The fidelity of biological processes and reactions, inspite of the widespread diversity, is programmed by highly specific physico-chemical principles. This underlines our basic understanding of different interesting phenomena of biological relevance, ranging from enzyme specificity to allosteric communication, from selection of fold to structural organization / states of oligomerization, from half-sites-reactivity to reshuffling of the conformational free energy landscape, encompassing the dogma of sequence-structure dynamics-function of macromolecules. The role of striking an optimal balance between rigidity and flexibility in macromolecular 3D structural organisation is yet another concept that needs attention from the functional perspective. Needless to say that the variety of protein structures and conformations naturally leads to the diversity of their function and consequently many other biological functions in general. Classical models of allostery like the ‘MWC model’ or the ‘KNF model’ and the more recently proposed ‘population shift model’ have advanced our understanding of the underlying principles of long range signal transfer in macromolecules. Extensive studies have also reported the importance of the fold selection and 3D structural organisation in the context of macromolecular function. Also ligand induced conformational changes in macromolecules, both subtle and drastic, forms the basis for controlling several biological processes in an ordered manner by re-organizing the free energy landscape. The above mentioned biological phenomena have been observed from several different biochemical and biophysical approaches. Although these processes may often seem independent of each other and are associated with regulation of specialized functions in macromolecules, it is worthwhile to investigate if they share any commonality or interdependence at the detailed atomic level of the 3D structural organisation. So the nagging question is, do these diverse biological processes have a unifying theme, when probed at a level that takes into account even subtle re-orchestrations of the interactions and energetics at the protein/nucleic acid side-chain level. This is a complex problem to address and here we have made attempts to examine this problem using computational tools. Two methods have been extensively applied: Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations and network theory and related parameters. Network theory has been extensively used in the past in several studies, ranging from analysis of social networks to systems level networks in biology (e.g., metabolic networks) and have also found applications in the varied fields of physics, economics, cartography and psychology. More recently, this concept has been applied to study the intricate details of the structural organisation in proteins, providing a local view of molecular interactions from a global perspective. On the other hand, MD simulations capture the dynamics of interactions and the conformational space associated with a given state (e.g., different ligand-bound states) of the macromolecule. The unison of these two methods enables the detection and investigation of the energetic and geometric re-arrangements of the 3D structural organisation of macromolecule/macromolecular complexes from a dynamical or ensemble perspective and this has been one of the thrust areas of the current study. So we not only correlate structure and functions in terms of subtle changes in interactions but also bring in conformational dynamics into the picture by studying such changes along the MD ensemble. The focus was to identify the subtle rearrangements of interactions between non-covalently interacting partners in proteins and the interacting nucleic acids. We propose that these rearrangements in interactions between residues (amino acids in proteins, nucleic acids in RNA/DNA) form the common basis for different biological phenomena which regulates several apparently unrelated processes in biology. Broadly, the major goal of this work is to elucidate the physico-chemical principles underlying some of the important biological phenomena, such as allosteric communication, ligand induced modulation of rigidity/flexibility, half-sites-reactivity and so on, in molecular details. We have investigated several proteins, protein-RNA/DNA complexes to formulate general methodologies to address these questions from a molecular perspective. In the process we have also specifically illuminated upon the mechanistic aspects of the aminoacylation reaction by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases like tryptophanyl and pyrrolysyl tRNA synthetase, structural details related to an enzyme catalyzed reaction that influences the process of quorum sensing in bacteria. Further, we have also examined the ‘dynamic allosterism’ that manipulates the activity of MutS, a prominent component of the DNA bp ‘mismatch repair’ machinery. Additionally, our protein structure network (PSN) based studies on a dataset of Rossmann fold containing proteins have provided insights into the structural signatures that drive the adoption of a fold from a repertoire of diverse sequences. Ligand induced percolations distant from the active sites, which may be of functional relevance have also been probed, in the context of the S1A family of serine proteases. In the course of our investigation, we have borrowed several concepts of network parameters from social network analysis and have developed new concepts. The Introduction (Chapter-1) summarizes the relevant literature and lays down a suitable background for the subsequent chapters in the thesis. The major questions addressed and the main goal of this thesis are described to set an appropriate stage for the detailed discussions. The methodologies involved are discussed in Chapter-2. Chapter-3 deals with a protein, LuxS that is involved in the bacterial quorum sensing; the first part of the chapter describes the application of network analysis on the static structures of several LuxS proteins from different organisms and the second part of this chapter describes the application of a dynamic network approach to analyze the MD trajectories of H.pylori LuxS. Chapter-4 focuses on the investigation of human tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (hTrpRS), with an emphasis to identify ligand induced subtle conformational changes in terms of the alternation of rigidity/flexibility at different sites and the re-organisation of the free energy landscape. Chapter-5 presents a novel application of a quantum clustering (QC) technique, popular in the fields of pattern recognition, to objectively cluster the conformations, sampled by molecular dynamics simulations performed on different ligand bound structures of the protein. The protein structure network (PSN) in the earlier studies were constituted on the basis of geometric interactions. In Chapters 6 and 7, we describe the networks (proteins+nucleic acids) using interaction energy as edges, thus incorporating the detailed chemistry in terms of an energy-weighted complex network. Chapter-6 describes an application of the energy weighted network formalism to probe allosteric communication in D.hafniense pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase. The methodology developed for in-depth study of ligand induced changes in DhPylRS has been adopted to the protein MutS, the first ‘check-point protein’ for DNA base pair (bp) mismatch repair. In Chapter-7, we describe the network analysis and the biological insights derived from this study (the work is done in collaboration with Prof. David Beveridge and Dr. Susan Pieniazek). Chapter-8 describes the application of a network approach to capture the ligand-induced subtle global changes in protein structures, using a dataset of high resolution structures from the S1A family of serine proteases. Chapter-9 deals with probing the structural rationale behind diverse sequences adopting the same fold with the NAD(P)-binding Rossmann fold as a case study. Future directions are discussed in the final chapter of the thesis (Chapter-10).

Ce manuscrit aborde plusieurs interactions / réactions chimiques importantes se produisant dans la soluton en utilisant la calorimétrie par titrage isothermique (ITC) et la théorie de la densité fonctionnelle statique (DFT). Cette thèse porte son attention notamment sur : l'association de paires de Lewis (frustrées) ((F)LPs), la migration cis du groupe méthyle au sein du pentaméthylmanganèse induit par les phosphines, l'aminolyse de carbènes de Fischer, l'insertion d'alcynes dans des palladacycles, l'affinité de divers donneurs de Lewis à l’hexafluoroisopropanol. L'ITC s'est révélé être une technique expérimentale puissante pour obtenir des données thermochimiques fiables sur les systèmes étudiés. Les calculs statiques DFT-D ont montré une capacité d’estimation correcte des paramètres de réaction thermodynamique lorsque l’influence de la solvatation n’est pas significative. Autrement, lorsque l’influence du solvant est apparente, les calculs ne permettent pas de reproduire les résultats expérimentaux. En plus, les résultats expérimentaux et théoriques révèlent l’existence d’ensembles moléculaires plus grandes dans la solution de FLP, soulignant le rôle des interactions non covalentes. / This manuscript adressed several important chemical interactions/reactions taking place in solutuon by using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) and static Density Functional Theory (DFT). Namely, this thesis dealt with: association of (frustrated) Lewis pairs ((F)LPs), cis-migration of methyl group within pentamethylmanganese induced by phosphines, aminolysis of Fischer carbenes, insertion of alkynes into palladacycles, affinity of various Lewis donors to hexafluoroisopropanol. The ITC proved to be powerful experimental technique for obteining reliable thermochemical data of sutudied systems. The static DFT-D calculations showed capability for proper estiamtion of thermodynamic reaction parameters when an influence of solvation is not sighnificant. Otherwise, when the influence of solvent is not innocent, the calculations moslty failed to reproduce the experimantal results. In addition, Both the experimantal and therortical results revield existance of larger molecular clusters in solution of FLPs emphasising a role of non-covalent interactions.

In the present thesis we have explored different factors that impede accurate quantitative description of non-covalent protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions and design of new potent and specific binders from the scratch. Firstly, we addressed the role of solvent in the mechanism of non-covalent interactions. Secondly, we tackled the question about the intrinsic conformational flexibility of the protein molecules and the part it plays in weak interactions between proteins. In the first part of the thesis we studied the interactions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein with five cyclic peptides in solution and gas phase. The results showed that affinities of five ligands to VEGF in solution and gas phase are ranked in inversed order. That is, the that has the highest affinity in solution (as shown by chemical shift perturbation NMR and isothermal titration calorimetry) forms the weakest complex with VEGF in gas phase, and vice versa. We compared gas-phase and solution binding affinities of of five peptides and made qualitative conclusions about the role of the solvent in protein-ligand interactions. In order to obtain more quantitative information about the gas-phase behavior of non-covalent complexes we have developed a combined experimental/theoretical approach to study the energetics of collisional activation of the ion prior to dissociation. We applied developed strategy to model CID in traveling wave ion guide (TWIG) collision cell. We validated the model on the CID of leu-enkephalin peptide and then applied developed strategy to five non-covalent protein-peptide complexes and found activation energies of their dissociation reactions. Next we applied ESI native MS to study the allosteric interactions between the molecular chaperonin GroEL and ATP. The obtained data allowed to construct a scheme of conformational transition of GroEL upon binding of ATP and distinguish between two different cooperativity models, providing strong arguments in favor of Monod-Wyman-Changeux (MWC) model. Finally, be studied the backbone dynamics of VEGF with a combination of NMR relaxation and all-atom force-field based normal mode analysis (NMA). We showed that combination of experimental and computational approach allows to identify flexible zones with higher level of confidence. We also found out that residues, that are involved VEGF-receptor interactions, reside in or close to the flexible zones, suggesting the critical role conformational plasticity plays in the non-covalent protein-protein interactions. / Las biomoléculas de los organismos vivos realizan sus funciones principalmente a través de interacciones débiles reversibles entre ellas. La transducción de señal, la replicación de ADN/ARN, otros procesos enzimáticos y, virtualmente, cualquier otro proceso involucrado en las funciones vitales de cualquier organismo vivo (de las simples amebas, al complejo ser humano), requiere que las moléculas “hablen” entre ellas. Dicho lenguaje se basa en interacciones no covalentes. La flexibilidad conformacional es una propiedad esencial de las grandes biomoléculas, y muchas de las funciones desempeñadas por proteínas se basan en su capacidad para cambiar de conformación en respuesta a un factor externo. Geométricamente hablando, la presencia de flexibilidad en una proteína obstaculiza el diseño racional de medicamentos porque posibilita la existencia de un número muy elevado de conformaciones de dicha proteína. Por este motivo, cualquier información sobre la flexibilidad de una proteína es sumamente valiosa para la comprensión de PPI y PLI y para el diseño racional de medicamentos. Los capítulos 1-3 de la presente tesis versan sobre la solvatación, mientras que la flexibilidad se estudiara en el capitulo 4.

Ce travail de thèse démontre l’importance d’intégrer des outils théoriques à des observations expérimentales dans le but d’étudier le rôle des interactions non-covalentes et plus précisément de la dispersion dans la chimie des métaux de transition. Plusieurs thèmes ont ainsi été abordés comme les interactions d’empilement entre chélates de métaux de transition à l’état solide; l’influence de la chiralité sur l’oligomérisation en solution de complexes plans carrés de Rh(I) isonitrile; la stabilité et inactivité inhabituelles de complexes de type cis-platine en solution concentrée. Les résultats obtenus par titration calorimétrique isotherme ont permis d’évaluer la capacité de méthodes théoriques à reproduire avec précision les résultats expérimentaux. Les calculs ont démontré qu’un traitement théorique approprié des effets de la dispersion et de la solvatation, donne des valeurs cohérentes avec les résultats expérimentaux. Cependant, des améliorations supplémentaires sont nécessaires. / This thesis has shown the importance of integration of theoretical calculations and experimental investigations in studying the role of non-covalent interactions and particularly dispersion interactions in transition metal chemistry. Several subjects were addressed, such as stacking interactions of chelates in transition metal complexes in solid state, influence of chirality on the oligomerization of Rh(I) isonitrile complexes in solution and the stability of the cis-platin type complexes in concentrated solutions. Isothermal titration calorimetry proved to be very useful in the studies by providing accurate experimental data on the thermochemistry of addressed processes. This data was used to gauge the ability of the theoretical methods to accurately reproduce the experimental results. Calculations have shown that the proper treatment of dispersion effects and solvation by theoretical models gives values in relatively good agreement with experiments, but further improvements are needed.

Les récepteurs moléculaires sont des architectures maintenues par des liaisons covalentes et capables de fixer sélectivement des substances (ioniques et/ou moléculaires) au moyen d’interactions intermoléculaires diverses, aboutissant ainsi à la formation d’un assemblage d’au moins de deux espèces nommé complexe moléculaire. Au cours de ce travail, des stratégies de synthèse de dérivés de calix[4]arène et de son analogue thiacalix[4]arène en conformation 1,3-alternée ont été mises au point. Ces composés ont été fonctionnalisés par des groupements pyridine, catéchol, imidazole, pyrazole et pour la première fois oxamate. Les composés obtenus ont été caractérisés à la fois en solution par RMN et à l’état cristallin. Les propriétés complexantes vis-à-vis des métaux de transition en solution sont présentées. Pour certains dérivés, le pouvoir extractant envers les métaux de transition a été étudié et discuté. Enfin, la formation de réseaux de coordination à l’état cristallin par auto-assemblage de dérivés de calixarène ou de thiacalixarène et le cation argent est présentée et commentée. / Molecular receptors are preorganised architectures held by covalent bonds and capable of binding selectively ionic and / or molecular substrates via various intermolecular interactions, leading to the formation of molecular complexes composed of at least two species.In this work, the synthesis of a library of calix[4]arene and its analogue thiacalix[4]arene in 1,3-alternate conformation based ligands and tectons has been investigated. These two types of platforms have been equipped with pyridine, catechol, imidazole, pyrazole and, for the first time, oxamate units as coordinating sites. All compounds prepared were characterized in solution and in some cases in the crystalline state. Their binding propensity in solution towards transition metals has been determined and discussed. For some derivatives, their metal extracting properties have been investigated and presented. Finally, the formation of extended periodic architectures of the coordination network type in the crystalline state by self-assembly of calixarene based tectons and silver cation was achieved and presented.

Combination of the compact but sterically flexible ferrocene scaffold with intermolecular binding potential and conformational variability of (2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium structural motif was utilised in the construction of solid crystalline materials. Crystallisation in systems containing ferrocenecarboxylic, 2-ferrocenylacetic, 3-ferrocenylpropionic, 3-ferrocenyl- acrylic, 3-ferrocenylacrylic, 3-ferrocenylpropiolic, ferrocene-1,1'-dicarboxylic or ferrocene- sulfonic acid with 2-aminoethanol afforded crystals of the corresponding salts. The resulting crystalline products were characterised with the usual methods (proton nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis) and their crystal structures were determined by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal structures of the salts mentioned above usually contain rather complicated two dimensional networks of charge-assisted hydrogen bonds. With the aim of studying potentially more simple hydrogen-bonded structures, additional crystallisation experiments were conducted in systems of ferrocenecarboxylic acid and 2-(methylamino)ethanol or 2-(dimethylamino)ethanol. These experiments yielded simple salt of the former amine and adducts of salts of both bases with ferrocenecarboxylic acid in the ratio of 1:1. The...

Le contrôle du mouvement à l’échelle d’une simple molécule est un sujet actuellement florissant et intensément exploré par des chimistes de tous horizons. Le travail présenté dans ce manuscrit s’inscrit dans ce cadre. La conception ainsi que l’étude en solution et à l’état cristallin de tourniquets moléculaires, espèces composées d’un rotor et d’un stator comportant plusieurs sites d’interaction, y sont décrites.Dans une première partie, la synthèse ainsi que le fonctionnement de tourniquets à charnière de Pt(II) sont décrits. La fermeture et l’ouverture de ces systèmes ainsi que les essais de passage d’une station à une autre y sont étudiés. Les sites d’interactions ont été variés sur le rotor et le stator, pour aboutir à des systèmes variant par la dynamique de leur comportement.Dans une seconde partie, une synthèse optimisée de tourniquets à charnière organique est décrite. Les états ouverts et fermés de ces tourniquets ont été caractérisés.Tous les processus décrits pour les tourniquets ont été étudiés par des études RMN mono- et bi-dimensionnelles en solution.Dans un dernier chapitre, des MM’OFs basés sur un tecton comportant un centre Pt(II) et deux sites coordinant de type pyridine sont exposés. Leur utilisation en tant que tecton organométallique avec divers centres métalliques conduit à la formation de réseaux hétérobimétalliques. Un ligand incluant deux centres Pt(II) et un centre Fe(II) entouré par deux terpyridines est décrit. / The control of intramolecular movements has been a topic of high interest for chemists over two decades. Investigations described in this PhD manuscript aim at the design and study, both in solution and in the crystalline state, of molecular turnstiles. These entities are composed of a rotor and a stator, each of these constituents equipped with recognition sites.In the first part, the synthesis and behavior of Pt(II)-based molecular turnstiles are described. The switching between their open and closed states and the migration process between stations are discussed. The recognition sites on both the stator and rotor have been varied, leading to different behaviors, particularly in terms of their dynamics.In solution, 1- and 2-D NMR have been used for the characterization of the dynamic processes.In the last chapter, the use of a Pt(II)-bispyridyl based tecton for the synthesis of MM’OFs is reported. The use of various metal salts as secondary center has led to the construction of networks varying by their geometry and dimensionality. A ligand including two Pt(II) and one Fe(II) complexed by two terpyridyl units is described.