Solvation Free Energy of Protonated Lysine: Molecular Dynamics Study

Abstract

In the present work, we have used an alchemical approach for calculating solvation free energy of protonated lysine in water from molecular dynamics simulations. These approaches use a non-physical pathway between two end states in order to compute free energy difference from the set of simulations. The solute is modeled using bonded and non-bonded interactions described by OPLS-AA potential, while four different water models: TIP3P, SPC, SPC/E and TIP4P are used. The free energy of solvation of protonated lysine in water has been estimated using thermodynamic integration, free energy perturbation, and Bennett acceptance ratio methods at 310 K temperature. The contributions to the free energy due to van der Waals and electrostatics parameters are also separately computed. The estimated values of free energy of solvation using different methods are in well agreement with previously reported experimental value within 14 %.