CGeNArateWeb: a web server for the atomistic study of the structure and dynamics of chromatin fibers

We present CGeNArateWeb, a new web tool for the three-dimensional simulation of naked DNA and protein-bound chromatin fibers. The server allows the user to obtain a dynamic representation of long segments of linear, circular, or protein–DNA segments thanks to a Langevin dynamics coarse-grained (CG)...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Farré Gil, David, Bayarri Sarda, Genis, Laughton, Charles A., Hospital Gasch, Adam, Orozco López, Modesto
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Barcelona
Repository:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/221185
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/221185
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Computational biology
Cromatina
Servidors web
Biologia computacional
Chromatin
Description
Summary:We present CGeNArateWeb, a new web tool for the three-dimensional simulation of naked DNA and protein-bound chromatin fibers. The server allows the user to obtain a dynamic representation of long segments of linear, circular, or protein–DNA segments thanks to a Langevin dynamics coarse-grained (CG) model working with a machine-learning (ML) fitted C1′-resolution Hamiltonian. The CG trajectories can be back-mapped to atomistic resolution using another ML algorithm trained on a large database of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The method allows the user to get structural and dynamic information on large (kilobase range) portions of both protein-bound and free DNA, to transform conceptual cartoons into structural and dynamical models. Trajectories are analyzed using an extensive set of nucleic acid-specific analysis tools, and the results are displayed using a powerful and flexible graphic interface. The web tool uses state-of-the-art technologies such as (i) Docker components orchestrated by Docker Swarm, with containers deployed on demand for computations, (ii) WebGL-programmed NGL molecular viewer and the JavaScript plotly library for interactive plots, and (iii) noSQL-MongoDB for storage. The server is accessible at https://mmb.irbbarcelona.org/CGNAW/. The web tool is free and open to all users, and there are no login requirements.