Project description
The project aims to promote molecular dynamics simulation of biological systems to the next level in three steps. At first, force field parameters of diverse post-translational modifications will be established both at all-atom and at coarse-grained resolution. The biological impact on molecular level of those post-translational modifications will be investigated on sample applications including cellular signalling events and interactions among bio(macro)molecules in cancerogenous cells. Next, a methodology for constant pH molecular dynamic simulations (both all-atom and coarse-grained) will be extended to diverse charged groups including titratable post-translational modification. This will allow for unravelling the role of charge adaptation in biological processes including protein insertion into cellular membranes, signal propagation within a cell, transmembrane transport and aggregation of biomolecules. In the last task a novel resolution conversion method will be developed based on automated generation of the mapping files by using machine learning and chemical information included e.g. in the original all- atom resolution. Therefore, the simulation system will be able to alter the resolution of the description between atomistic and coarse-grained resolution of diverse granularity in an automated manner thus sparing user-required time and avoiding user-induced errors. This technique will interconnect MD methods of diverse resolution by enabling sequential multiscaling MD simulations. However, not being restricted to biological systems, the fine-grading method will complement coarse graining techniques by a feedback control enabling a quality check of the newly established coarse-grained representation by its conversion back to higher level of resolution and control of the properties against experimental and other simulational data.
Project information
Project title | Biological Molecular Dynamics Simulations 2.0 |
Project leader | Kristyna Pluhackova |
Project staff | Viktoria Korn, doctoral researcher |
Project duration | January 2021 - December 2025 |
Project number | PN 3-11 |
Publications PN 3-11
2025
- V. Korn and K. Pluhackova, “Vastly different energy landscapes of the membrane insertions of monomeric gasdermin D and A3,” Communications Chemistry, vol. 8, Art. no. 1, Feb. 2025, doi: 10.1038/s42004-024-01400-2.
2024
- T. B. Beigl et al., “BCL-2 and BOK regulate apoptosis by interaction of their C-terminal transmembrane domains,” EMBO Reports, vol. 25, Art. no. 9, 2024, doi: 10.1038/s44319-024-00206-6.
2023
- J. Wachlmayr, G. Fläschner, K. Pluhackova, W. Sandtner, C. Siligan, and A. Horner, “Entropic barrier of water permeation through single-file channels,” Communications Chemistry, vol. 6, Art. no. 1, Jun. 2023, doi: 10.1038/s42004-023-00919-0.
- M. Degen et al., “Structural basis of NINJ1-mediated plasma membrane rupture in cell death,” Nature, vol. 618, Art. no. 7967, Jun. 2023, doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-05991-z.
2022
- K. Pluhackova, V. Schittny, P.-C. Bürkner, C. Siligan, and A. Horner, “Multiple pore lining residues modulate water permeability of GlpF,” Protein Science, vol. 31, Art. no. 10, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/pro.4431.
- V. Korn and K. Pluhackova, “Not sorcery after all: Roles of multiple charged residues in membrane insertion of gasdermin-A3,” Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, vol. 10, 2022, doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.958957.
- N. Gössweiner-Mohr et al., “The Hidden Intricacies of Aquaporins: Remarkable Details in a Common Structural Scaffold,” Small, vol. 18, Art. no. 31, 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202202056.