scholarly journals Positively and Negatively Hydrated Counterions in Molecular Dynamics Simulations of DNA Double Helix

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 510
Author(s):  
S. Perepelytsya
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Double Helix ◽  
Dipole Moments ◽  
Hydration Shell ◽  
Minor Groove ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Negative Hydration ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Dna Double Helix

The DNA double helix is a polyanionic macromolecule that is neutralized in water solutions by metal ions (counterions). The property of counterions to stabilize the water network (positive hydration) or to make it friable (negative hydration) is important in terms of the physical mechanisms of stabilization of the DNA double helix. In the present research, the effects of positive hydration of Na+ counterions and negative hydration of K+ and Cs+ counterions incorporated into the hydration shell of the DNA double helix have been studied using molecular dynamics simulations. The results have shown that the dynamics of the hydration shell of counterions depends on the region of the double helix: minor groove, major groove, and outside the macromolecule. The longest average residence time has been observed for water molecules contacting with the counterions localized in the minor groove of the double helix (about 50 ps for Na+ and lower than 10 ps for K+ and Cs+). The estimated potentials of the mean force for the hydration shells of counterions show that the water molecules are constrained too strongly, and the effect of negative hydration for K+ and Cs+ counterions has not been observed in the simulations. The analysis has shown that the effects of counterion hydration can be described more accurately with water models having lower dipole moments.

scholarly journals Origin and control of ionic hydration patterns in nanopores

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miraslau L. Barabash ◽  
William A. T. Gibby ◽  
Carlo Guardiani ◽  
Alex Smolyanitsky ◽  
Dmitry G. Luchinsky ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Distribution Functions ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Surrounding Water ◽  
Ionic Hydration ◽  
Hydration Shells ◽  
Water Layers ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
And Control

AbstractIn order to permeate a nanopore, an ion must overcome a dehydration energy barrier caused by the redistribution of surrounding water molecules. The redistribution is inhomogeneous, anisotropic and strongly position-dependent, resulting in complex patterns that are routinely observed in molecular dynamics simulations. Here, we study the physical origin of these patterns and of how they can be predicted and controlled. We introduce an analytic model able to predict the patterns in a graphene nanopore in terms of experimentally accessible radial distribution functions, giving results that agree well with molecular dynamics simulations. The patterns are attributable to a complex interplay of ionic hydration shells with water layers adjacent to the graphene membrane and with the hydration cloud of the nanopore rim atoms, and we discuss ways of controlling them. Our findings pave the way to designing required transport properties into nanoionic devices by optimising the structure of the hydration patterns.

Molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy analysis of DNA minor groove complexes of curcumin

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 2805-2816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathew Varghese Koonammackal ◽  
Unnikrishnan Viswambharan Nair Nellipparambil ◽  
Chellappanpillai Sudarsanakumar
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Free Energy ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Energy Analysis ◽  
Binding Free Energy ◽  
Minor Groove ◽  
Dna Minor Groove ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Free Energy Analysis

Anomalous diffusion of water molecules at grain boundaries in ice Ih

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (20) ◽  
pp. 13944-13951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Augusto Franco Pinheiro Moreira ◽  
Roberto Gomes de Aguiar Veiga ◽  
Ingrid de Almeida Ribeiro ◽  
Rodrigo Freitas ◽  
Julian Helfferich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Anomalous Diffusion ◽  
First Principles ◽  
Water Molecules ◽  
Diffusive Behavior ◽  
Classical Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

First-principles and classical molecular dynamics simulations show that diffusion of water molecules at pre-melted grain boundaries in ice is glassy-like, showing sub-diffusive behavior.

scholarly journals Same fold, different properties: polarizable molecular dynamics simulations of telomeric and TERRA G-quadruplexes

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 561-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin A Lemkul
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Force Field ◽  
Molecular Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Dipole Moments ◽  
Sequence Motifs ◽  
Telomeric Dna ◽  
Rna Sequences ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Induced Dipole ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

Abstract DNA and RNA sequences rich in guanine can fold into noncanonical structures called G-quadruplexes (GQs), which exhibit a common stem structure of Hoogsteen hydrogen-bonded guanine tetrads and diverse loop structures. GQ sequence motifs are overrepresented in promoters, origins of replication, telomeres, and untranslated regions in mRNA, suggesting roles in modulating gene expression and preserving genomic integrity. Given these roles and unique aspects of different structures, GQs are attractive targets for drug design, but greater insight into GQ folding pathways and the interactions stabilizing them is required. Here, we performed molecular dynamics simulations to study two bimolecular GQs, a telomeric DNA GQ and the analogous telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) GQ. We applied the Drude polarizable force field, which we show outperforms the additive CHARMM36 force field in both ion retention and maintenance of the GQ folds. The polarizable simulations reveal that the GQs bind bulk K+ ions differently, and that the TERRA GQ accumulates more K+ ions, suggesting different ion interactions stabilize these structures. Nucleobase dipole moments vary as a function of position and also contribute to ion binding. Finally, we show that the TERRA GQ is more sensitive than the telomeric DNA GQ to water-mediated modulation of ion-induced dipole-dipole interactions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document