Hydrophobicity Scaling of Aqueous Interfaces by an Electrostatic Mapping

An understanding of the hydrophobicity of complex heterogeneous molecular assemblies is crucial to characterize and predict interactions between biomolecules. As such, uncovering the subtleties of assembly processes hinges on an accurate classification of the relevant interfaces involved, and much effort has been spent on developing so-called "hydrophobicity maps." In this work, we introduce a novel electrostatics-based mapping of aqueous interfaces that focuses on the collective, long-wavelength electrostatic response of water to the presence of nearby surfaces. In addition to distinguishing between hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of heterogeneous surfaces, this electrostatic mapping can also differentiate between hydrophilic regions that polarize nearby waters in opposing directions. We therefore expect this approach to find use in predicting the location of possible water-mediated hydrophilic interactions, in addition to the more commonly emphasized hydrophobic interactions that can also be of significant importance.