(A-C) Time evolution of protomer positions (top,
viewed from EC region) and interfacial interactions
(bottom) at t = 0, 10, and 180 ns to
stabilize the trimer-W238. The surrounding lipids and other molecules included
in simulations (see Fig 2A) are omitted for
clarity. (A) Initially, protomers are separated by ~50 Å
(center of mass distances) (B) AIM-100 (cyan,
vDW), originally 25 Å away from the binding site, migrated to
locate the interfacial region at the EC-exposed vestibule, stabilized by P235
and P236. (C) Inter-subunit salt bridges D231/D232-R237 consolidate
the trimeric packing and the closer assembly of the protomers whose mass center
distances are reduced by 5Å.