Quality Evaluation Based Simulation Selection (QEBSS) for analysis of conformational ensembles and dynamics of multidomain proteins.

Abstract

Multidomain proteins containing both folded and intrinsically disordered regions are crucial for biological processes, but characterizing their conformational ensembles and dynamics remains challenging. We introduce the Quality Evaluation Based Simulation Selection (QEBSS) protocol, which combines MD simulations with NMR-derived protein backbone ¹⁵N T₁ and T₂ spin relaxation times and hetNOE values to interpret conformational ensembles and dynamics of multidomain proteins. We demonstrate the practical advantage of QEBSS by characterizing four flexible multidomain proteins: calmodulin, EN2, MANF, and CDNF. These biologically important proteins have been difficult to study due to their flexible nature. Our findings reveal new insights into their conformational landscapes and dynamics, providing mechanistic understanding of their biological functions. QEBSS offers quantitative quality evaluation of simulations and a systematic approach for resolving conformational ensembles of multidomain proteins with heterogeneous dynamics. Given the importance of such proteins in biology, biotechnology, and materials science, QEBSS should benefit fields from drug design to novel materials development.