scholarly journals Polymer translocation through nano-pores: influence of pore and polymer deformation

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Shahzad
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Fluctuations ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Free Energy Barrier ◽  
Transport Dynamics ◽  
Polymer Deformation ◽  
Cellular Environment ◽  
Small Pore ◽  
Drastic Increase ◽  
Translocation Time ◽  
Polymer Translocation

We have simulated polymer translocation across the a α-hemolysin nano-pore via a coarse grained computational model for both the polymer and the pore. We simulate the translocation process by allowing the protein cross a free-energy barrier from a metastable state, in the presence of thermal fluctuations. The deformation in the channel, which we model by making the radius of pore change from large to small size, can be originated by the random and non-random (systematic) cellular environment, drive out the polymer out of equilibrium during the transport dynamics. We expect that in more realistic conditions, effects originating on the translocation phenomena due to the deformability of the nano-pore can either decrease or increase the transport time of biomolecule passing through the channel. Deformation in channel can occurred because the structure of α-hemolysin channel is not completely immobile, hence a small pore deformation can be occurred during translocation process. We also discuss the effects of polymer deformation on the translocation process, which we achieve by varying the value of the empirical and dihedral potential constants. We investigate the dynamic and thermodynamical properties of the translocation process by revealing the statistics of translocation time as a function of the pulling inward force acting along the axis of the pore under the influence of small and large pore. We observed that a pore with small size can speed down the polymer translocation process, especially at the limit of small pulling force. A drastic increase in translocation time at the limit of low force for small pore clearly illustrate the strong interaction between the transport polymer and pore. Our results can be of fundamental importance for those experiments on DNA-RNA sorting and sequencing and drug delivery mechanism for anti-cancer therapy.

scholarly journals Translocation process of structured polypeptides across nanopores

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 421-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Cecconi ◽  
Umberto Marini Bettolo Marconi ◽  
Angelo Vulpiani
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Physics ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Free Energy Barrier ◽  
Transport Dynamics ◽  
Alpha Hemolysin ◽  
Translocation Mechanism ◽  
Smoluchowski Equations ◽  
Pulling Force ◽  
Molecular Manipulation ◽  
Polypeptide Chains

The progress of molecular manipulation technology has made it possible to conduct controlled experiments on translocation of polynucleotide and polypeptide chains across alpha-Hemolysin channels and solid-state nanopores. To study the translocation process we combined Molecular Dynamics at coarse-grained level and appropriate drift-diffusion Smoluchowski equations as an integrated statistical physics approach. In particular, we performed simulations of the passage across a cylindrical nanopore of Ubiquitin described by a coarse-grained native-centric model to investigate the influence of protein structural properties on translocation mechanism. The kinetic characterization of the process is achieved by studying the statistics of blockage times, the mobility and translocation probability as a function of the pulling forceFacting in the pore. We find that the transport dynamics displays a thresholdFcdepending on a free-energy barrier that Ubiquitin overcomes to translocate. Our simulations show this barrier to be the result from competition of the unfolding energy and the entropy associated to the confinement effects of the pore.

COMPARING FOLDING MECHANISMS OF DIFFERENT PRION PROTEINS BY Gō MODEL

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (08) ◽  
pp. 1341004
Author(s):  
XUE WU ◽  
TING FU ◽  
ZHI-LONG XIU ◽  
LIU YIN ◽  
JIN-GUANG WANG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Prion Protein ◽  
Energy Barrier ◽  
Prion Proteins ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies ◽  
Free Energy Barrier ◽  
Spongiform Encephalopathies ◽  
Go Model ◽  
Folding Free Energy

Prions are associated with neurodegenerative diseases induced by transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The infectious scrapie form is referred to as PrP Sc , which has conformational change from normal prion with predominant α-helical conformation to the abnormal PrP Sc that is rich in β-sheet content. Neurodegenerative diseases have been found from both human and bovine sources, but there are no reports about infected by transmissible spongiform encephalopathies from rabbit, canine and horse sources. Here we used coarse-grained Gō model to compare the difference among human, bovine, rabbit, canine, and horse normal (cellular) prion proteins. The denatured state of normal prion has relation with the conversion from normal to abnormal prion protein, so we used all-atom Gō model to investigate the folding pathway and energy landscape for human prion protein. Through using coarse-grained Gō model, the cooperativity of the five prion proteins was characterized in terms of calorimetric criterion, sigmoidal transition, and free-energy profile. The rabbit and horse prion proteins have higher folding free-energy barrier and cooperativity, and canine prion protein has slightly higher folding free-energy barrier comparing with human and bovine prion proteins. The results from all-atom Gō model confirmed the validity of C α-Gō model. The correlations of our results with previous experimental and theoretical researches were discussed.

scholarly journals Translocation through a narrow pore under a pulling force

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammadreza Niknam Hamidabad ◽  
Rouhollah Haji Abdolvahab
Keyword(s):  
Interaction Energy ◽  
External Force ◽  
Center Of Mass ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Translocation Time ◽  
Polymer Translocation ◽  
Pulling Force ◽  
External Forces ◽  
Polymer Shape

AbstractWe employ a three-dimensional molecular dynamics to simulate a driven polymer translocation through a nanopore by applying an external force, for four pore diameters and two external forces. To see the polymer and pore interaction effects on translocation time, we studied nine interaction energies. Moreover, to better understand the simulation results, we investigate polymer center of mass, shape factor and the monomer spatial distribution through the translocation process. Our results reveal that increasing the polymer-pore interaction energy is accompanied by an increase in the translocation time and decrease in the process rate. Furthermore, for pores with greater diameter, the translocation becomes faster. The shape analysis of the polymer indicates that the polymer shape is highly sensitive to the interaction energy. In great interactions, the monomers come close to the pore from both sides. As a result, the translocation becomes fast at first and slows down at last. Overall, it can be concluded that the external force does not play a major role in the shape and distribution of translocated monomers. However, the interaction energy between monomer and nanopore has a major effect especially on the distribution of translocated monomers on the trans side.

scholarly journals The Longitudinal Superdiffusive Motion of Block Copolymer in a Tight Nanopore

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 2931
Author(s):  
Waldemar Nowicki
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Properties ◽  
Polymer Chains ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Free Energy Barrier ◽  
Ballistic Motion ◽  
The Monte Carlo Method ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Confined Environment ◽  
Unidirectional Motion

The structure and dynamic properties of polymer chains in a confined environment were studied by means of the Monte Carlo method. The studied chains were represented by coarse-grained models and embedded into a simple 3D cubic lattice. The chains stood for two-block linear copolymers of different energy of bead–bead interactions. Their behavior was studied in a nanotube formed by four impenetrable surfaces. The long-time unidirectional motion of the chain in the tight nanopore was found to be correlated with the orientation of both parts of the copolymer along the length of the nanopore. A possible mechanism of the anomalous diffusion was proposed on the basis of thermodynamics of the system, more precisely on the free energy barrier of the swapping of positions of both parts of the chain and the impulse of temporary forces induced by variation of the chain conformation. The mean bead and the mass center autocorrelation functions were examined. While the former function behaves classically, the latter indicates the period of time of superdiffusive motion similar to the ballistic motion with the autocorrelation function scaling with the exponent t5/3. A distribution of periods of time of chain diffusion between swapping events was found and discussed. The influence of the nanotube width and the chain length on the polymer diffusivity was studied.

scholarly journals Dielectric Trapping of Biopolymers Translocating through Insulating Membranes

Polymers ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahin Buyukdagli ◽  
Jalal Sarabadani ◽  
Tapio Ala-Nissila
Keyword(s):  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Screening Parameter ◽  
Dielectric Contrast ◽  
Polymer Interactions ◽  
Translocation Time ◽  
Drift Force ◽  
Polymer Translocation ◽  
Drift Behavior ◽  
Low Permittivity ◽  
Salt Screening

Sensitive sequencing of biopolymers by nanopore-based translocation techniques requires an extension of the time spent by the molecule in the pore. We develop an electrostatic theory of polymer translocation to show that the translocation time can be extended via the dielectric trapping of the polymer. In dilute salt conditions, the dielectric contrast between the low permittivity membrane and large permittivity solvent gives rise to attractive interactions between the c i s and t r a n s portions of the polymer. This self-attraction acts as a dielectric trap that can enhance the translocation time by orders of magnitude. We also find that electrostatic interactions result in the piecewise scaling of the translocation time τ with the polymer length L. In the short polymer regime L ≲ 10 nm where the external drift force dominates electrostatic polymer interactions, the translocation is characterized by the drift behavior τ ∼ L 2 . In the intermediate length regime 10 nm ≲ L ≲ κ b − 1 where κ b is the Debye–Hückel screening parameter, the dielectric trap takes over the drift force. As a result, increasing polymer length leads to quasi-exponential growth of the translocation time. Finally, in the regime of long polymers L ≳ κ b − 1 where salt screening leads to the saturation of the dielectric trap, the translocation time grows linearly as τ ∼ L . This strong departure from the drift behavior highlights the essential role played by electrostatic interactions in polymer translocation.

scholarly journals Computer simulation of knotted proteins unfold and translocation through nano-pores

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Shahzad
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Computational Model ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Kinetic Properties ◽  
Constant Force ◽  
Translocation Mechanism ◽  
Translocation Time ◽  
Knotted Protein ◽  
Knotted Proteins ◽  
Pulling Force

We study the unfold and translocation of knotted protein, YibK and YbeA, through α-hemolysin nano-pore via a coarse grained computational model. We observe that knot of protein unfold in advance before the translocation take place. We also characterized the translocation mechanism by studying the thermodynamical and kinetic properties of the process. In particular, we study the average of translocation time, and the translocation probability as a function of pulling force F acting in the channel. In limit of low pulling inward constant force acting along the axis of the pore, the YibK knotted protein takes longer average translocation time as compare to YbeA knotted protein.

scholarly journals Charge-Driven Condensation of RNA and Proteins Suggests Broad Role of Phase Separation in Cytoplasmic Environments

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bercem Dutagaci ◽  
Grzegorz Nawrocki ◽  
Joyce Goodluck ◽  
Ali Akbar Ashkarran ◽  
Charles G. Hoogstraten ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Molecular Size ◽  
Liquid Phase Separation ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Biological Macromolecules ◽  
Separation Processes ◽  
Cellular Environment ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

ABSTRACTPhase separation processes are increasingly being recognized as important organizing mechanisms of biological macromolecules in cellular environments. Well established drivers of liquid-liquid phase separation are multi-valency and intrinsic disorder. Here, we show that globular macromolecules may condense simply based on electrostatic complementarity. More specifically, phase separation of mixtures between RNA and positively charged proteins is described from a combination of multiscale computer simulations with microscopy and spectroscopy experiments. Condensates retain liquid character and phase diagrams are mapped out as a function of molecular concentrations in experiment and as a function of molecular size and temperature via simulations. The results suggest a more general principle for phase separation that is based primarily on electrostatic complementarity without invoking polymer properties as in most previous studies. Simulation results furthermore suggest that such phase separation may occur widely in heterogenous cellular environment between nucleic acid and protein components.STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCELiquid-liquid phase separation has been recognized as a key mechanism for forming membrane-less organelles in cells. Commonly discussed mechanisms invoke a role of disordered peptides and specific multi-valent interactions. We report here phase separation of RNA and proteins based on a more universal principle of charge complementarity that does not require disorder or specific interactions. The findings are supported by coarse-grained simulations, theory, and experimental validation via microscopy and spectroscopy. The broad implication of this work is that condensate formation may be a universal phenomenon in biological systems.

scholarly journals On the folding of a structurally complex protein to its metastable active state

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (9) ◽  
pp. 1998-2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. V. Hemanth Giri Rao ◽  
Shachi Gosavi
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Energy Barrier ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Free Energy Barrier ◽  
Active Conformation ◽  
Protease Inhibition ◽  
Stable Conformation ◽  
Folding Simulations ◽  
And Function

For successful protease inhibition, the reactive center loop (RCL) of the two-domain serine protease inhibitor, α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT), needs to remain exposed in a metastable active conformation. The α1-AT RCL is sequestered in a β-sheet in the stable latent conformation. Thus, to be functional, α1-AT must always fold to a metastable conformation while avoiding folding to a stable conformation. We explore the structural basis of this choice using folding simulations of coarse-grained structure-based models of the two α1-AT conformations. Our simulations capture the key features of folding experiments performed on both conformations. The simulations also show that the free energy barrier to fold to the latent conformation is much larger than the barrier to fold to the active conformation. An entropically stabilized on-pathway intermediate lowers the barrier for folding to the active conformation. In this intermediate, the RCL is in an exposed configuration, and only one of the two α1-AT domains is folded. In contrast, early conversion of the RCL into a β-strand increases the coupling between the two α1-AT domains in the transition state and creates a larger barrier for folding to the latent conformation. Thus, unlike what happens in several proteins, where separate regions promote folding and function, the structure of the RCL, formed early during folding, determines both the conformational and the functional fate of α1-AT. Further, the short 12-residue RCL modulates the free energy barrier and the folding cooperativity of the large 370-residue α1-AT. Finally, we suggest experiments to test the predicted folding mechanism for the latent state.

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