@article{RayFackeldeySteinetal., author = {Ray, Sourav and Fackeldey, Konstantin and Stein, Christoph and Weber, Marcus}, title = {Coarse Grained MD Simulations of Opioid interactions with the µ-opioid receptor and the surrounding lipid membrane}, series = {Biophysica}, volume = {3}, journal = {Biophysica}, number = {2}, doi = {10.3390/biophysica3020017}, pages = {263 -- 275}, abstract = {In our previous studies, a new opioid (NFEPP) was developed to only selectively bind to the 𝜇-opoid receptor (MOR) in inflamed tissue and thus avoid the severe side effects of fentanyl. We know that NFEPP has a reduced binding affinity to MOR in healthy tissue. Inspired by the modelling and simulations performed by Sutcliffe et al., we present our own results of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of fentanyl and NFEPP with regards to their interaction with the 𝜇-opioid receptor embedded within the lipid cell membrane. For technical reasons, we have slightly modified Sutcliffe's parametrisation of opioids. The pH-dependent opioid simulations are of interest because while fentanyl is protonated at the physiological pH, NFEPP is deprotonated due to its lower pKa value than that of fentanyl. Here, we analyse for the first time whether pH changes have an effect on the dynamical behaviour of NFEPP when it is inside the cell membrane. Besides these changes, our analysis shows a possible alternative interaction of NFEPP at pH 7.4 outside the binding region of the MOR. The interaction potential of NFEPP with MOR is also depicted by analysing the provided statistical molecular dynamics simulations with the aid of an eigenvector analysis of a transition rate matrix. In our modelling, we see differences in the XY-diffusion profiles of NFEPP compared with fentanyl in the cell membrane.}, language = {en} } @article{DonatiWeber, author = {Donati, Luca and Weber, Marcus}, title = {Efficient Estimation of Transition Rates as Functions of pH}, series = {Proceedings in Applied Mathematics \& Mechanics}, volume = {23}, journal = {Proceedings in Applied Mathematics \& Mechanics}, doi = {10.1002/pamm.202300264}, abstract = {Extracting the kinetic properties of a system whose dynamics depend on the pH of the environment with which it exchanges energy and atoms requires sampling the Grand Canonical Ensemble. As an alternative, we present a novel strategy that requires simulating only the most recurrent Canonical Ensembles that compose the Grand Canonical Ensemble. The simulations are used to estimate the Gran Canonical distribution for a specific pH value by reweighting and to construct the transition rate matrix by discretizing the Fokker-Planck equation by Square Root Approximation and robust Perron Cluster Cluster Analysis. As an application, we have studied the tripeptide Ala-Asp-Ala.}, language = {en} } @article{ReidelbachFerrerWeber, author = {Reidelbach, Marco and Ferrer, Eloi and Weber, Marcus}, title = {MaRDMO Plugin}, series = {Proceedings of the Conference on Research Data Infrastructure}, volume = {1}, journal = {Proceedings of the Conference on Research Data Infrastructure}, publisher = {TIB Open Publishing}, issn = {2941-296X}, doi = {10.52825/cordi.v1i.254}, abstract = {MaRDMO, a plugin for the Research Data Management Organiser, was developed in the Mathematical Research Data Initiative to document interdisciplinary workflows using a standardised scheme. Interdisciplinary workflows recorded this way are published directly on the MaRDI portal. In addition, central information is integrated into the MaRDI knowledge graph. Next to the documentation, MaRDMO offers the possibility to retrieve existing interdisciplinary workflows from the MaRDI Knowledge Graph to allow the reproduction of the initial work and to provide scientists with new researchimpulses. Thus, MaRDMO creates a community-driven knowledge loop that could help to overcome the replication crisis.}, language = {en} } @article{ThiesSunkaraRayetal., author = {Thies, Arne and Sunkara, Vikram and Ray, Sourav and Wulkow, Hanna and Celik, M. {\"O}zg{\"u}r and Yerg{\"o}z, Fatih and Sch{\"u}tte, Christof and Stein, Christoph and Weber, Marcus and Winkelmann, Stefanie}, title = {Modelling altered signalling of G-protein coupled receptors in inflamed environment to advance drug design}, series = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {13}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {607}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-023-27699-w}, abstract = {We previously reported the successful design, synthesis and testing of the prototype opioid painkiller NFEPP that does not elicit adverse side effects. The design process of NFEPP was based on mathematical modelling of extracellular interactions between G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ligands, recognizing that GPCRs function differently under pathological versus healthy conditions. We now present an additional and novel stochastic model of GPCR function that includes intracellular dissociation of G-protein subunits and modulation of plasma membrane calcium channels and their dependence on parameters of inflamed and healthy tissue (pH, radicals). The model is validated against in vitro experimental data for the ligands NFEPP and fentanyl at different pH values and radical concentrations. We observe markedly reduced binding affinity and calcium channel inhibition for NFEPP at normal pH compared to lower pH, in contrast to the effect of fentanyl. For increasing radical concentrations, we find enhanced constitutive G-protein activation but reduced ligand binding affinity. Assessing the different effects, the results suggest that, compared to radicals, low pH is a more important determinant of overall GPCR function in an inflamed environment. Future drug design efforts should take this into account.}, language = {en} } @article{SeckerFackeldeyWeberetal., author = {Secker, Christopher and Fackeldey, Konstantin and Weber, Marcus and Ray, Sourav and Gorgulla, Christoph and Sch{\"u}tte, Christof}, title = {Novel multi-objective affinity approach allows to identify pH-specific μ-opioid receptor agonists}, series = {Journal of Cheminformatics}, volume = {15}, journal = {Journal of Cheminformatics}, doi = {10.1186/s13321-023-00746-4}, abstract = {Opioids are essential pharmaceuticals due to their analgesic properties, however, lethal side effects, addiction, and opioid tolerance are extremely challenging. The development of novel molecules targeting the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) in inflamed, but not in healthy tissue, could significantly reduce these unwanted effects. Finding such novel molecules can be achieved by maximizing the binding affinity to the MOR at acidic pH while minimizing it at neutral pH, thus combining two conflicting objectives. Here, this multi-objective optimal affinity approach is presented, together with a virtual drug discovery pipeline for its practical implementation. When applied to finding pH-specific drug candidates, it combines protonation state-dependent structure and ligand preparation with high-throughput virtual screening. We employ this pipeline to characterize a set of MOR agonists identifying a morphine-like opioid derivative with higher predicted binding affinities to the MOR at low pH compared to neutral pH. Our results also confirm existing experimental evidence that NFEPP, a previously described fentanyl derivative with reduced side effects, and recently reported β-fluorofentanyls and -morphines show an increased specificity for the MOR at acidic pH when compared to fentanyl and morphine. We further applied our approach to screen a >50K ligand library identifying novel molecules with pH-specific predicted binding affinities to the MOR. The presented differential docking pipeline can be applied to perform multi-objective affinity optimization to identify safer and more specific drug candidates at large scale.}, language = {en} } @article{BoegeFritzeGoergenetal., author = {Boege, Tobias and Fritze, Ren{\´e} and G{\"o}rgen, Christiane and Hanselmann, Jeroen and Iglezakis, Dorothea and Kastner, Lars and Koprucki, Thomas and Krause, Tabea and Lehrenfeld, Christoph and Polla, Silvia and Reidelbach, Marco and Riedel, Christian and Saak, Jens and Schembera, Bj{\"o}rn and Tabelow, Karsten and Weber, Marcus}, title = {Research-Data Management Planning in the German Mathematical Community}, series = {Eur. Math. Soc. Mag.}, volume = {130}, journal = {Eur. Math. Soc. Mag.}, doi = {10.4171/mag/152}, pages = {40 -- 47}, abstract = {In this paper we discuss the notion of research data for the field of mathematics and report on the status quo of research-data management and planning. A number of decentralized approaches are presented and compared to needs and challenges faced in three use cases from different mathematical subdisciplines. We highlight the importance of tailoring research-data management plans to mathematicians' research processes and discuss their usage all along the data life cycle.}, language = {en} } @article{ChewleWeberEmmerling, author = {Chewle, Surahit and Weber, Marcus and Emmerling, Franziska}, title = {Revealing Kinetics of Paracetamol Crystallization Using Time-Resolved Raman Spectroscopy, Orthogonal Time-Lapse Photography, and Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (OSANO)}, series = {Crystal Growth \& Design}, volume = {23}, journal = {Crystal Growth \& Design}, number = {9}, edition = {Crystal Growth \& Design}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, doi = {10.1021/acs.cgd.3c00617}, pages = {6737 -- 6746}, abstract = {Crystallization is a complex phenomenon with far-reaching implications for the production and formulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Understanding this process is critical for achieving control over key physicochemical properties that can affect, for example, the bioavailability and stability of a drug. In this study, we were able to reveal intricate and diverse dynamics of the formation of metastable intermediates of paracetamol crystallization varying with the choice of solvent. We demonstrate the efficacy of our novel approach utilizing an objective function-based non-negative matrix factorization technique for the analysis of time-resolved Raman spectroscopy data, in conjunction with time-lapse photography. Furthermore, we emphasize the crucial importance of integrating Raman spectroscopy with supplementary experimental instrumentation for the mathematical analysis of the obtained spectra.}, language = {en} }