MD simulation of subtilisin BPN' in a crystal environment

In this paper we present a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of subtilisin BPN' in a crystalline environment containing four protein molecules and solvent. Conformational and dynamic properties of the molecules are compared with each other and with respect to the X-ray structure to test the validity of the force field. The agreement between simulated and experimental structure using the GROMOS force field is better than that obtained in the literature using other force fields for protein crystals. The overall shape of the molecule is well preserved, as is the conformation of alpha-helices and beta-strands. Structural differences are mainly found in loop regions. Solvent networks found in the X-ray structure were reproduced by the simulation, which was unbiased with respect to the crystalline hydration structure. These networks seem to play an important role in the stability of the protein; evidence of this is found in the structure of the active site. The weak ion binding site in the X-ray structure of subtilisin BPN' is occupied by a monovalent ion. When a calcium ion is placed in the initial structure, three peptide ligands are replaced by 5 water ligands, whereas a potassium ion retains (in part) its original ligands. Existing force fields yield a reliable method to probe local structure and short-time dynamics of proteins, providing an accuracy of about 0.1 nm.