应用ABEEM/MM蛋白质力场模型研究半胱氨酸二肽构象的性质

ABEEM/MM蛋白质力场模型是应用于蛋白质体系的原子-键电负性均衡方法(ABEEM)与力场(MM)相结合的浮动电荷模型.该模型能够准确地描述分子在环境变化时的静电极化,并能快速计算气态和溶液多肽的结构和能量.首次应用ABEEM/MM蛋白质力场模型研究半胱氨酸二肽构象的性质,如构象能、氢键等.此外,应用从头计算HF/6-31G**方法对其性质进行计算.ABEEM/MM蛋白质力场模型可以快速准确地得到半胱氨酸二肽分子不同稳定构象的性质,其结果可以和从头计算相媲美.以上研究有助于加深对半胱氨酸二肽构象性质的了解,从而也为进一步验证ABEEM/MM蛋白质力场模型的正确性以及参数的合理性提供可靠的依据.     

量子力学和分子力学组合方法

量子力学和分子力学(QM/MM)组合方法结合了量子力学的精确性和分子力学的高效性,在研究凝聚态中的化学反应及生物大分子的结构和活性等方面发挥着重要作用。本文主要介绍了QM/MM组合方法的基本原理及国内外有关QM/MM组合方法的研究进展。     

发展尿素与丙氨酸二肽相互作用的ABEEM/MM可极化力场

基于ABEEM/MM浮动电荷模型，尝试建立了一个新的可合理描述尿素-丙氨酸二肽-水分子之间相互作用的可极化力场.采用量子力学(QM)ωB97X-D/6-311++G(3df, 2p)//MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ方法对(Urea)(Ala)₂的结构、电荷分布及结合能进行计算，以及HF/STO-3G方法计算电荷分布.构建尿素-丙氨酸二肽-水体系的ABEEM/MM势能函数，基于QM计算结果，优选确定相关参数.结果表明，与QM相比，ABEEM/MM获得的(Urea)(Ala)₂的键长、键角、二面角和结合能的AAD(平均绝对偏差),RMSD(均方根偏差)和RRMSD(相对均方根偏差)分别为0.000 8 nm, 0.001 4 nm, 1.2%;1.36°,1.72°,1.5%;4.10°,5.56°,5.0%;6.07 kJ·mol^-1,6.82 kJ·mol^-1和10.2%,电荷分布的线性相关系数为0.988.将上述势能函数应用于(Ala)₂(Urea)₂...     

精密从头算与ABEEM/MM模型对水团簇(H2O)11 9种低能结构的计算

用精密从头算方法研究了(H2O)11的9种低能异构体的性质, 包括优化的几何结构、结合能、偶极矩和氢键个数等, 并且得出了515-a是(H2O)11的全局最低能结构. 同时, 也用ABEEM/MM(atom bond electronegativity equalization method/molecular mechanics) 模型研究了这些性质, 与从头算的结果进行了比较, 得到了相符合的结果. 这显示了ABEEM/MM模型在描述中等大小的水分子团簇结构上是成功的.     

鸟嘌呤四链体中K+移动路径的预测

结合鸟嘌呤四链体(G4)的结构特点,取G4中的一个K+与一片g-tetrad(g-tetrad-K+)为研究对象,和一个K+与两片g-tetrad(1,2-g-tetrads-K+和2,3-g-tetrads-K+)为研究对象.为g-tetrad-K+,1,2-g-tetrads-K+和2,3-g-tetrads-K+三体系中的K+设计了几种移动路径,来探讨G4中K+与g-tetrad的作用.首先分别应用从头计算MP2/6-31G(d,p)和ABEEMσπ/MM(σπ水平的原子键电负性均衡原理融入到分子力学)方法,对g-tetrad-K+中K+移动过程中体系的结构和能量变化进行了详细研究.结果表明ABEEMσπ/MM方法能够准确地描述g-tetrad-K+体系的结构、结合能等性质.为了更接近实际体系,进而用ABEEMσπ/MM方法预测了更大的体系:一个K+和两片g-tetrad.由于体系较大,MP2方法无法计算其结合能.ABEEMσπ/MM方法对g-tetrad-K+,1,2-g-tetrads-K+和2,3-g-tetrads-K+体系中K+移动而产生的结合能变化表明:如果吸收足够的能量,G4中K+最容易沿α方向移出.     

碱基与氮甲基乙酰胺相互作用的从头算和ABEEMσπ研究

选取氮甲基乙酰胺(N-Methylacetamide,NMA)和DNA碱基为研究对象,应用ABEEMσπ/MM方法研究了NMA与碱基之间形成的二聚体的几何构型、电荷分布及结合能等性质,并进行了相应的从头算(abinitio)MP2水平研究,在B3LYP/6-311 ++G(d,p)水平下对结构进行了优化.将2种方法的研究结果进行比较发现,所获得的构型、电荷及结合能之间具有很好的一致性,NMA与DNA碱基相互作用的强度大小依次为:鸟嘌呤＞胸腺嘧啶＞胞嘧啶＞腺嘌呤,且证明了ABEEMσπ/MM模型的参数具有很好的可转移性.     

水合氢离子团簇从头算和ABEEM/MM的理论研究

应用高水平的从头计算方法和ABEEM/MM模型, 研究了水合氢离子团簇H3O＋(H2O)n (n＝1～6), 优化得到了低能构象, 探讨了其结合能和稳定性, 显示出H3O＋(H2O)3局域结构的优势存在．对H3O＋(H2O)6VIa团簇的ABEEM电荷分布进行分析, 表明第一水合层水分子与水合氢离子之间的氢键相互作用要明显强于与第二水层水分子的氢键相互作用. 研究结果表明, ABEEM/MM方法计算的结果和从头算得到的结果存在很好的一致性.     

DNA环境中硒代胸腺嘧啶和腺嘌呤碱基对的激发态性质和光物理机理的理论研究

应用高精度的多态完全活化自洽场二级微扰理论方法, 在量子力学/分子力学组合方法的理论框架 QM(MS-CASPT2//CASSCF)/MM下, 系统研究了DNA环境中2-硒和4-硒取代胸腺嘧啶和腺嘌呤碱基对(2SeT-A和4SeT-A)的最低5个电子态(S₀, S₁, S₂, T₂和T₁)的结构、 性质和光物理过程. QM(MS-CASPT2//CASSCF)/MM计算揭示了DNA环境中2SeT-A和4SeT-A碱基对激发态性质和光物理过程差异性的来源, 提出的机理将有助于理解DNA类似物的光物理过程, 在光动力学治疗中具有潜在的应用.     

应用ABEEM/MM模型研究水分子团簇(H2O)n(n=7~10)的性质

应用ABEEM/MM模型计算了中等大小水分子团簇(H₂O)_n(n=7~10)的各种性质, 如: 优化的几何构型、氢键个数、结合能、稳定性、ABEEM电荷分布、偶极矩、结构参数的描述等, 并描述了六聚水区域中所反映的从二维结构(从二聚水到五聚水)到三维结构(n>6的水分子团簇)的过渡.     

碱基与氮甲基乙酰胺相互作用的从头算和ABEEMσπ研究

选取氮甲基乙酰胺(N-Methylacetamide,NMA)和DNA碱基为研究对象,应用ABEEMσπ/MM方法研究了NMA与碱基之间形成的二聚体的几何构型、电荷分布及结合能等性质,并进行了相应的从头算(abinitio)MP2水平研究,在B3LYP/6-311 ++G(d,p)水平下对结构进行了优化.将2种方法的研...     

Multiscale electrostatic embedding simulations for modeling structure and dynamics of molecules in solution: A tutorial review

The main concepts and important technical details of electrostatic embedding quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations are explained and illustrated with the intent of assisting newcomers in performing and gauging the accuracy of such simulations, focused on smaller molecules in solution. Beginners are advised on how to increase the reliability and accuracy of the simulations through benchmarking. Central considerations on methodologies for QM/MM Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations are presented, alongside technical fundamentals regarding the construction and manipulation of simulation systems using the python-based Atomic Simulation Environment (ASE). A worked example of QM/MM Born–Oppenheimer MD is included, and a flowchart summarizing the most salient decisions and tasks within the methodology is presented.     

Spectral Features of Canthaxanthin in HCP2. A QM/MM Approach

The increased interest in sequencing cyanobacterial genomes has allowed the identification of new homologs to both the N-terminal domain (NTD) and C-terminal domain (CTD) of the Orange Carotenoid Protein (OCP). The N-terminal domain homologs are known as Helical Carotenoid Proteins (HCPs). Although some of these paralogs have been reported to act as singlet oxygen quenchers, their distinct functional roles remain unclear. One of these paralogs (HCP2) exclusively binds canthaxanthin (CAN) and its crystal structure has been recently characterized. Its absorption spectrum is significantly red-shifted, in comparison to the protein in solution, due to a dimerization where the two carotenoids are closely placed, favoring an electronic coupling interaction. Both the crystal and solution spectra are red-shifted by more than 50 nm when compared to canthaxanthin in solution. Using molecular dynamics (MD) and quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) studies of HCP2, we aim to simulate these shifts as well as obtain insight into the environmental and coupling effects of carotenoid–protein interactions.     

Contributions of pauli repulsions to the energetics and physical properties computed in QM/MM methods

Conventional combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) methods lack explicit treatment of Pauli repulsions between the quantum‐mechanical and molecular‐mechanical subsystems. Instead, classical Lennard‐Jones (LJ) potentials between QM and MM nuclei are used to model electronic Pauli repulsion and long‐range London dispersion, despite the fact that the latter two are inherently of quantum nature. Use of the simple LJ potential in QM/MM methods can reproduce minimal geometries and energies of many molecular clusters reasonably well, as compared to full QM calculations. However, we show here that the LJ potential cannot correctly describe subtle details of the electron density of the QM subsystem because of the neglect of Pauli repulsions between the QM and MM subsystems. The inaccurate electron density subsequently affects the calculation of electronic and magnetic properties of the QM subsystem. To explicitly consider Pauli interactions with QM/MM methods, we propose a method to use empirical effective potentials on the MM atoms. The test case of the binding energy and magnetic properties of a water dimer shows promising results for the general application of effective potentials to mimic Pauli repulsions in QM/MM calculations. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Quantum Mechanical Calculations for Biomass Valorization over Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs)

Metal-organic framework (MOF) in biomass valorization is a promising technology developed in recent decades. By tailoring both the metal nodes and organic ligands, MOFs exhibit multiple functionalities, which not only extend their applicability in biomass conversion but also increase the complexity of material designs. To address this issue, quantum mechanical simulations have been used to provide mechanistic insights into the catalysis of biomass-derived molecules, which could potentially facilitate the development of novel MOF-based materials for biomass valorization. The aim of this review is to survey recent quantum mechanical simulations on biomass reactions occurring in MOF catalysts, with the emphasis on the studies of the catalytic activity of active sites and the effects of organic ligand and porous structures on the kinetics. Moreover, different model systems and computational methods used for MOF simulations are also surveyed and discussed in this review.     

Computational protocols for prediction of solute NMR relative chemical shifts. a case study of L-tryptophan in aqueous solution

In this study, we have applied two different spanning protocols for obtaining the molecular conformations of L-tryptophan in aqueous solution, namely a molecular dynamics simulation and a molecular mechanics conformational search with subsequent geometry re-optimization of the stable conformers using a quantum mechanically based method. These spanning protocols represent standard ways of obtaining a set of conformations on which NMR calculations may be performed. The results stemming from the solute-solvent configurations extracted from the MD simulation at 300 K are found to be inferior to the results stemming from the conformations extracted from the MM conformational search in terms of replicating an experimental reference as well as in achieving the correct sequence of the NMR relative chemical shifts of L-tryptophan in aqueous solution. We find this to be due to missing conformations visited during the molecular dynamics run as well as inaccuracies in geometrical parameters generated from the classical molecular dynamics simulations.     

Flexible effective fragment QM/MM method: validation through the challenging tests

A new version of the QM/MM method, which is based on the effective fragment potential (EFP) methodology [Gordon, M. et al., J Phys Chem A 2001, 105, 293] but allows flexible fragments, is verified through calculations of model molecular systems suggested by different authors as challenging tests for QM/MM approaches. For each example, the results of QM/MM calculations for a partitioned system are compared to the results of an all-electron ab initio quantum chemical study of the entire system. In each case we were able to achieve approximately similar or better accuracy of the QM/MM results compared to those described in original publications. In all calculations we kept the same set of parameters of our QM/MM scheme. A new test example is considered when calculating the potential of internal rotation in the histidine dipeptide around the C(alpha)bond;C(beta) side chain bond.