Solvation Energy: The Role of Charged Species and Solvent Molecules

Biological molecules are organized assemblies that hold the structure, dynamics, and function of living organisms. Solvent molecules, particularly water molecules, play a crucial role in surrounding the biological molecules. The stability and functionality of the biological molecule are thermodynamically impacted by changes in the surrounding solvent environment. The most prime factor that contributes to the catalytic activity of proteins, nucleic acids, and vesicles is solvation dynamics, also known as solvation energy. In order to comprehend the role of solvent molecules in the dynamics and operation of biological molecules, we have reviewed the theoretical and experimental findings over the years in this literature. Numerous scientific groups have proposed that the solvation dynamics are influenced by solvent molecules, chain motion, and the charged or polar residues of biological molecules. In this review, we also addressed the roles that polar residues and solvent molecules play in solvation dynamics, especially when it comes to protein molecules.