Generalized fundamental measure theory for atomistic modeling of macromolecular crowding

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2010 Mar;81(3 Pt 1):031919. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.81.031919. Epub 2010 Mar 26.

Abstract

Macromolecular crowding inside cells affects the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of proteins. The scaled particle theory (SPT) has played an important role toward establishing a qualitative picture for the effects of crowding. However, SPT-based modeling lacks molecular details. Molecular dynamics simulations overcome this limitation, but at great computational cost. Here, we present a theoretical method for modeling crowding at the atomic level. The method makes it possible to achieve exhaustive conformational sampling in modeling crowding effects and to tackle challenges posed by large protein oligomers and by complex mixtures of crowders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Multiprotein Complexes / chemistry*
  • Multiprotein Complexes / ultrastructure*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / ultrastructure*
  • Quantum Theory

Substances

  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Proteins