Enhanced stability of the model mini-protein in amino acid ionic liquids and their aqueous solutions

Using molecular dynamics simulations, the structure of model mini-protein was thoroughly characterized in the imidazolium-based amino acid ionic liquids and their aqueous solutions. Complete substitution of water by organic cations and anions further results in hindered conformational flexibility of the mini-protein. This observation suggests that amino acid-based ionic liquids are able to defend proteins from thermally induced denaturation. We show by means of radial distributions that the mini-protein is efficiently solvated by both solvents due to a good mutual miscibility. Amino acid-based anions prevail in the first coordination sphere of positively charged sites of the mini-protein whereas water molecules prevail in the first coordination sphere of negatively charged sites of the mini-protein.