através da simulação da parte biomédica para sistemas de drug delivery, e remoção de poluentes, além da parametrização para ser usado em simulações do meio biológico o que poderá auxiliar no desenvolvimento de estudos experimentais futuros.

No description available.

FKBP12 est une protéine ubiquitaire, principalement cytosolique, qui est au carrefour de plusieurs voies signalétiques. Son abondance naturelle dans les tissus nerveux peut être reliée à son implication dans les maladies neurodégénératives telles que les maladies d'Alzheimer et de Parkinson ainsi que dans les neuropathies périphériques et diabétiques ou dans des blessures des cordons spinaux. De nombreuses études ont montré que des molécules exogènes (ligands) venant se fixer sur cette protéine permettent la régénération d'un grand nombre de connexions neuronales endommagées. Une difficulté provient cependant du fait que, pour un ligand donné, il n'existe aucune relation claire entre sa structure et sa capacité de liaison à FKBP12. Notre étude vise ainsi à rationaliser la relation entre la structure d'un ligand et son affinité pour cette protéine. Deux complexes modèles, formés entre FKBP12 et chacun des deux ligands 8 et 308, ont été utilisés. Ces deux ligands de haute affinité ont des structures différentes. Notre travail s'est appuyé sur des simulations de dynamique moléculaire pour caractériser l'état intermédiaire qui est formé transitoirement lors du processus de complexation entre la protéine et son ligand. Dans cet état particulier, l'identification des interactions naissantes entre les partenaires a permis (i) de comprendre l'implication des différentes parties du ligand dans le mécanisme de reconnaissance avec FKBP12 et (ii) de rationaliser les affinités de certains ligands apparentés. / FKBP12 is an ubiquitous, mostly cytosolic, protein found at the crossroads of several signaling pathways. Its natural abundance in the nervous tissues can be related to its implication in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's as well as in peripheral neuropathies and diabetes or in injuries of the spinal cords. Several studies have demonstrated that exogenous molecules (ligands) that can bind to FKBP12 allow the regeneration of many damaged neuron connections. However, there is no clear relationship between the structure of a ligand and its ability to bind to FKBP12. Our study aims at rationalizing the relationship between the structure of a ligand and its affinity to FKBP12. Two model complexes, formed between FKBP12 and each of the two high-affinity ligands 8 and 308, were studied. These two ligands are structurally different. We used molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the intermediate state that is transiently formed during the binding process between the protein and its ligand. In this state, the analysis of the nascent interactions allowed (i) to unravel the role played by the various ligand moieties in the recognition process with FKBP12 and (ii) to rationalize the affinities of related ligands.