We present a brief overview of explicit solvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of nucleic acids. We explain physical chemistry limitations of the simulations, namely, the molecular mechanics (MM) force field (FF) approximation and limited time scale. Further, we discuss relations and differences between simulations and experiments, compare standard and enhanced sampling simulations, discuss the role of starting structures, comment on different versions of nucleic acid FFs, and relate MM computations with contemporary quantum chemistry. Despite its limitations, we show that MD is a powerful technique for studying the structural dynamics of nucleic acids with a fast growing potential that substantially complements experimental results and aids their interpretation.

§Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials Department of Physical Chemistry Faculty of Science Palacký University tř 17 listopadu 12 771 46 Olomouc Czech Republic

†Institute of Biophysics Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Královopolská 135 612 65 Brno Czech Republic

‡CEITEC Central European Institute of Technology Campus Bohunice Kamenice 5 625 00 Brno Czech Republic

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