Re: using colvars to constrain two atoms in a direction

From: Giacomo Fiorin (giacomo.fiorin_at_gmail.com)
Date: Wed Dec 14 2016 - 10:22:39 CST

Hi Hamed, the error message indicates that the rotational fit (necessary to
calculate the tilt variable) does not converge because the structure of the
drug is not rigid. Please check the trajectory with VMD to see if this is
the case.

You could perhaps obviate this by replacing the tilt constraint with a RMSD
constraint where only the translational fit is performed (centerReference
on) but not the rotational (rotateReference off) is done to compute the
RMSD.

Giacomo

On Wed, Dec 14, 2016 at 11:15 AM, Hamed Fadaei <hamed.fadaei111_at_gmail.com>
wrote:

> Dear NAMD usrs,
>
> I am trying to simulate a a drug translocationg from a membrane. The drug
> is much longer in one direction and its orintation can be defined by a
> single vector connecting two atoms (atom numbers 20 and 28 in my system).
>
> Now I need to constrain this vector with respect to the Z axis at
> different angles by applying forces to these two atoms. I don't want to add
> any extra constraints to the position of the atoms and drug can be free to
> move as long as it keeps its angle with Z axis fixed.
>
> I tried to use "tilt" colvar by giving two ref points to define Z axis and
> then constraining that tilt colvar to a harmonic :
>
> colvar {
>
> name tilt1
>
> tilt {
>
> atoms {
>
> atomNumbers {
>
> 28 20
>
> }
>
> }
>
> refPositions (0,0,0) (0,0,1)
>
> }
>
> }
>
> harmonic {
>
> colvars tilt1
>
> centers -0.9
>
> forceConstant 0.0
>
> }
>
> But when I run it, the system kinetic energy and temperature come out as
> "nan" at step zero and I get the following error at the step one:
>
> colvars: Too many iterations in routine jacobi.
>
> FATAL ERROR: Error in the collective variables module: exiting.
>
>
> Unfortunately I couldn't find anything related to that so I would be so
> glad if you can help me. Besides, is this the best way to use tilt colvar
> for my purpose or there might be a better way?
>
>
> Best,
>
> Hamed
>
>
>

-- 
Giacomo Fiorin
Associate Professor of Research
Institute for Computational Molecular Science (ICMS)
College of Science and Technology, Temple University
1925 North 12th Street (035-07), Room 704D
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*"As computer programmers we have a responsibility to make sure that we run
the computers instead of the computers running us."*  - Steve Oualline

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