Effect of Nanohydroxyapatite on Silk Fibroin–Chitosan Interactions—Molecular Dynamics Study

Abstract

Fibroin–chitosan composites, especially those containing nanohydroxyapatite, show potential for bone tissue regeneration. The physicochemical properties of these biocomposites depend on the compatibility between their components. In this study, the intermolecular interactions of fibroin and chitosan were analyzed using a molecular dynamics approach. Two types of systems were investigated: one containing acetic acid and the other containing calcium (Ca2+) and hydrogen phosphate (HPO₄2−) ions mimicking hydroxyapatite conditions. After obtaining the optimal equilibrium structures, the distributions of several types of interactions, including hydrogen bonds, ionic contacts, and hydrophobic contacts, along with structural and energetical features, were examined. The calculated binding energy values for the fibroin–chitosan complexes confirm their remarkable stability. The high affinity of fibroin for chitosan can be explained by the formation of a dense network of interactions between the considered biopolymers. These interactions were found to primarily be hydrogen bonds and ionic contacts involving ALA, ARG, ASN, ASP, GLN, GLU, GLY, LEU, PRO, SER, THR, TYR, and VAL residues. As established, the complexation of fibroin with chitosan maintains the β-sheet conformation of the peptide. β-Sheet fragments in fibroin are involved in the formation of a significant number of hydrogen bonds and ionic contacts with chitosan.