Simulating Transmembrane Proteins with the Coarse-Grained SIRAH Force Field: Tips and Tricks for Setting Up and Running in AMBER

Abstract

Coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics simulations of integral membrane proteins have gained wide popularity because they provide a cost-effective but still accurate description of the protein-membrane interactions as a whole and on the role of individual lipidic species. Therefore, they can provide biologically meaningful information at a resolution comparable to those accessible to experimental techniques. However, the simulation of membrane proteins remains a challenging task that requires specific expertise, as external pressures and solvation need to be carefully handled. CG simulations that lump several water molecules into one single supramolecular moiety may present further intricacies due to bulkier solvent representations or model-dependent compressibilities. This chapter provides a detailed protocol for setting up, running, and analyzing CG simulations of membrane proteins using the SIRAH force field for CG simulations within the AMBER package.