High temperature unfolding simulations of the TRPZ1 peptide.

ABSTRACT: We report high temperature molecular dynamics simulations of the unfolding of the TRPZ1 peptide using an explicit model for the solvent. The system has been simulated for a total of 6 mus with 100-ns minimal continuous stretches of trajectory. The populated states along the simulations are identified by monitoring multiple observables, probing both the structure and the flexibility of the conformations. Several unfolding and refolding transition pathways are sampled and analyzed. The unfolding process of the peptide occurs in two steps because of the accumulation of a metastable on-pathway intermediate state stabilized by two native backbone hydrogen bonds assisted by nonnative hydrophobic interactions between the tryptophan side chains. Analysis of the un/folding kinetics and classical co

SUBMITTER: Settanni G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2480669 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature