Fast-SAXS-pro: a unified approach to computing SAXS profiles of DNA, RNA, protein, and their complexes

A generalized method, termed Fast-SAXS-pro, for computing small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) profiles of proteins, nucleic acids, and their complexes is presented. First, effective coarse-grained structure factors of DNA nucleotides are derived using a simplified two-particle-per-nucleotide representation. Second, SAXS data of a 18-bp double-stranded DNA are measured and used for the calibration of the scattering contribution from excess electron density in the DNA solvation layer. Additional test on a 25-bp DNA duplex validates this SAXS computational method and suggests that DNA has a different contribution from its hydration surface to the total scattering compared to RNA and protein. To account for such a difference, a sigmoidal function is implemented for the treatment of non-uniform electron density across the surface of a protein/nucleic-acid complex. This treatment allows differential scattering from the solvation layer surrounding protein/nucleic-acid complexes. Finally, the applications of this Fast-SAXS-pro method are demonstrated for protein/DNA and protein/RNA complexes.