Simulation of biomolecular diffusion and complex formation

Diffusion is a phenomenon of very widespread importance in molecular biophysics. Diffusion can determine the rates and character of the assembly of multisubunit structures, the binding of ligands to receptors, and the internal motions of molecules and assemblies that involve solvent surface displacements. Current computer simulation techniques provide much more detailed descriptions of diffusional processes than have been available in the past. Models can be constructed to include such realistic features as structural subunits at the submolecular level (domains, monomers, or atoms); detailed electrostatic charge distributions and corresponding solvent-screened inter- and intramolecular interactions; and hydrodynamic interactions. The trajectories can be analyzed either to provide direct information on biomolecular function (e.g., the bimolecular rate constant for formation of an electron-transfer complex between two proteins), or to provide or test models for the interpretation of experimental data (e.g., the time dependence of fluorescence depolarization for segments of DNA). Here, we first review the theory of diffusional simulations, with special emphasis on new techniques such as those for obtaining transport properties of flexible assemblies and rate constants of diffusion-controlled reactions. Then we survey a variety of recent applications, including studies of large-scale motion in DNA segments and substrate "steering" in enzyme-substrate binding. We conclude with a discussion of current work (e.g., formation of protein complexes) and possible areas for future work.