Prepare

This module helps in preparing input PDB files for other MMMx modules. It can cut and merge existing structures, reorient structures based on symmetry or on constructing a coarse-grained lipid bilayer model (requires MSMS), add, repair or modify sidechains (requires SCWRL4), superimpose structures (may require MUSCLE if sequence-based), amd renumber residues. Several processing steps can be performed without saving intermediate results.

Features are demonstrated in examples demo_Prepare.mcx and demo_RBreference.mcx. The latter example is a two-module pipeline that uses module Prepare before module ExperimentDesign.

The keywords are grouped into input/output (getpdb, getcyana, save), coordinate transformations (center, symmetry, bilayer), sidegroup changes (mutate, repair, repack, deselenate) and structure editing (renumber, chains, replace, remove, merge).

The following keywords are supported:

bilayer

Computes a coarse-grained bilayer model and transforms coordinates into the bilayer frame.

bilayer mode orientation identifier
Arguments
  • mode - can be bundle for \alpha-helical bundles or barrel for \beta-barrels

  • orientation - can be oriented if the protein is already properly oriented or none if it is not

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • the algorithm minimizes free energy of bilayer insertion

  • the Third-party software MSMS is required

  • the bilayer normal is the new z axis

  • if the protein can be oriemted by symmetry, better use symmetry first and orientation mode oriented

  • the result is not automatically saved, use save if necessary

center

Center the coordinates at the mean coordinate of all atoms

center identifier
Arguments
  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • the result is not automatically saved, use save if necessary

chains

Restricts an entity to a subset of chains

chains address identifier
Arguments
  • address - MMMx chain address, such as (A) or (A,C,E)

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • the entity with the given identifier is changed, but not automatically saved

  • use the save command, if necessary

deselenate

Replaces selenocysteine and selenomethionine by their native counterparts cysteine and methionine.

deselenate identifier
Arguments
  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • this function does not require third-party software

  • seleno amino acids are sometimes used for easier phasing of x-ray diffraction data

getAlphaFold

Input of an AlphaFold prediction.

getAlphaFold UniProtID identifier
Arguments
  • UniProtID - UniProt identifier of the AlphaFold prediction

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • note that not for all sequences in UniProt, AlphaFold predictions exist in the database

getcyana

Input of a raw ensemble (uniform populations) by reading a single PDB file generated by CYANA.

getcyana file identifier [maxchains]
Arguments
  • file - file name

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

  • maxchains - reading is stopped after the specified number of chains, optional, defaults to all chains

Remarks
  • information on pseudo-residues is removed

  • standard PDB residue names are set for nucleic acids

  • parameter maxchains allows for skipping pseudo-chains that simulate only labels

  • residue types CYSS and CYSM are converted to CYS, label atoms in CYSM are skipped

getens

Input of an ensemble by reading an MMMx ensemble list (.ens)

getens file identifier
Arguments
  • file - file name

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • all PDB files of conformers contained in the ensemble list must be on the Matlab path

  • populations (weights) of conformers are read

getpdb

Input of a raw ensemble (uniform populations) by reading a single PDB file.

getpdb file identifier
Arguments
  • file - file name

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • the PDB file can contain several models (conformers) or a single one

  • for MMMx ensemble PDB files with population information in REMARK 400, such information is read

merge

Merges residue ranges of chains to a new entity. The parts can stem from different entitities, thus creating a chimera. This is a block key, with each line corresponding to one part.

merge identifier
  'ID_1 address_1'
      []
  'ID_n address_n'
.merge
Arguments
  • identifier - module-internal identifier of the newly created entity

  • ID_1 identifier of the entity from which the first part is taken

  • address_1 address of the residues from which the first part is taken, e.g. {11}(A)58-146 for residues 58-146 of chain A in conformer 11

  • ID_n identifier of the entity from which the last part is taken

  • address_n address of the residues from which the last part is taken

Remarks
  • do not use an existing entity identifier

  • the entity with the given identifier is created, but not automatically saved

  • use the save command, if necessary

mutate

Mutates residues. This is a block key with each line corresponding to one residue to be mutated.

mutate identifier
   'address_1' 'new_residue_1'
   []
   'address_n' 'new_residue_n'
.mutate
Arguments
  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

  • address_1 residue address of first residue to be mutated, see Selection by address

  • new_residue_1 three-letter or single-letter code for new sidechain of first residue

  • address_n residue address of last residue to be mutated

  • new_residue_n three-letter or single-letter code for new sidechain of last residue

Remarks

oligomer

Build an oligomer from an oriented peptide chain ensemble

oligomer input N output address
Arguments
  • input - module-internal entity identifier for input entity

  • N - optional multiplicity, defaults to N = 2 (dimer)

  • output - basis name for output files, the filenames are output-m-%i.pdb, where %i stands for the conformer number

  • address - optional address for chain and residue range, such as (A)128-611, chain defaults to the first chain, and range to all residues

Remarks
  • the input entity must be oriented, with the C_N axis of the oligomer being the z axis

  • from an input entity with C conformers, all C^N possible conformer combinations are generated

  • an ensemble list output.ens with uniform populations (1/C^N) is written as well

remove

Remove a residue

remove address idenfifier
Arguments
  • address - residue address, such as (A)238

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • the entity with the given identifier is changed, but not automatically saved

  • use the save command, if necessary

  • use the merge command, if you wish to remove ranges of residues

renumber

Renumbers residues in one chain of an entity.

renumber address shift identifier
Arguments
  • address - a chain address, such as (A)

  • shift - offset to current residue numbers, can be negative or positive integer

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks
  • use several renumber lines, if you want to renumber more than one chain

repack

Repacks all amino acid sidechains in an entity.

repack identifier
Arguments
  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks

repair

Repairs all incompletely defined amino acid sidechains in an entity.

repair identifier
Arguments
  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

Remarks

replace

Replaces a chain in one entity with a chain from another entity

replace id_1.chain_1 id_2.chain_2
Arguments
  • id_1.chain_1 - identifier of target chsin, such as BtuCDF.(F) for chain F in entity BtuCDF to be replaced

  • id_2.chain_2 - identifier of template chsin, such as BtuF_CBI.(A) for using A in entity BtuF_CDI as a replacement

Remarks
  • the entity with the given identifier is changed, but not automatically saved

  • use the save command, if necessary

save

Save a (modified) entity to a PDB file.

save file identifier [[PDB_ID] selection]
Arguments
  • file - file name

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

  • PDB_ID - four-character code used as PDB identifier, optional, defaults to PDB identifiert of loaded entity

  • selection - optional, if present, only a selected part of the structure is saved, see Selection by address

Remarks
  • a minimal PDF file is saved

superimpose

Superimposes one structure onto another structure. The superposition can be defined by a subset of atom coordinates.

superimpose moving template [directive_1 [directive_2]]
Arguments
  • moving - module-internal entity identifier of the structure whose coordinates are transformed

  • template - module-internal entity identifier of the structure that serves as a template

  • directive_1 - optional directive that specifies how the superposition takes place (see Remarks)

  • directive_2 - another optional directive that specifies how the superposition takes place (see Remarks)

Remarks
  • the coordinates of the atoms specified by template fields and by directives are least-square superimposed on corresponding template coordinates

  • by default, residue numbers are assumed to match in moving and template structure, directive align matches residues by sequence alignment instead

  • by default, backbone atoms are superimposed, directive CA superimposes only C \alpha atoms, directive C4' only C4’ atoms of nucleotides, and directive all all atoms

  • part of the moving and template strucure can be selected by subfields, for instance BtuCDF.(F) selects only chain F of entity BruCDF for superposition, BtuCDF.(F)147-238 only residues 147-238 of this chain

  • selection is possible only down to residue level, not atom level

  • the whole structure moves, but only the selected part is least-squares superimposed

symmetry

Transform coordinates to a symmetry frame. This is a block key with n lines for an n-fold symmetry axis.

symmetry mode identifier
   'address_1'
   []
   'address_n'
.symmetry
Arguments
  • mode - superposition mode, can be backbone or CA or C4' or all

  • identifier - module-internal entity identifier

  • address_1 address of chain, e.g. (A) or residue range, e.g., (A)58-108 in the first protomer

  • address_n address of chain or residue range in the last protomer

Remarks
  • the addresses together with the mode define the atoms that are superimposed by minimal rmsd

  • the result is not automatically saved, use save if necessary

  • the C_n symmetry axis becomes the new z axis