QM/MM and MM MD simulations on decontamination of the V-type nerve agent VX by phosphotriesterase: toward a comprehensive understanding of steroselectivity and activity

Abstract

Due to deadly toxicity and high environmental stability of the nerve agent VX, an efficient decontamination approach is desperately needed in tackling its severe threat to human security. The enzymatic destruction of nerve agents has been generally considered as one of the most effective ways, and here the hydrolysis of VX by phosphotriesterase (PTE) was investigated by extensive QM/MM and MM MD simulations. The hydrolytic cleavage of P–S by PTE is a two-step process with the free energy spans of 15.8 and 26.0 kcal mol⁻¹ for the R_P- and S_P-enantiomer VX, respectively, and such remarkable stereospecificity of VX enantiomers in the enzymatic degradation is attributed to their conformational compatibility with the active pocket. The structurally less adaptive S_P-enantiomer allows one additional water molecule to enter the binuclear zinc center and remarkably facilitates the release of the degraded product. Overall, the rate-limiting steps in the enzymatic degradation of VX by PTE involve the degraded product release of the R_P-enantiomer and the enzymatic P–S cleavage of the S_P-enantiomer. Further computational analysis on the mutation of selected residues also revealed that H257Y, H257D, H254Q-H257F, and L7ep-3a variants allow more water molecules to enter the active site, which improves the catalytic efficiency of PTE, as observed experimentally. The present work provides mechanistic insights into the stereoselective hydrolysis of VX by PTE and the activity manipulation through the active-site accessibility of water molecules, which can be used for the enzyme engineering to defeat chemical warfare agents.