Force-Dependent Folding Pathways In Mechanically Interlocked Calixarene Dimers Via Atomistic Force Quench Simulations

Single-molecule force spectroscopy and molecular simulations are well-established techniques to study the mechanical unfolding of supramolecular complexes in various fields of biomolecular physics. In the present study, we investigate the details of the force-dependent folding transition of a well-studied model system, a calix[4]arene catenane dimer, using atomistic force quench simulations. This protocol allows us to reach a range of much smaller forces than possible with the more common force ramp simulations where the force is changed with a constant velocity. We find that the folding pathway changes its character as a function of external force. For small forces (on the order of 50 pN), the folding transition occurs via the transition to a metastable intermediate structure in about 30% of the simulations. We characterise the structure of this intermediate and demonstrate its relevance by considering the averaged potential of mean force of the system as a function of a well-defined reaction coordinate. When the force increases, the importance of the intermediate diminishes and for high external forces (500 pN), our results can be interpreted in terms of a simple two-state model, that has also been used in earlier simulations on the same system.