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Molecular dynamics-derived conformation and intramolecular interaction analysis of the N-acetyl-9-O-acetylneuraminic acid-containing ganglioside GD1a and NMR-based analysis of its binding to a human polyclonal immunoglobulin G fraction with selectivity for O-acetylated sialic acids.

The influence of 9-O-acetylation of GD1a, yielding GD1a (eNeu5,9Ac2) with a 9-O-acetylated sialic acid moiety linked to the outer galactose residue, on the spatial extension and mobility of the carbohydrate chain and on recognition by a natural human antibody is analysed. To study a potential impact of the O-acetyl group on the overall conformation of the carbohydrate chain, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of oligosaccharide chain fragments of increasing length starting from the non-reducing end have been carried out for the first time in this study. They revealed a considerable loss in chain flexibility after addition of the internal N-acetylneuraminic acid onto the chain. Besides MD calculations with different dielectric constants, the conformational behaviour of the complete oligosaccharide chain of the 9-O-acetylated GD1a ganglioside was simulated in the solvents water and dimethyl sulfoxide. These solvents were also used in NMR measurements. The results of this study indicate that 9-O-acetylation at the terminal sialic acid does not influence the overall conformation of the ganglioside. An extended interaction analysis of energetically minimized conformations of GD1a (eNeu5,9Ac2) and GD1a, obtained during molecular dynamics simulations, allowed assessment of the influence of the different parts of the saccharide chains on spatial flexibility. Noteworthy energetic interactions, most interestingly between the 9-O-acetyl group and the pyranose ring of N-acetylgalactosamine, were ascertained by the calculations. However, the strength of this interaction does not force the ganglioside into a conformation, where the 9-O-acetyl group is no longer accessible. Binding of GD1a (eNeu5,9Ac2) to proteins, which are specific for 9-O-acetylated sialic acids, should thus at least partially be mediated by the presence of this group. To experimentally prove this assumption, a NMR study of 9-O-acetylated GD1a in the presence of an affinity-purified polyclonal IgG fraction from human serum with preferential binding to 9-O-acetylated sialic acid was performed. The almost complete disappearance of the intensity of the 9-O-acetyl methyl signal of the GD1a (eNeu5,9Ac2) clearly indicates that the assumed interaction of the 9-O-acetyl group with the human protein takes place.

Acetylation↗

Molecular dynamics simulation study on a monolayer of half [2]rotaxane self-assembled on Au(111).

The self-assembled monolayer (SAM) structure of the tetrathiafulvalene-side half of the Stoddart-Heath type [2]rotaxane on Au(111) surface was investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We find that the orientation of the cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT) ring depends dramatically on the coverage, changing in order to obtain highly packed SAMs. The ring lies with its large hollow parallel to the surface at lower coverage (up to one CBPQT per 27 surface Au atoms with a footprint of 1.9 nm(2); 1/27) when free space is available around it, but as the coverage increases (up to one CBPQT per 12 surface Au atoms with a footprint of 0.9 nm(2); 1/12), it tilts completely around its axis and lies with its smaller side (paraquat or phenyl ring) parallel to the surface to accommodate the reduced area available. We find that the best packing densities correspond to one CBPQT per 12-18 surface Au atoms (1/18-1/12) with footprints in the range between 0.9 nm(2) and 1.3 nm(2).

Journal Article↗

Molecular dynamic study of the odd-even effect in some 4-n-alkyl-4'-cyanobiphenyls.

Using a united atom model, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the 4-n-alkyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (nCB) liquid crystal homologous series for at a constant reduced temperature in the nematic phase. To evaluate the rotational diffusion coefficient (RDC), the second- and fourth-rank order parameters (OP's) and correlation time were calculated from MD trajectories. We analyzed the rotational viscosity coefficient (RVC) by using the Nemtsov-Zakharov and Fialkowski methods based on statistical-mechanical approaches. The simulated RDC, RVC, and OP's were found to be reasonable when compared with previous theoretical and experimental data. These quantities were also calculated for the rigid core and alkyl chain segments separately for each mesogen, to take a closer look at the molecule tail-chain flexibility. The properties calculated for a rigid core were compared with those for an alkyl chain, and satisfactory results were obtained. Odd-even effects for RDF, RVC, and molecular ordering parameters were calculated for five mesogens.

Journal Article↗

Temperature-dependent structure of the E x S complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus alcohol dehydrogenase.

The catalytic chemistry of the thermophilic Bacillus stearothermophilus alcohol dehydrogenase (HtADH) closely resembles that of mesophilic horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH). Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the htADH x NAD+ x EtO- complex at 298, 323, and 348 K show that the structure of the ligated Zn2+...EtO- complex varies slightly with change in temperature. The MD-created Boltzmann distribution of htADH x NAD+ x EtO- structures establishes the formation of multiple states which increase in number with a decrease in temperature. The motions of the cofactor domain are highly correlated with the motions of NAD+ at the optimal growth temperature (348 K), with NAD+ being pushed toward the substrate by Val260. With a decrease in temperature, the motion together of the cofactor and substrate is reversed, and at 298 K, the nicotinamide ring of the cofactor moves away from the substrate. Both the distance between and the angle of approach of C4 of NAD+ and HD of EtO- become distorted from those of the reactive conformation. The percentages of ground state present as the reactive conformation at different temperatures are approximately correlated with the kcat for the htADH enzymatic reaction. The rate constant for the htADH x NAD+ x EtOH --> htADH x NAD+ x EtO- proton dissociation, which is mediated by Thr40-OH, becomes slower at lower temperatures. The time-dependent distance between EtO- and Thr40-OH reveals that the Thr40 hydroxyl group sways between the substrate and NAD+ ribose 2'-hydroxyl group at the optimal enzyme growth temperature, and this movement is effectively frozen out as the temperature decreases. The temperature dependence of active site conformations is due to the change in both long-range and short-range motions of the E x S complex.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Multitargeted comparative evaluation suggests 2-Aoeobenoxmide shows favourable in silico binding compared to Tucatinib against ERα, HER2, AKT1, EGFR, and PIK3CA in breast cancer.

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality globally, with the WHO reporting approximately 2.3 million new cases and 685,000 deaths annually. Drug resistance in breast cancer complicates treatment, with mutations in critical proteins contributing to therapy failure. Key oncogenic proteins involved in breast cancer progression-namely ERα (a ligand-activated nuclear receptor; PDB: 1A52) and the kinase domains of HER2 (PDB ID: 3PP0), AKT1 (PDB ID: 4EJN), EGFR (PDB ID: 4I23) and PIK3CA (PDB ID: 7R9V)-are pivotal in tumour progression and resistance mechanisms. Targeting these proteins using multitargeted therapeutic strategies may overcome resistance by disrupting key signalling pathways involved in cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis. Such combinatorial approaches promise to improve treatment efficacy and patient outcomes in cases of resistant breast cancer. In this study, we performed multitarget docking on prepared and validated protein structures against the ZINC natural compound library using HTVS, SP, and XP, with pose validation using MM-GBSA. We identified 2-Aoeobenoxmide (2-[1-(2-amino-2-oxo-ethoxy)-6-oxo-benzo[c]chromen-3-yl]oxyacetamide, ZINC134008) with docking and MM-GBSA scores ranging from -8.162 to -10.327 kcal/mol and from -47.18 to -57.62 kcal/mol, respectively, and compared the results with the FDA-approved drug Tucatinib, which exhibited lower binding affinity scores. We further evaluated pharmacokinetic properties using QikProp and electronic properties using DFT (Jaguar) and compared the descriptors of 2-Aoeobenoxmide with those of Tucatinib and with accepted reference ranges. We also performed the WaterMap for 5 nanoseconds (ns), computed various energies, interactions and hydration sites, and the comparison suggests that 2-Aoeobenoxmide shows more favourable hydration-site displacement and binding interactions than Tucatinib. Additionally, a 100 ns MD Simulation has resulted in far less deviation, fluctuations, and intermolecular interactions than Tucatinib, suggesting stable protein-ligand interactions, while the binding free energy and total complex energy computed across 0-1000 frames of the MD trajectories indicate that 2-Aoeobenoxmide is a promising in silico candidate. Importantly, because the entire study is computational, the findings should be interpreted as in silico hypotheses, and experimental validation through in vitro and in vivo assays is warranted before any clinical translation is considered.

Humans↗

In-silico screening using flexible ligand binding pockets: a molecular dynamics-based approach.

In-silico screening of flexible ligands against flexible ligand binding pockets (LBP) is an emerging approach in structure-based drug discovery. Here, we describe a molecular dynamics (MD) based docking approach to investigate the influence on the high-throughput in-silico screening of small molecules against flexible ligand binding pockets. In our approach, an ensemble of 51 energetically favorable structures of the LBP of human estrogen receptor alpha (hERalpha) were collected from 3 ns MD simulations. In-silico screening of 3500 endocrine disrupting compounds against these flexible ligand binding pockets resulted in thousands of ER-ligand complexes of which 582 compounds were unique. Detailed analysis of MD generated structures showed that only 17 of the LBP residues significantly contribute to the overall binding pocket flexibility. Using the flexible LBP conformations generated, we have identified 32 compounds that bind better to the flexible ligand-binding pockets compared to the crystal structure. These compounds, though chemically divergent, are structurally similar to the natural hormone. Our MD-based approach in conjunction with grid-based distributed computing could be applied routinely for in-silico screening of large databases against any given target.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A molecular dynamics analysis of the GCC-box binding domain in ethylene-responsive element binding factors.

Ethylene-responsive element (ERE) binding factors is responsible for a consensus nucleotide sequence AGCCGCC (GCC-box) binding in many important process of plant growing through gene regulation and mediating signal transduction pathways in response to environmental stress. The GCC-box binding domain (GBD) as a novel fold for DNA recognition has been analyzed by means of molecular dynamics. The simulations show that the complex of GBD-DNA trajectories show similar fluctuations in the atomic positions as uncomplexed, particularly at three beta strands involving DNA binding. The calculations of entropy also affirm that GBD flexibility is basically similar for two ligation states. Further, the two complexation states present similar patterns of concerted motions, indicating that the bound DNA cannot alter GBD flexibility. It is inferred that the flexibility of GBD molecule is independent of its ligation state. So in the protein-DNA recognition, the GBD cannot be easily induced while DNA shows better flexibility. Comparison between simulations of unligated GBD and the complexed GBD (in isolation or DNA-bound) reveals intrinsic flexibilities in some certain parts of the molecule play a key role in DNA recognition. In addition, MD simulation identifies that water molecule may mediate interaction between GBD and DNA.

Base Sequence↗

Structural consequences of D481N/K483Q mutation at glycine binding site of NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptors: a molecular dynamics study.

N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptors are the ligand gated as well as voltage sensitive ionotropic glutamate receptors, widely distributed in the vertebrate central nervous system and they play critical role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out on high resolution crystal structure of NR1 subunit of NMDA receptor ligand binding core (S1S2) in four different conformations. We have investigated consequence of D481N/K483Q double mutation of NR1 subunit from simulation results of (a) glycine bound form (WG), (b) unbound (closed-apo) form (WOG), (c) a double mutated form (DM), and (d) the antagonist (5,7-dichlorokynuric acid) bound form (DCKA). The MD simulations and simulated annealing for 4ns show a distinct conformation for the double mutated conformation that neither follows the antagonist nor apo conformation. There are two distinct sites, loop1 and loop2 where the double mutated structure in its glycine bound form shows significant RMSD deviations as compared to the wild-type. The interactions of glycine with the receptor remain theoretically unchanged in the double mutated structure and there is no detachment of S1S2 domains. The results suggest that separation of S1 and S2 domains may not be essential for channel inactivation. Therefore, it is hypothesized that hypoactivation of NMDA receptor channels may arise out of the conformational changes at non-conserved Loop1 and Loop2 regions observed in the mutated structure. The Loop1 and Loop2 regions responsible for inter-subunit interactions in a functional NMDA receptor, may therefore, render the ligand bound form defunct. This may account for behavioral anomalies due to receptor inactivation seen in grin1 mutated mice.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations of lymphotactin.

We have modeled the structure of human lymphotactin (hLpnt), by homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. This chemokine is unique in having a single disulfide bond and a long C-terminal tail. Because other structural classes of chemokines have two pairs of Cys residues, compared to one in Lpnt, and because it has been shown that both disulfide bonds are required for stability and function, the question arises how the Lpnt maintains its structural integrity. The initial structure of hLpnt was constructed by homology modeling. The first 63 residues in the monomer of hLpnt were modeled using the structure of the human CC chemokine, RANTES, whose sequence appeared most similar. The structure of the long C-terminal tail, missing in RANTES, was taken from the human muscle fatty-acid binding protein. In a Protein Data Bank search, this protein was found to contain a sequence that was most homologous to the long tail. Consequently, the modeled hLpnt C-terminal tail consisted of both alpha-helical and beta-motifs. The complete model of the hLpnt monomer consisted of two alpha-helices located above the five-stranded beta-sheet. Molecular dynamics simulations of the solvated initial model have indicated that the stability of the predicted fold is related to the geometry of Pro78. The five-stranded beta-sheet appeared to be preserved only when Pro78 was modeled in the cis conformation. Simulations were also performed both for the C-terminal truncated forms of the hLpnt that contained one or two (CC chemokine-like) disulfide bonds, and for the chicken Lpnt (cLpnt). Our MD simulations indicated that the turn region (T30-G34) in hLpnt is important for the interactions with the receptor, and that the long C-terminal region stabilizes both the turn (T30-G34) and the five-stranded beta-sheet. The major conclusion from our theoretical studies is that the lack of one disulfide bond and the extension of the C-terminus in hLptn are mutually complementary. It is very likely that removal of two Cys residues sufficiently destabilizes the structure of a chemokine molecule, particularly the core beta-sheet, to abolish its biological function. However, this situation is rectified by the long C-terminal segment. The role of this long region is most likely to stabilize the first beta-turn region and alpha-helix H1, explaining how this chemokine can function with a single disulfide bond.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Conformational determinants of tandem GU mismatches in RNA: insights from molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanical calculations.

Structure and energetic properties of base pair mismatches in duplex RNA have been the focus of numerous investigations due to their role in many important biological functions. Such efforts have contributed to the development of models for secondary structure prediction of RNA, including the nearest-neighbor model. In RNA duplexes containing GU mismatches, 5'-GU-3' tandem mismatches have a different thermodynamic stability than 5'-UG-3' mismatches. In addition, 5'-GU-3' mismatches in some sequence contexts do not follow the nearest-neighbor model for stability. To characterize the underlying atomic forces that determine the structural and thermodynamic properties of GU tandem mismatches, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed on a series of 5'-GU-3' and 5'-UG-3' duplexes in different sequence contexts. Overall, the MD-derived structural models agree well with experimental data, including local deviations in base step helicoidal parameters in the region of the GU mismatches and the model where duplex stability is associated with the pattern of GU hydrogen bonding. Further analysis of the simulations, validated by data from quantum mechanical calculations, suggests that the experimentally observed differences in thermodynamic stability are dominated by GG interstrand followed by GU intrastrand base stacking interactions that dictate the one versus two hydrogen bonding scenarios for the GU pairs. In addition, the inability of 5'-GU-3' mismatches in different sequence contexts to all fit into the nearest-neighbor model is indicated to be associated with interactions of the central four base pairs with the surrounding base pairs. The results emphasize the role of GG and GU stacking interactions on the structure and thermodynamics of GU mismatches in RNA.

Base Pair Mismatch↗

Modeling loop reorganization free energies of acetylcholinesterase: a comparison of explicit and implicit solvent models.

The treatment of hydration effects in protein dynamics simulations varies in model complexity and spans the range from the computationally intensive microscopic evaluation to simple dielectric screening of charge-charge interactions. This paper compares different solvent models applied to the problem of estimating the free-energy difference between two loop conformations in acetylcholinesterase. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to sample potential energy surfaces of the two basins with solvent treated by means of explicit and implicit methods. Implicit solvent methods studied include the generalized Born (GB) model, atomic solvation potential (ASP), and the distance-dependent dieletric constant. By using the linear response approximation (LRA), the explicit solvent calculations determined a free-energy difference that is in excellent agreement with the experimental estimate, while rescoring the protein conformations with GB or the Poisson equation showed inconsistent and inferior results. While the approach of rescoring conformations from explicit water simulations with implicit solvent models is popular among many applications, it perturbs the energy landscape by changing the solvent contribution to microstates without conformational relaxation, thus leading to non-optimal solvation free energies. Calculations applying MD with a GB solvent model produced results of comparable accuracy as observed with LRA, yet the electrostatic free-energy terms were significantly different due to optimization on a potential energy surface favored by an implicit solvent reaction field. The simpler methods of ASP and the distance-dependent scaling of the dielectric constant both produced considerable distortions in the protein internal free-energy terms and are consequently unreliable.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Solution structure of the dodecamer d-(CATGGGCC-CATG)2 is B-DNA. Experimental and molecular dynamics study.

The DNA duplex d-(CATGGGCCCATG)2 has been studied in solution by FTIR, NMR and CD. The experimental approaches have been complemented by series of large-scale unrestrained molecular dynamics simulation with explicit inclusion of solvent and counterions. Typical proton-proton distances extracted from the NMR spectra and the CD spectra are completely in agreement with slightly modified B-DNA. By molecular dynamics simulation, starting from A-type sugar pucker, a spontaneous repuckering to B-type sugar pucker was observed. Both experimental and theoretical approaches suggest for the dodecamer d-(CATGGGCCCATG)2 under solution conditions puckering of all 2'-deoxyribose residues in the south conformation (mostly C2'-endo) and can exclude significant population of sugars in the north conformation (C3'-endo). NMR, FTIR and CD data are in agreement with a B-form of the dodecamer in solution. Furthermore, the duplex shows a cooperative B-A transition in solution induced by addition of trifluorethanol. This contrasts a recently published crystal structure of the same oligonucleotide found as an intermediate between B- and A-DNA where 23 out of 24 sugar residues were reported to adopt the north (N-type) conformation (C3'-endo) like in A-DNA (Ng, H. L., Kopka, M. L. and Dickerson, R. E., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 97, 2035-2039 (2000)). The simulated structures resemble standard B-DNA. They nevertheless show a moderate shift towards A-type stacking similar to that seen in the crystal, despite the striking difference in sugar puckers between the MD and X-ray structures. This is in agreement with preceding MD reports noticing special stacking features of G-tracts exhibiting a tendency towards the A-type stacking supported by the CD spectra also reflecting the G-tract stacking. MD simulations reveal several noticeable local conformational variations, such as redistribution of helical twist and base pair roll between the central GpC steps and the adjacent G-tract segments, as well as a substantial helical twist variability in the CpA(TpG) steps combined with a large positive base pair roll. These local variations are rather different from those seen in the crystal.

Base Sequence↗

Water dynamics simulation as a tool for probing proton transfer pathways in a heptahelical membrane protein.

The proton transfer pathway in a heptahelical membrane protein, the light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin (BR), is probed by a combined approach of structural analysis of recent X-ray models and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations that provide the diffusion pathways of internal and external water molecules. Analyzing the hydrogen-bond contact frequencies of the water molecules with protein groups, the complete proton pathway through the protein is probed. Beside the well-known proton binding sites in the protein interior-the protonated Schiff base, Asp85 and Asp96, and the H(5)O(2) (+) complex stabilized by Glu204 and Glu194-the proton release and uptake pathways to the protein surfaces are described in great detail. Further residues were identified, by mutation of which the proposed pathways can be verified. In addition the diffusion pathway of water 502 from Lys216 to Asp96 is shown to cover the positions of the intruding waters 503 and 504 in the N-intermediate. The transiently established water chain in the N-state provides a proton pathway from Asp96 to the Schiff base in the M- to N-transition in a Grotthus-like mechanism, as concluded earlier from time-resolved Fourier transform infrared experiments [le Coutre et al., Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 1995;92:4962-4966].

Aspartic Acid↗

Simulations of multi-directional forced unfolding of titin I27.

Mechanical resistance of a protein under external force is known to depend on the amino acid sequence, unfolding rate constant, topology and the direction of force applied. To assess the affect of force direction on mechanical resistance, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the partial unfolding of titin I27 have been carried out by applying a ramp of force between the N-terminus and the alpha-carbon of each amino acid, respectively. The results arbitrarily place the amino acids in a hierarchy in terms of the time at which an unfolding intermediate is formed. The onset of unfolding is indeed affected by force direction; directions that give maximum leverage (for the A strand to detach) unfold to the intermediate quicker than directions that give least leverage. Moreover, the change in the time taken to reach the intermediate, hence the change in mechanical resistance, can be attributed to beta-strand topology. The simulations indicate that experimentally multi-directional forced unfolding could be used to reveal and study strand topology, and suggests that direction of applied force, topology and mechanical resistance are all closely related.

Computer Simulation↗

Explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulation of duplex formed by the modified oligonucleotide with alternating phosphate/phosphonate internucleoside linkages and its natural counterpart.

Impact of the internucleoside linkage modification by inserting a methylene group on the ability of the modified oligonucleotide to hybridize with a natural DNA strand was studied by fully solvated molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Three undecamer complexes were analyzed: natural dT(11).dA(11) duplex as a reference and two its analogs with alternating modified and natural linkages in the deoxyadenosine chain. The isopolar, non-isosteric modified linkages were of 5'-O-PO(2)-CH(2)-O-3' (5'PC3') or 5'-O-CH(2)-PO(2)-O-3' (5'CP3') type. Simulations were performed by using the AMBER 5.0 software package with the force field completed by a set of parameters needed to model the modified segments. Both modifications were found to lead to double helical complexes, in which the thymidine strand as well as deoxyriboses and unmodified linkages in the adenosine strand adopted conformations typical for the B-type structure. For each of the two conformational richer modified linkages two stable conformations were found at 300 K: the -ggt and ggt for the 5'PC3' and ggg, tgg for the 5'CP3', respectively. Both modified chains adopted helical conformations with heightened values of the inclination parameter but without affecting the Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds.

Computer Simulation↗

Slip behavior in liquid films on surfaces of patterned wettability: comparison between continuum and molecular dynamics simulations.

We investigate the behavior of the slip length in Newtonian liquids subject to planar shear bounded by substrates with mixed boundary conditions. The upper wall, consisting of a homogenous surface of finite or vanishing slip, moves at a constant speed parallel to a lower stationary wall, whose surface is patterned with an array of stripes representing alternating regions of no shear and finite or no slip. Velocity fields and effective slip lengths are computed both from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and solution of the Stokes equation for flow configurations either parallel or perpendicular to the stripes. Excellent agreement between the hydrodynamic and MD results is obtained when the normalized width of the slip regions, a/sigma greater than or approximately equal O (10) , where sigma is the (fluid) molecular diameter characterizing the Lennard-Jones interaction. In this regime, the effective slip length increases monotonically with a/sigma to a saturation value. For a/sigma less than or approximately O (10) and transverse flow configurations, the nonuniform interaction potential at the lower wall constitutes a rough surface whose molecular scale corrugations strongly reduce the effective slip length below the hydrodynamic results. The translational symmetry for longitudinal flow eliminates the influence of molecular scale roughness; however, the reduced molecular ordering above the wetting regions of finite slip for small values of a/sigma increases the value of the effective slip length far above the hydrodynamic predictions. The strong correlation between the effective slip length and the liquid structure factor representative of the first fluid layer near the patterned wall illustrates the influence of molecular ordering effects on slip in noninertial flows.

Journal Article↗

Thermodynamic properties of the Cu-Au system using a face-centered-cubic lattice model with a renormalized potential.

A Monte Carlo simulation is carried out to study thermodynamic properties of Cu-Au alloys using a face-centered-cubic (fcc) lattice-gas model. To obtain quantitatively accurate results, a Finnis-Sinclair-type potential, which has been widely used for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, is employed. To overcome some shortcomings of lattice-gas models such as neglecting vibrational entropy, the potential is mapped onto the fcc lattice using the renormalization technique. The renormalized potential gives an improved Cu-Au phase diagram compared to the original MD potential applied directly on the lattice.

Journal Article↗

Structure and fluctuations of bacteriophage T4 glutaredoxin modelled by molecular dynamics.

A 120 ps molecular dynamics (MD) trajectory for bacteriophage T4 glutaredoxin was calculated including non-inertial solvent effects. The potential energy attains an equilibrated regime after the first 20 ps. The r.m.s. difference of all non-hydrogen atoms between X-ray and average MD structures for the regular secondary structure is 0.99A which shows that the MD simulation reproduces the essentials of the structure with high accuracy. Loop displacements are detected, shown by the larger full structure all non-hydrogen atom r.m.s. difference of 1.2A. The fluctuation pattern derived from MD agrees fairly well with that derived from X-ray isotropic temperature factors. The active site is a stable structural region in this MD modellization. Structural changes are put in context with the protein's function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗