The original formulation of the string method in collective variable space is compared with a rec... more The original formulation of the string method in collective variable space is compared with a recent variant called string method with swarms-of-trajectories. The assumptions made in the original method are revisited and the significance of the minimum free energy path (MFEP) is discussed in the context of reactive events. These assumptions are compared to those made in the string method with swarms-of-trajectories, and shown to be equivalent in a certain regime: in particular an expression for the path identified by the swarms-of-trajectories method is given and shown to be closely related to the MFEP. Finally, the algorithmic aspects of both methods are compared.
ABSTRACT Carbon, oxygen and argon contaminations are known to play an important role in modifying... more ABSTRACT Carbon, oxygen and argon contaminations are known to play an important role in modifying the properties of surface coating films. We have profiled such elements using quantitative and non-destructive nuclear analysis techniques.Carbon and oxygen profiling is performed using nuclear backscattering of high-energy α-particles. Measurements of carbon and oxygen contamination on niobium-coated copper RF cavities used in high-energy accelerator technology are carried out. Oxygen and carbon sensitivity limits are respectively 1015 and 5 × 1015 atoms/cm2 while surface depth resolutions are 30 and 25 μg/cm2.Argon contamination profiling is performed using the40Ar(p, γ)41K resonant nuclear reaction at a proton incident energy of 1101.8 keV. Argon profiling in niobium films is studied: the depth resolution is around 5 μg/cm2 while the sensitivity limit is 1014 atoms/cm2 within each depth resolution step.
The available information concerning the structure and location of the main binding site for sodi... more The available information concerning the structure and location of the main binding site for sodium in the gramicidin A channel is reviewed and discussed. Results from molecular dynamics simulations using an atomic model of the channel embedded in a lipid bilayer are compared with experimental observations. The combined information from experiment and simulation suggests that the main binding sites for sodium are near the channel's mouth, approximately 9.2 A from the centre of the dimer channel, although the motion along the axis could be as large as 1 to 2 A. In the binding site, the sodium ion is lying off axis, making contact with two carbonyl oxygens and two single-file water molecules. The main channel ligand is provided by the carbonyl group of the Leu10-Trp11 peptide linkage, which exhibits the largest deflection from the ion-free channel structure.
In K(+) channels, the selectivity filter, pore helix, and outer vestibule play a crucial role in ... more In K(+) channels, the selectivity filter, pore helix, and outer vestibule play a crucial role in gating mechanisms. The outer vestibule is an important structurally extended region of KcsA in which toxins, blockers, and metal ions bind and modulate the gating behavior of K(+) channels. Despite its functional significance, the gating-related structural dynamics at the outer vestibule are not well understood. Under steady-state conditions, inactivating WT and noninactivating E71A KcsA stabilize the nonconductive and conductive filter conformations upon opening the activation gate. Site-directed fluorescence polarization of 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl (NBD)-labeled outer vestibule residues shows that the outer vestibule of open/conductive conformation is highly dynamic compared with the motional restriction experienced by the outer vestibule during inactivation gating. A wavelength-selective fluorescence approach shows a change in hydration dynamics in inactivated and noninactivated conformations, and supports a possible role of restricted/bound water molecules in C-type inactivation gating. Using a unique restrained ensemble simulation method, along with distance measurements by EPR, we show that, on average, the outer vestibule undergoes a modest backbone conformational change during its transition to various functional states, although the structural dynamics of the outer vestibule are significantly altered during activation and inactivation gating. Taken together, our results support the role of a hydrogen bond network behind the selectivity filter, side-chain conformational dynamics, and water molecules in the gating mechanisms of K(+) channels.
To understand the energetics of double-ion occupancy in gramicidin A (gA) channels, the 2D potent... more To understand the energetics of double-ion occupancy in gramicidin A (gA) channels, the 2D potential of mean force (PMF) is calculated for two ions at different positions along the channel axis. The cross sections of this 2D PMF are compared with available one-ion PMFs to highlight the effect of one ion on the permeation dynamics of the other. It is found that, if the first ion stays on one side in the channel, the second ion has to pass over an additional barrier to move into the outer binding site. At the same time, both outer and inner binding sites for the second ion become shallower than those in the one-ion PMF. The calculated ion-ion repulsion for a doubly occupied channel is about 2 kcal/mol, in good agreement with previous experimental estimates. The number of water molecules inside the channel and their dipole moment are calculated to interpret the energetics of double-ion occupancy. As the first ion moves into the outer binding site and then further into the channel, the oxygen atoms of the single-file water column in the channel are oriented to point toward the ion. The observed dipole moment distribution of a singly occupied channel has only one sharp peak, and the water alignment is essentially perfect once the ion is in the inner binding site. For this reason, there is an energy penalty to accommodate a second ion at the opposite end of the channel.
DEER (double electron-electron resonance) spectroscopy is a powerful pulsed ESR (electron spin re... more DEER (double electron-electron resonance) spectroscopy is a powerful pulsed ESR (electron spin resonance) technique allowing the determination of spin-spin distance histograms between site-directed nitroxide label sites on a protein in their native environment. However, incorporating ESR/DEER data in structural refinement is challenging because the information from the large number of distance histograms is complex and highly coupled. Here, a novel restrained-ensemble molecular dynamics simulation method is developed to incorporate the information from multiple ESR/DEER distance histograms simultaneously. Illustrative tests on three coupled spin-labels inserted in T4 lysozyme show that the method efficiently imposes the experimental distance distribution in this system. Different rotameric states of the χ1 and χ2 dihedrals in the spin-labels are also explored by restrained ensemble simulations. Using this method, it is hoped that experimental restraints from ESR/DEER experiments can be used to refine structural properties of biological systems.
ABSTRACT The idea of using a dielectric continuum inside a molecule to accurately model molecular... more ABSTRACT The idea of using a dielectric continuum inside a molecule to accurately model molecular polarizability is extended to include a larger spectrum of bioorganic molecules and the condensed phase. Atomic polarization radii and an internal dielectric (εin) were fitted to reproduce ab initio B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ polarizability tensors taken from a data set of 707 molecules. The average unsigned error on the isotropic polarizability and anisotropy are 2.6% and 5.2%, respectively. It is shown that usual Poisson−Boltzmann contact radii and a low internal dielectric are not appropriate and require major revision. To account for the anisotropy of polarizability, the internal dielectric (εin) constant needs to be larger than 6.0. Reinterpreting the theoretical link between εin and the experimental refractive index (n), this study shows, with a set of 23 organic molecules spanning the entire range of n, that even with εin = 24 the obtained refractive indices can correlate well with experiment (slope of 1.00, intercept of 0.05, and R = 0.95). The novel methodology used here to calculate a macroscopic-like refractive index shows that the application of the EPIC parametrization to condensed phase leads to suitable behavior. Although the primary goal in developing EPIC was to include polarizability in explicit solvent calculations, we also extend the model to work with implicit solvent. This requires the use of a 3-zone smooth dielectric function to transition from the polarization dielectric inside the molecules to the dielectric continuum of the solvent. The parametrization and validation of this model are performed against 485 experimental free energies of hydration. Using 8 solvent cavity atomic radii and a single surface tension an average unsigned error of 1.1 kal/mol and a correlation coefficient of 0.9 are obtained, validating the use of the EPIC model in the condensed phase.
The original formulation of the string method in collective variable space is compared with a rec... more The original formulation of the string method in collective variable space is compared with a recent variant called string method with swarms-of-trajectories. The assumptions made in the original method are revisited and the significance of the minimum free energy path (MFEP) is discussed in the context of reactive events. These assumptions are compared to those made in the string method with swarms-of-trajectories, and shown to be equivalent in a certain regime: in particular an expression for the path identified by the swarms-of-trajectories method is given and shown to be closely related to the MFEP. Finally, the algorithmic aspects of both methods are compared.
ABSTRACT Carbon, oxygen and argon contaminations are known to play an important role in modifying... more ABSTRACT Carbon, oxygen and argon contaminations are known to play an important role in modifying the properties of surface coating films. We have profiled such elements using quantitative and non-destructive nuclear analysis techniques.Carbon and oxygen profiling is performed using nuclear backscattering of high-energy α-particles. Measurements of carbon and oxygen contamination on niobium-coated copper RF cavities used in high-energy accelerator technology are carried out. Oxygen and carbon sensitivity limits are respectively 1015 and 5 × 1015 atoms/cm2 while surface depth resolutions are 30 and 25 μg/cm2.Argon contamination profiling is performed using the40Ar(p, γ)41K resonant nuclear reaction at a proton incident energy of 1101.8 keV. Argon profiling in niobium films is studied: the depth resolution is around 5 μg/cm2 while the sensitivity limit is 1014 atoms/cm2 within each depth resolution step.
The available information concerning the structure and location of the main binding site for sodi... more The available information concerning the structure and location of the main binding site for sodium in the gramicidin A channel is reviewed and discussed. Results from molecular dynamics simulations using an atomic model of the channel embedded in a lipid bilayer are compared with experimental observations. The combined information from experiment and simulation suggests that the main binding sites for sodium are near the channel's mouth, approximately 9.2 A from the centre of the dimer channel, although the motion along the axis could be as large as 1 to 2 A. In the binding site, the sodium ion is lying off axis, making contact with two carbonyl oxygens and two single-file water molecules. The main channel ligand is provided by the carbonyl group of the Leu10-Trp11 peptide linkage, which exhibits the largest deflection from the ion-free channel structure.
In K(+) channels, the selectivity filter, pore helix, and outer vestibule play a crucial role in ... more In K(+) channels, the selectivity filter, pore helix, and outer vestibule play a crucial role in gating mechanisms. The outer vestibule is an important structurally extended region of KcsA in which toxins, blockers, and metal ions bind and modulate the gating behavior of K(+) channels. Despite its functional significance, the gating-related structural dynamics at the outer vestibule are not well understood. Under steady-state conditions, inactivating WT and noninactivating E71A KcsA stabilize the nonconductive and conductive filter conformations upon opening the activation gate. Site-directed fluorescence polarization of 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl (NBD)-labeled outer vestibule residues shows that the outer vestibule of open/conductive conformation is highly dynamic compared with the motional restriction experienced by the outer vestibule during inactivation gating. A wavelength-selective fluorescence approach shows a change in hydration dynamics in inactivated and noninactivated conformations, and supports a possible role of restricted/bound water molecules in C-type inactivation gating. Using a unique restrained ensemble simulation method, along with distance measurements by EPR, we show that, on average, the outer vestibule undergoes a modest backbone conformational change during its transition to various functional states, although the structural dynamics of the outer vestibule are significantly altered during activation and inactivation gating. Taken together, our results support the role of a hydrogen bond network behind the selectivity filter, side-chain conformational dynamics, and water molecules in the gating mechanisms of K(+) channels.
To understand the energetics of double-ion occupancy in gramicidin A (gA) channels, the 2D potent... more To understand the energetics of double-ion occupancy in gramicidin A (gA) channels, the 2D potential of mean force (PMF) is calculated for two ions at different positions along the channel axis. The cross sections of this 2D PMF are compared with available one-ion PMFs to highlight the effect of one ion on the permeation dynamics of the other. It is found that, if the first ion stays on one side in the channel, the second ion has to pass over an additional barrier to move into the outer binding site. At the same time, both outer and inner binding sites for the second ion become shallower than those in the one-ion PMF. The calculated ion-ion repulsion for a doubly occupied channel is about 2 kcal/mol, in good agreement with previous experimental estimates. The number of water molecules inside the channel and their dipole moment are calculated to interpret the energetics of double-ion occupancy. As the first ion moves into the outer binding site and then further into the channel, the oxygen atoms of the single-file water column in the channel are oriented to point toward the ion. The observed dipole moment distribution of a singly occupied channel has only one sharp peak, and the water alignment is essentially perfect once the ion is in the inner binding site. For this reason, there is an energy penalty to accommodate a second ion at the opposite end of the channel.
DEER (double electron-electron resonance) spectroscopy is a powerful pulsed ESR (electron spin re... more DEER (double electron-electron resonance) spectroscopy is a powerful pulsed ESR (electron spin resonance) technique allowing the determination of spin-spin distance histograms between site-directed nitroxide label sites on a protein in their native environment. However, incorporating ESR/DEER data in structural refinement is challenging because the information from the large number of distance histograms is complex and highly coupled. Here, a novel restrained-ensemble molecular dynamics simulation method is developed to incorporate the information from multiple ESR/DEER distance histograms simultaneously. Illustrative tests on three coupled spin-labels inserted in T4 lysozyme show that the method efficiently imposes the experimental distance distribution in this system. Different rotameric states of the χ1 and χ2 dihedrals in the spin-labels are also explored by restrained ensemble simulations. Using this method, it is hoped that experimental restraints from ESR/DEER experiments can be used to refine structural properties of biological systems.
ABSTRACT The idea of using a dielectric continuum inside a molecule to accurately model molecular... more ABSTRACT The idea of using a dielectric continuum inside a molecule to accurately model molecular polarizability is extended to include a larger spectrum of bioorganic molecules and the condensed phase. Atomic polarization radii and an internal dielectric (εin) were fitted to reproduce ab initio B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ polarizability tensors taken from a data set of 707 molecules. The average unsigned error on the isotropic polarizability and anisotropy are 2.6% and 5.2%, respectively. It is shown that usual Poisson−Boltzmann contact radii and a low internal dielectric are not appropriate and require major revision. To account for the anisotropy of polarizability, the internal dielectric (εin) constant needs to be larger than 6.0. Reinterpreting the theoretical link between εin and the experimental refractive index (n), this study shows, with a set of 23 organic molecules spanning the entire range of n, that even with εin = 24 the obtained refractive indices can correlate well with experiment (slope of 1.00, intercept of 0.05, and R = 0.95). The novel methodology used here to calculate a macroscopic-like refractive index shows that the application of the EPIC parametrization to condensed phase leads to suitable behavior. Although the primary goal in developing EPIC was to include polarizability in explicit solvent calculations, we also extend the model to work with implicit solvent. This requires the use of a 3-zone smooth dielectric function to transition from the polarization dielectric inside the molecules to the dielectric continuum of the solvent. The parametrization and validation of this model are performed against 485 experimental free energies of hydration. Using 8 solvent cavity atomic radii and a single surface tension an average unsigned error of 1.1 kal/mol and a correlation coefficient of 0.9 are obtained, validating the use of the EPIC model in the condensed phase.
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Papers by Benoît Roux