On the analysis and comparison of conformer-specific essential dynamics upon ligand binding to a protein.

The native state of a protein consists of an equilibrium of conformational states on an energy landscape rather than existing as a single static state. The co-existence of conformers with different ligand-affinities in a dynamical equilibrium is the basis for the conformational selection model for ligand binding. In this context, the development of theoretical methods that allow us to analyze not only the structural changes but also changes in the fluctuation patterns between conformers will contribute to elucidate the differential properties acquired upon ligand binding.

Hybrid quantum/classical simulations of the vibrational relaxation of the amide I mode of N-methylacetamide in D2O solution.

Hybrid quantum/classical molecular dynamics (MD) is applied to simulate the vibrational relaxation (VR) of the amide I mode of deuterated N-methylacetamide (NMAD) in aqueous (D(2)O) solution. A novel version of the vibrational molecular dynamics with quantum transitions (MDQT) treatment is developed in which the amide I mode is treated quantum mechanically while the remaining degrees of freedom are treated classically. The instantaneous normal modes of the initially excited NMAD molecule (INM(0)) are used as internal coordinates since they provide a proper initial partition of the system in quantum and classical subsystems.

Molecular dynamics simulations and instantaneous normal-mode analysis of the vibrational relaxation of the C-H stretching modes of N-methylacetamide-d in liquid deuterated water.

Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and instantaneous normal mode (INMs) analyses are used to study the vibrational relaxation of the C-H stretching modes (ν(s)(CH₃)) of deuterated N-methylacetamide (NMAD) in aqueous (D2O) solution. The INMs are identified unequivocally in terms of the equilibrium normal modes (ENMs), or groups of them, using a restricted version of the recently proposed Min-Cost assignment method. After excitation of the parent ν(s)(CH₃) modes with one vibrational quantum, the vibrational energy is shown to dissipate through both intramolecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) and intermolecular vibrational energy transfer (VET).

Instantaneous normal modes, resonances, and decay channels in the vibrational relaxation of the amide I mode of N-methylacetamide-D in liquid deuterated water.

A nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) study of the vibrational relaxation of the amide I mode of deuterated N-methylacetamide (NMAD) in aqueous (D(2)O) solution is carried out using instantaneous normal modes (INMs). The identification of the INMs as they evolve over time, which is necessary to analyze the energy fluxes, is made by using a novel algorithm which allows us to assign unequivocally each INM to an individual equilibrium normal mode (ENM) or to a group of ENMs during the MD simulations. The time evolution of the energy stored in each INM is monitored and the occurrence of resonances during the relaxation process is then investigated.