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Main Authors: Annapoorani, Vigneshwari Karunakaran, Rouse, Ian, Lobaskin, Vladimir, Buchete, Nicolae-Viorel
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.26086
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author Annapoorani, Vigneshwari Karunakaran
Rouse, Ian
Lobaskin, Vladimir
Buchete, Nicolae-Viorel
author_facet Annapoorani, Vigneshwari Karunakaran
Rouse, Ian
Lobaskin, Vladimir
Buchete, Nicolae-Viorel
contents Accurate quantification of protein-nanoparticle interactions is essential for applications in nanobiotechnology, nanomedicine, and drug delivery. Motivated by recent computational and experimental work, we combine coarse-grained united-atom (UA) models with molecular docking to characterize protein adsorption on SiO_2 nanoparticles. We construct orientation-resolved heatmaps in which polar and azimuthal angles uniquely specify the relative protein-nanoparticle pose, and the map amplitude reports binding propensity via the minimum UA adsorption energy or the docking score. Each angular bin corresponds to a distinct docked complex, enabling systematic comparison of binding geometries across models. To relate docking score landscapes to Boltzmann-averaged UA adsorption energetics, we analyze eight birch pollen allergen proteins previously studied experimentally. Similarity between the two orientational distributions is quantified using the Jensen-Shannon divergence (JSD). We find encouraging agreement between the two approaches in several cases, while also identifying limitations and routes for improvement, including optimized angular resolution and iterative refinement of interaction parameters. Overall, this framework provides a quantitative bridge between coarse-grained energetics and docking outputs at protein-nanoparticle interfaces, supporting improved predictive modeling and mechanistic insight into protein-nanoparticle binding landscapes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_26086
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Orientation-Dependent Protein Binding at Nanoparticle Interfaces
Annapoorani, Vigneshwari Karunakaran
Rouse, Ian
Lobaskin, Vladimir
Buchete, Nicolae-Viorel
Biological Physics
Computational Physics
Accurate quantification of protein-nanoparticle interactions is essential for applications in nanobiotechnology, nanomedicine, and drug delivery. Motivated by recent computational and experimental work, we combine coarse-grained united-atom (UA) models with molecular docking to characterize protein adsorption on SiO_2 nanoparticles. We construct orientation-resolved heatmaps in which polar and azimuthal angles uniquely specify the relative protein-nanoparticle pose, and the map amplitude reports binding propensity via the minimum UA adsorption energy or the docking score. Each angular bin corresponds to a distinct docked complex, enabling systematic comparison of binding geometries across models. To relate docking score landscapes to Boltzmann-averaged UA adsorption energetics, we analyze eight birch pollen allergen proteins previously studied experimentally. Similarity between the two orientational distributions is quantified using the Jensen-Shannon divergence (JSD). We find encouraging agreement between the two approaches in several cases, while also identifying limitations and routes for improvement, including optimized angular resolution and iterative refinement of interaction parameters. Overall, this framework provides a quantitative bridge between coarse-grained energetics and docking outputs at protein-nanoparticle interfaces, supporting improved predictive modeling and mechanistic insight into protein-nanoparticle binding landscapes.
title Orientation-Dependent Protein Binding at Nanoparticle Interfaces
topic Biological Physics
Computational Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.26086