Multiscale Coarse-Graining of Monosaccharides

A systematic multiscale coarse-graining (MS-CG) algorithm is applied to build coarse-grained models for monosaccharides in aqueous solution. The methodology is demonstrated for the example of alpha-D-glucopyranose. The nonbonded interactions are directly derived from the force-matching approach, whereas the bonded interactions are obtained through Boltzmann statistical analyses of the underlying atomistic trajectory. The MS-CG model is shown to reproduce many structural and thermodynamic properties in the constant NPT ensemble. Although the model is derived at a single temperature, pressure, and concentration, it is shown to be reasonably transferable to other thermodynamic states. In this model, long-range interactions are effectively mapped into short-range forces with a moderate cutoff and are evaluated by table look-up. As a result, molecular dynamics employing the MS-CG model is approximately 3 orders of magnitude more efficient than its atomistic counterpart. Consequently, the model is particularly suitable for simulating carbohydrate systems at large length and long time scales. Results for an alpha-(1-->4)-d-glucan with 14 glucose units are also presented, demonstrating that the MS-CG algorithm is also applicable to the coarse-graining of other saccharide systems.