Multi-Conformation Monte Carlo: A Method for Introducing Flexibility in Efficient Simulations of Many-Protein Systems

J Phys Chem B. 2016 Aug 25;120(33):8115-26. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b00827. Epub 2016 Apr 21.

Abstract

We present a novel multi-conformation Monte Carlo simulation method that enables the modeling of protein-protein interactions and aggregation in crowded protein solutions. This approach is relevant to a molecular-scale description of realistic biological environments, including the cytoplasm and the extracellular matrix, which are characterized by high concentrations of biomolecular solutes (e.g., 300-400 mg/mL for proteins and nucleic acids in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli). Simulation of such environments necessitates the inclusion of a large number of protein molecules. Therefore, computationally inexpensive methods, such as rigid-body Brownian dynamics (BD) or Monte Carlo simulations, can be particularly useful. However, as we demonstrate herein, the rigid-body representation typically employed in simulations of many-protein systems gives rise to certain artifacts in protein-protein interactions. Our approach allows us to incorporate molecular flexibility in Monte Carlo simulations at low computational cost, thereby eliminating ambiguities arising from structure selection in rigid-body simulations. We benchmark and validate the methodology using simulations of hen egg white lysozyme in solution, a well-studied system for which extensive experimental data, including osmotic second virial coefficients, small-angle scattering structure factors, and multiple structures determined by X-ray and neutron crystallography and solution NMR, as well as rigid-body BD simulation results, are available for comparison.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Artifacts
  • Benchmarking
  • Chickens
  • Crystallography
  • Cytoplasm / chemistry*
  • Escherichia coli / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / chemistry*
  • Extracellular Matrix / chemistry*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Monte Carlo Method*
  • Muramidase / chemistry*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • hen egg lysozyme
  • Muramidase