RT Journal Article T1 Revealing the binding dynamics between catanionic surfactants and lysozyme: A synergistic computational approach coupled with experimental validation A1 Rial Silva, Ramón A1 González Durruthy, Michael A1 Liu, Zhen A1 Reis, Rui L. A1 Ruso Beiras, Juan Manuel AB The binding mechanisms between a mixture of catanionic surfactants, hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and dicloxacillin (Diclox), interacting with the lysozyme protein was investigated by combining computational structure-based and spectrofluorometric approaches. The ezPocket method efficiently predicted lysozyme binding sites, which improved the accuracy of molecular docking simulations for the mixture. The estimated IC50 values indicated the potency and effectiveness of both ligands in the lysozyme binding pockets. Dicloxacillin showed stronger binding affinity than CTAB, as evidenced by lower IC50 values and higher interaction affinity based on ΔG results. Additionally, CTAB induced conformational changes in the lysozyme binding sites, that decreased the binding affinity of dicloxacillin, and vice versa. The outcomes on the synergistic or antagonistic binding in the catanionic system revealed negative cooperativity based on the obtained negative Hill coefficients. Besides, theoretical 2D-isobolograms illustrated the interaction between the ligands, indicating synergistic and antagonistic effects on the lysozyme binding pockets. Experimental validation unveiled that the presence of the catanionic mixture altered the absorption spectrum of lysozyme, decreasing its hydrophobicity and increasing polarity. The interaction between dicloxacillin and lysozyme resulted in fluorescence quenching and a red shift in the emission wavelength, demonstrating a change towards a more polar environment, while in the case of CTAB, the interaction resulted in shifts in the maximum wavelength and tertiary structure unfolding. These findings support the idea that dicloxacillin is a more potent ligand for lysozyme than CTAB, further unravelling their binding interplay, and laying the groundwork for future investigations aimed at rational drug design for potential biomedical applications. PB Elsevier SN 0167-7322 YR 2023 FD 2023 LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/33169 UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/33169 LA eng NO Journal of Molecular Liquids Volume 390, Part B, 15 November 2023, 123121 NO R.R. and J.M.R. thank Xunta de Galicia for support (ED431B 2022/36), and Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (PID2019-805111327GB-100). M.G.D. thanks European Union’s H2020 project Sinfonia (N.857253). R.R. is granted by the Program for the requalification, international mobility, and attraction of talent in the Spanish university system, modality Margarita Salas (grant UP2021-042). DS Minerva RD 29 abr 2026