[gmx-users] Free energy perturbation parameters sc-alpha sc-power sc-sigma

Francesca Vitalini francesca.vitalini11 at gmail.com
Wed Jan 22 17:10:09 CET 2014


Dear Gromacs users,

I am trying to perform a series of simulations where I gradually transform
a valine capped amino acid (Ac-VAL-NHMe) into an alanine capped amino acid
(Ac-ALA-NHMe), ie I have to turn on the HG and transform CG into HB. I have
defined 6 lambda values at which I would like to equilibrate my system
(lambda=0,0.2,0.40.6,0.8,1)

 I am using GROMACS.4.5.5. and OPLS-AA force field.

I have been following the tutorial by Justin Lemkul
http://www.bevanlab.biochem.vt.edu/Pages/Personal/justin/gmx-tutorials/free_energy/index.html

I have problems with the nvt equilibration with lambda=0.8 and lambda=1 as
my systems systematically crashes. I believe that the reason is in the
tuning of the parameters sc-alpha sc-power sc-sigma in the mdp file.
I understand from the manual that sc_sigma should not be the default option
as I have 6 hydrogens disappearing, and consequently the sc-alpha sc-power
parameters will be effected as the interactions of the hydrogens in the
soft core state will get stronger.
However I have no experience in how to select these parameters and would
like to ask, if anyone has more experience, which could be plausible values.

Thank you very much,

Francesca


For completeness I attach here a copy of my topology and mdp files.


TOPOLOGY


; Include forcefield parameters
#include "oplsaa.ff/forcefield.itp"

[ moleculetype ]
; Name            nrexcl
Protein_chain_A     3

[ atoms ]
;   nr       type  resnr residue  atom   cgnr     charge       mass
typeB    chargeB      massB
; residue   1 ACE rtp ACE  q  0.0
     1   opls_135      1    ACE    CH3      1      -0.18     12.011
opls_135     -0.18     12.011
     2   opls_140      1    ACE   HH31      1       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008
     3   opls_140      1    ACE   HH32      1       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008
     4   opls_140      1    ACE   HH33      1       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008
     5   opls_235      1    ACE      C      2        0.5     12.011
opls_235       0.5     12.011
     6   opls_236      1    ACE      O      2       -0.5    15.9994
opls_236      -0.5    15.9994
; residue   2 VAL rtp VAL  q  0.0
     7   opls_238      2    VAL      N      3       -0.5    14.0067
opls_238      -0.5    14.0067
     8   opls_241      2    VAL      H      3        0.3      1.008
opls_241       0.3      1.008
     9  opls_224B      2    VAL     CA      3       0.14     12.011
opls_224B      0.14     12.011
    10   opls_140      2    VAL     HA      3       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008
    11   opls_137      2    VAL     CB      4      -0.06     12.011
opls_137     -0.18     12.011
    12   opls_140      2    VAL     HB      4       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008
    13   opls_135      2    VAL    CG1      5      -0.18     12.011
opls_140      0.06      1.008
    14   opls_140      2    VAL   HG11      5       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.00      0.000
    15   opls_140      2    VAL   HG12      5       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.00      0.000
    16   opls_140      2    VAL   HG13      5       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.00      0.000
    17   opls_135      2    VAL    CG2      6      -0.18     12.011
opls_140      0.06      1.008
    18   opls_140      2    VAL   HG21      6       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.00      0.000
    19   opls_140      2    VAL   HG22      6       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.00      0.000
    20   opls_140      2    VAL   HG23      6       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.00      0.000
    21   opls_235      2    VAL      C      7        0.5     12.011
opls_235       0.5     12.011
    22   opls_236      2    VAL      O      7       -0.5    15.9994
opls_236      -0.5    15.9994
; residue   3 NAC rtp NAC  q  0.0
    23   opls_238      3    NAC      N      8       -0.5    14.0067
opls_238      -0.5    14.0067
    24   opls_241      3    NAC      H      8        0.3      1.008
opls_241       0.3      1.008
    25   opls_242      3    NAC    CH3      9       0.02     12.011
opls_242      0.02     12.011
    26   opls_140      3    NAC   HH31      9       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008
    27   opls_140      3    NAC   HH32      9       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008
    28   opls_140      3    NAC   HH33      9       0.06      1.008
opls_140      0.06      1.008

[ bonds ]
;  ai    aj funct            c0            c1            c2            c3
    1     2     1
    1     3     1
    1     4     1
    1     5     1
    5     6     1
    5     7     1
    7     8     1
    7     9     1
    9    10     1
    9    11     1
    9    21     1
   11    12     1
   11    13     1
   11    17     1
   13    14     1
   13    15     1
   13    16     1
   17    18     1
   17    19     1
   17    20     1
   21    22     1
   21    23     1
   23    24     1
   23    25     1
   25    26     1
   25    27     1
   25    28     1

[ pairs ]
;  ai    aj funct            c0            c1            c2            c3
    1     8     1
    1     9     1
    2     6     1
    2     7     1
    3     6     1
    3     7     1
    4     6     1
    4     7     1
    5    10     1
    5    11     1
    5    21     1
    6     8     1
    6     9     1
    7    12     1
    7    13     1
    7    17     1
    7    22     1
    7    23     1
    8    10     1
    8    11     1
    8    21     1
    9    14     1
    9    15     1
    9    16     1
    9    18     1
    9    19     1
    9    20     1
    9    24     1
    9    25     1
   10    12     1
   10    13     1
   10    17     1
   10    22     1
   10    23     1
   11    22     1
   11    23     1
   12    14     1
   12    15     1
   12    16     1
   12    18     1
   12    19     1
   12    20     1
   12    21     1
   13    18     1
   13    19     1
   13    20     1
   13    21     1
   14    17     1
   15    17     1
   16    17     1
   17    21     1
   21    26     1
   21    27     1
   21    28     1
   22    24     1
   22    25     1
   24    26     1
   24    27     1
   24    28     1

[ angles ]
;  ai    aj    ak funct            c0            c1
c2            c3
    2     1     3     1
    2     1     4     1
    2     1     5     1
    3     1     4     1
    3     1     5     1
    4     1     5     1
    1     5     6     1
    1     5     7     1
    6     5     7     1
    5     7     8     1
    5     7     9     1
    8     7     9     1
    7     9    10     1
    7     9    11     1
    7     9    21     1
   10     9    11     1
   10     9    21     1
   11     9    21     1
    9    11    12     1
    9    11    13     1
    9    11    17     1
   12    11    13     1
   12    11    17     1
   13    11    17     1
   11    13    14     1
   11    13    15     1
   11    13    16     1
   14    13    15     1
   14    13    16     1
   15    13    16     1
   11    17    18     1
   11    17    19     1
   11    17    20     1
   18    17    19     1
   18    17    20     1
   19    17    20     1
    9    21    22     1
    9    21    23     1
   22    21    23     1
   21    23    24     1
   21    23    25     1
   24    23    25     1
   23    25    26     1
   23    25    27     1
   23    25    28     1
   26    25    27     1
   26    25    28     1
   27    25    28     1

[ dihedrals ]
;  ai    aj    ak    al funct            c0            c1
c2            c3            c4            c5
    2     1     5     6     3
    2     1     5     7     3
    3     1     5     6     3
    3     1     5     7     3
    4     1     5     6     3
    4     1     5     7     3
    1     5     7     8     3
    1     5     7     9     3
    6     5     7     8     3
    6     5     7     9     3
    5     7     9    10     3
    5     7     9    11     3
    5     7     9    21     3
    8     7     9    10     3
    8     7     9    11     3
    8     7     9    21     3
    7     9    11    13     3    dih_VAL_chi1_N_C_C_C
    7     9    11    17     3    dih_VAL_chi1_N_C_C_C
   21     9    11    13     3    dih_VAL_chi1_C_C_C_CO
   21     9    11    17     3    dih_VAL_chi1_C_C_C_CO
    7     9    11    12     3
   10     9    11    12     3
   10     9    11    13     3
   10     9    11    17     3
   21     9    11    12     3
    7     9    21    22     3
    7     9    21    23     3
   10     9    21    22     3
   10     9    21    23     3
   11     9    21    22     3
   11     9    21    23     3
    9    11    13    14     3
    9    11    13    15     3
    9    11    13    16     3
   12    11    13    14     3
   12    11    13    15     3
   12    11    13    16     3
   17    11    13    14     3
   17    11    13    15     3
   17    11    13    16     3
    9    11    17    18     3
    9    11    17    19     3
    9    11    17    20     3
   12    11    17    18     3
   12    11    17    19     3
   12    11    17    20     3
   13    11    17    18     3
   13    11    17    19     3
   13    11    17    20     3
    9    21    23    24     3
    9    21    23    25     3
   22    21    23    24     3
   22    21    23    25     3
   21    23    25    26     3
   21    23    25    27     3
   21    23    25    28     3
   24    23    25    26     3
   24    23    25    27     3
   24    23    25    28     3

[ dihedrals ]
;  ai    aj    ak    al funct            c0            c1
c2            c3
    1     7     5     6     1    improper_O_C_X_Y
    5     9     7     8     1    improper_Z_N_X_Y
    9    23    21    22     1    improper_O_C_X_Y
   21    25    23    24     1    improper_Z_N_X_Y

; Include Position restraint file
#ifdef POSRES
#include "Ac_V_NHMe/Ac_V_NHMe.itp"
#endif

; Include water topology
#include "oplsaa.ff/tip3p.itp"

#ifdef POSRES_WATER
; Position restraint for each water oxygen
[ position_restraints ]
;  i funct       fcx        fcy        fcz
   1    1       1000       1000       1000
#endif

; Include topology for ions
#include "oplsaa.ff/ions.itp"

[ system ]
; Name
ACETYL-VALINE-METHYLAMIDE in water

[ molecules ]
; Compound        #mols
Protein_chain_A     1
SOL               682




NVT_VDW-Q.mdp
here I intend to switch off the coulomb interactions.

; Run control
integrator               = sd       ; Langevin dynamics
tinit                    = 0
dt                       = 0.002
nsteps                   = 10000    ; 20 ps
nstcomm                  = 100
; Output control
nstxout                  = 10000
nstvout                  = 10000
nstfout                  = 0
nstlog                   = 1000
nstenergy                = 500
nstxtcout                = 500
xtc-precision            = 500
xtc_grps                 = Protein
; Neighborsearching and short-range nonbonded interactions
nstlist                  = 5
ns_type                  = grid
pbc                      = xyz
rlist                    = 1.0
; Electrostatics
coulombtype              = PME
rcoulomb                 = 1.0
; van der Waals
vdw-type                 = switch
rvdw-switch              = 0.8
rvdw                     = 0.9
; Apply long range dispersion corrections for Energy and Pressure
DispCorr                  = EnerPres
; Spacing for the PME/PPPM FFT grid
fourierspacing           = 0.12
; EWALD/PME/PPPM parameters
pme_order                = 6
ewald_rtol               = 1e-06
epsilon_surface          = 0
optimize_fft             = no
; Temperature coupling
; tcoupl is implicitly handled by the sd integrator
tc_grps                  = system
tau_t                    = 1.0
ref_t                    = 300
; Pressure coupling is off for NVT
Pcoupl                   = No
tau_p                    = 0.5
compressibility          = 4.5e-05
ref_p                    = 1.0
; Free energy control stuff
free_energy              = yes
init_lambda              = 0.8
delta_lambda             = 0
sc-alpha                 = 0.5
sc-power                 = 1.0
sc-sigma                 = 0.005
couple-moltype           = Protein_chain_A      ; name of moleculetype to
decouple
couple-lambda0           = vdw-q      ; only van der Waals interactions
couple-lambda1           = vdw     ; turn off everything, in this case only
vdW
couple-intramol          = no
; Generate velocities to start
gen_vel                  = yes
gen_temp                 = 300
gen_seed                 = -1
; options for bonds
constraints              = h-bonds  ; we only have C-H bonds here
; Type of constraint algorithm
constraint-algorithm     = lincs
; Do not constrain the starting configuration
continuation             = no
; Highest order in the expansion of the constraint coupling matrix
lincs-order              = 12


NVT_VDW.mdp
here I intend to switch off the Van der Waals interactions. The only
difference with the previous file is in the Free energy parameters, so I
will report only those.

; Free energy control stuff
free_energy              = yes
init_lambda              = 0.8
delta_lambda             = 0
sc-alpha                 = 0.5
sc-power                 = 1.0
sc-sigma                 = 0.3
couple-moltype           = Protein_chain_A      ; name of moleculetype to
decouple
couple-lambda0           = vdw      ; only van der Waals interactions
couple-lambda1           = none     ; turn off everything, in this case
only vdW


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