E place of cytochrome c within the lobe amongst the two WD domains. Our modeling procedures aimed at refining the orientation of cytochrome c within this lobe. Reviewer two: The approach in the authors is rather helpful along with the final model seems to fit-in not only in the cryoEM density map, but, also is fairly consistent with existing understanding of molecular processes in apoptosome. I want this short article is published because it provides an chance to those working in this area of apoptosome to think about an alternate effective structural model. On the other hand authors could wish to consider following points prior to the feasible publication of this work: Question 1. It truly is not clear if the flexibilities related with the tertiary structures of cytochrome c and Apaf-1 have already been utilized when authors performed proteinprotein docking working with many techniques. I believed, at some stage in the docking (probably at least within the final stages following the interaction patches are recognized), it’s appropriate to permit some flexibility within the structures of your two associating interfaces.Shalaeva et al. Biology Direct (2015) 10:Web page 20 ofobtained in [24], for the PatchDock’ model plus the cryo-EM primarily based structure [PDB:3J2T] [25], respectively, extra clear. We also described the differences in 7α-Hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one supplier between the fits in additional detail. Query four. What are the calculated energies of interaction between the two proteins within the proposed model and inside the model proposed previously Authors’ response: In the revised manuscript, we present estimates of the alterations in solvation power in the cytochrome c upon its binding to Apaf-1 (G s) for all model structures that had been obtained soon after energy minimization, too as for the model structure by Yuan et al. [25]; the results are presented in the new Table 2 and discussed.Reviewer’s report three: Dr. Igor N. Berezovsky, Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore 138671, and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singaporesimultaneously present within the protein and differ based on relevant physiological situations. MD simulations used by authors allow a single to detect dynamic interactions temporal bonds that will be absent within the crystal structure. When thorough quantitative analysis in the contribution from bifurcated bonds to protein stability remains to 9-cis-β-Carotene site become performed, this operate unravels an additional critical aspect of these bonds relevant to protein-protein interactions. Pending experimental verification, role of bifurcated bonds in stability of interfaces can be a valuable addition to our understanding of your protein-protein interactions as well as the mechanisms of their formation and stability. Authors’ response: We are grateful towards the Reviewer for these comments and for supplying helpful references for the earlier studies on the complex salt bridges hydrogen bonds in proteins. We’ve got incorporated these references in to the revised manuscript. We also appreciate the notion that, according to the present terminology for hydrogen bonding “our” complex salt bridges, exactly where one particular donor interacts with two acceptors, should be known as “double salt bridges” as an alternative to “bifurcated salt bridges”. And still we’ve got retained the designation “bifurcated salt bridges” in the revised manuscript because of the following factors. Initially, the term “double salt bridge” has come to be ambiguous; it truly is also made use of to describe a combination of two pairs of residues forming two “parallel”, easy salt bridg.