Problem with fix SMD: SMD moves entire system instead of group-ID defined

Dear LAMMPS-users

I am trying to use fix smd for a protein - DNA assembly system using LAMMPS/15May2015. I want to calculate the PMF for the case when protein is being pulled between two almost parallel DNA walls. I used the command as described in the manual.

fix 7 pull smd cvel 5.0 -0.001 tether NULL 150.0 NULL 0.0

where pull is the group-id for alpha-C (atom type 11) of amino acids. However when I visualized my results in VMD, I observe that the whole system (DNA + protein) is moving instead of protein only. I double checked that type 11 only belongs to protein molecule. I also ran with force constants 50 and 500. But the behavior is identical. The whole system is immersed in a box of water molecules with counter-ions present to neutralize the charge. Can you please provide some suggestions where I am making a mistake. I have also attached the input script below.

units real

neigh_modify delay 2 every 1
boundary p p p

atom_style full
bond_style harmonic
angle_style charmm
dihedral_style charmm
improper_style harmonic

pair_style lj/charmm/coul/charmm 8 10
pair_modify mix arithmetic

read_restart Origami_new_thrombin_v08_wb_ions.restart7

group origami type 1:3 5:32 34:73
group protein id <> 71228 75706
group pull type 11 # alpha-C of amino acids

special_bonds charmm

fix 7 pull smd cvel 5.0 -0.001 tether NULL 150.0 NULL 0.0

thermo 1000
thermo_style custom step temp ke pe etotal enthalpy f_7[5] f_7[6] f_7[7]
timestep 0.5

restart 10 Origami_new_thrombin_v08_wb_ions.restart9 Origami_new_thrombin_v08_wb_ions.restart10

fix 1 all shake 1e-6 500 0 m 1.008 a 245 b 125

dump 4 all custom 2000 Origami_new_thrombin_v08_wb_ions_11.dump id type x y z
fix 3 all nvt temp 300 300 50
run 200000
undump 4
unfix 3
unfix 7
unfix 1

Kind Regards

Narendra

Dear LAMMPS-users

I am trying to use fix smd for a protein - DNA assembly system using
LAMMPS/15May2015. I want to calculate the PMF for the case when protein is
being pulled between two almost parallel DNA walls. I used the command as
described in the manual.

fix 7 pull smd cvel 5.0 -0.001 tether NULL 150.0 NULL
0.0

where pull is the group-id for alpha-C (atom type 11) of amino acids.
However when I visualized my results in VMD, I observe that the whole system
(DNA + protein) is moving instead of protein only. I double checked that
type 11 only belongs to protein molecule. I also ran with force constants 50
and 500. But the behavior is identical. The whole system is immersed in a
box of water molecules with counter-ions present to neutralize the charge.
Can you please provide some suggestions where I am making a mistake. I have
also attached the input script below.

have you checked with the the pull group really only contains the
atoms that you expect?
have you tried putting a restraining force via fix spring on the part
that should remain stationary?
have you studied the literature to see if SMD can give you a valid PMF
at all under these circumstances?
have you studied the impact of the pulling speed? for SMD to run
correctly, certain adjustments to the system at hand need to be made
and there is literature describing it.

axel.