Sanches, M. N. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2024

ELViM: Understanding Molecular Energy Landscape

AbstractMolecular dynamics (MD) simulations provide a powerful means to explore the dynamic behavior of biomolecular systems at the atomic level. However, analyzing the vast datasets generated by MD simulations poses significant challenges. This manuscript discusses the Energy Landscape Visualization Method (ELViM), a multidimensional reduction technique inspired by energy landscape theory. ELViM transcends one-dimensional representations, offering a comprehensive analysis of the effective conformational phase space without the need for predefined reaction coordinates. We apply ELViM to study the folding landscape of the antimicrobial peptide Polybia-MP1, showcasing its versatility in capturing complex biomolecular dynamics. Using dissimilarity matrices and a force-scheme approach, ELViM provides intuitive visualizations, revealing structural correlations, and local conformational signatures. The method is demonstrated to be adaptable, robust, and applicable to various biomolecular systems.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2021

Examining the Ensembles of Amyloid-β Monomer Variants and their Propensities to Form Fibers Using an Energy Landscape Visualization Method

The amyloid-{beta} (A{beta}) monomer, an intrinsically disordered peptide, is produced by the cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein, leading to A{beta}40 and A{beta}42 as major products. These two isoforms generate pathological aggregates, whose accumulation correlates with Alzheimers disease (AD). Experiments have shown that even though the natural abundance of A{beta}42 is smaller than that for A{beta}40, the A{beta}42 is more aggregation-prone compared to A{beta}40. Moreover, several single-point mutations are associated with early-onset forms of AD. This work analyzes coarse-grained AWSEM simulations of normal A{beta}40 and A{beta}42 monomers, along with six single-point mutations associated with early on set disease. We analyzed the simulations using the Energy Landscape Visualization Method (ELViM), a reaction coordinate-free approach suited to explore the frustrated energy landscapes of intrinsically disordered proteins. ELViM is shown to distinguish the monomer ensembles of variants that rapidly form fibers from those that do not form fibers as readily. It also delineates the amino-acid contacts characterizing each ensemble. The results shed light on the potential of ELViM to probe intrinsically disordered proteins.

biophysics↗