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Muscarinic receptors: A comparative analysis of structural features and binding modes through homology modelling and molecular docking.

Three-dimensional models of the five human muscarinic receptors were obtained from their known sequences. Homology modelling based on the crystallographic structure of bovine rhodopsin yielded models compatible with known results from site-directed mutagenesis studies. The only exceptions were the cytoplasmic loop 3 (CL3) in the five receptors, and the large C-terminal domain in M(1). Here, homology modelling with other closely related proteins allowed to solve these gaps. A detailed comparative discussion of the five models is given. The second part of the work involved docking experiments with the physiological ligand acetylcholine, again yielding results entirely compatible with results from mutagenesis experiments. The study revealed analogies and differences between the five receptors in the residues, and interactions leading to the recognition and binding of acetylcholine.

Acetylcholine↗

3D-QSAR and molecular docking studies on pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives as glycogen synthase kinase-3beta inhibitors.

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), a serine/threonine kinase, is a fascinating enzyme with diverse biological actions in intracellular signaling systems, making it an emerging target for diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cancer, chronic inflammation, bipolar disorders and Alzheimer's disease. It is important to inhibit GSK-3 selectively and the net effect of the GSK-3 inhibitors thus should be target specific, over other phylogenetically related kinases such as CDK-2. In the present work, we have carried out three-dimensional quantitative structure activity relationship (3D-QSAR) studies on novel class of pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives as GSK-3 inhibitors reported to have improved cellular activity. Docked conformation of the most active molecule in the series, which shows desirable interactions in the receptor, was taken as template for alignment of the molecules. Statistically significant CoMFA and CoMSIA models were generated using 49 molecules in training set. By applying leave-one-out (LOO) cross-validation study, r(cv)2 values of 0.53 and 0.48 for CoMFA and CoMSIA, respectively and non-cross-validated (r(ncv)2) values of 0.98 and 0.92 were obtained for CoMFA and CoMSIA models, respectively. The predictive ability of CoMFA and CoMSIA models was determined using a test set of 12 molecules which gave predictive correlation coefficients (r(pred)2) of 0.47 and 0.48, respectively, indicating good predictive power. Based upon the information derived from CoMFA and CoMSIA contour maps, we have identified some key features that explain the observed variance in the activity and have been used to design new pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives. The designed molecules showed better binding affinity in terms of estimated docking scores with respect to the already reported systems; hence suggesting that newly designed molecules can be more potent and selective towards GSK-3beta inhibition.

Binding, Competitive↗

Molecular docking of the highly hypolipidemic agent alpha-asarone with the catalytic portion of HMG-CoA reductase.

Docking experiments using a number of published crystal structures of HMG-CoA reductase with the potent hypocholesterolemic agent alpha-asarone are described. The results indicate that alpha-asarone binds in the enzyme's active site. The methoxy groups play a key role in the binding and probably also in its biological activity, as shown by extensive SAR studies reported for analogues of alpha-asarone. The docking results will be valuable for the structure-based design of novel hypolipidemic agents.

Allylbenzene Derivatives↗

Specificity of Prodan for the self-associating domain of spectrin: a molecular docking study.

The hydrophobic fluorescent probe Prodan binds to the self-associating domain of spectrin with 1:1 stoichiometry. A model of the self-associating domain was generated based on its homology with other domains of spectrin. Prodan was then docked onto the model, and several sites with low interaction energy were identified. To verify whether the binding of Prodan is specific towards the self-associating domain of spectrin, it was docked on to several other domains of spectrin, having a known three-dimensional structure. Analysis of the docking results suggests that the binding of Prodan to the self-associating domain of spectrin will involve hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups of Prodan. The results clearly indicate the preference of Prodan for a particular binding site of the self-associating domain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Insights into phenylalanine derivatives recognition of VLA-4 integrin: from a pharmacophoric study to 3D-QSAR and molecular docking analyses.

The very late antigen-4 (VLA-4), also known as integrin alpha4beta1, is expressed on monocytes, T- and B-lympohocytes, basophils, and eosinophils and is involved in the massive recruitment of granulocytes in different pathological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and asthma. VLA-4 interacts with its endogenous ligand VCAM-1 during chronic inflammation, and blockade of VLA-4 /VCAM-1 interaction is a potential target for immunosuppression. Two classes of VLA-4 antagonists have so far been reported: beta-amino acid derivatives containing a diaryl urea moiety (BIO-1211) and phenylalanine derivatives (TR-14035). With the aim of clarifying the structural basis responsible for VLA-4 recognition by phenylalanine derivatives, we developed a combined computational study on a set of 128 antagonists available through the literature. Our computational approach is composed of three parts. (i) A VCAM-1 based pharmacophore was constructed with a restricted number of phenylalanine derivatives to identify the region of the protein that resembles synthetic antagonists. The pharmacophore was instrumental in constructing an alignment of a set of 128 compounds. This alignment was exploited to build a pseudoreceptor model with the RECEPTOR program. (ii) 3D-QSAR analysis was carried out on the computed electrostatic and steric interaction energies with the pseudoreceptor surface. The 3D-QSAR analysis yielded a predictive model able to explain much of the variance of the 128 antagonists. (iii) A homology modeling study of the headpiece of VLA-4 based on the crystal structure of alphavbeta3 was performed. Docking experiments of TR-14035 into the binding site of VLA-4 aided the interpretation of the 3D-QSAR model. The obtained results will be fruitful for the design of new potent and selective antagonists of VLA-4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Binding site analysis of full-length alpha1a adrenergic receptor using homology modeling and molecular docking.

The recent availability of crystal structure of bovine rhodopsin offers new opportunities in order to approach the construction of G protein coupled receptors. This study focuses the attention on the modeling of full-length alpha(1a) adrenergic receptor (alpha(1a)-AR) due to its biological role and significant implications in pharmacological treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia. This work could be considered made up by two main steps: (a) the construction of full structure of alpha(1a)-AR, through homology modeling methods; (b) the automated docking of an endogenous agonist, norepinephrine, and of an antagonist, WB-4101, using BioDock program. The obtained results highlight the key residues involved in binding sites of both agonists and antagonists, confirming the mutagenesis data and giving new suggestions for the rational design of selective ligands.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inhibitory mode of 1,5-diarylpyrazole derivatives against cyclooxygenase-2 and cyclooxygenase-1: molecular docking and 3D QSAR analyses.

The Lamarckian genetic algorithm of AutoDock 3.0 has been employed to dock 40 1,5-diarylpyrazole class compounds into the active sites of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1). The binding models were demonstrated in the aspects of inhibitor's conformation, subsite interaction, and hydrogen bonding. The data of geometrical parameters and RMSD values compared with the known inhibitor, SC-558 (43), show that these inhibitors interact respectively with COX-2 and COX-1 in a very similar way. The r(2) values of 0.648 for COX-2 and 0.752 for COX-1 indicate that the calculated binding free energies correlate well with the inhibitory activities. The structural and energetic differences in inhibitory potencies of 1,5-diarylpyrazoles were reasonably explored, and the COX-2/COX-1 selectivity was demonstrated by the three-dimensional (3D) interaction models of inhibitors complexing with these two enzymes. Using the binding conformations of 1,5-diarylpyrazoles, consistent and highly predictive 3D quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed by performing comparative molecular field analyses (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity analyses (CoMSIA). The q(2) values are 0.635 and 0.641 for CoMFA and CoMSIA models, respectively. The predictive ability of these models was validated by SC-558 (43) and a set of 10 other compounds that were not included in the training set. Mapping these models back to the topology of the active site of COX-2 leads to a better understanding of vital diarylpyrazole compounds and COX-2 interactions. Structure-based investigations and the final 3D QSAR results provided possible guidelines and accurate activity predictions for novel inhibitor design.

Algorithms↗

Identification of some novel AHAS inhibitors via molecular docking and virtual screening approach.

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS; EC 2.2.1.6) catalyzes the first common step in branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis. This enzyme is an important target for the design of environmental-benign herbicides. Based on the crystal structure of AHAS/sulfonylurea complex, we have carried out computational screening of the ACD-3D database in order to look for novel non-sulfonylurea inhibitors of AHAS for the first time. Three novel compounds were found to inhibit plant AHAS in vitro among 14 procured compounds. One compound showed promising activity in vivo for rape root growth inhibition bioassay. This research provided useful clues for further design and discovery of AHAS inhibitors.

Acetolactate Synthase↗

Molecular docking using surface complementarity.

A method is described to dock a ligand into a binding site in a protein on the basis of the complementarity of the intermolecular atomic contacts. Docking is performed by maximization of a complementarity function that is dependent on atomic contact surface area and the chemical properties of the contacting atoms. The generality and simplicity of the complementarity function ensure that a wide range of chemical structures can be handled. The ligand and the protein are treated as rigid bodies, but displacement of a small number of residues lining the ligand binding site can be taken into account. The method can assist in the design of improved ligands by indicating what changes in complementarity may occur as a result of the substitution of an atom in the ligand. The capabilities of the method are demonstrated by application to 14 protein-ligand complexes of known crystal structure.

Algorithms↗

Molecular docking of competitive phosphodiesterase inhibitors.

Mammalian phosphodiesterases types 3 and 4 (PDE3 and PDE4) hydrolyze cAMP and are essential for the regulation of this intracellular second messenger. These enzymes share structural and biochemical similarities, but each can be distinguished by its sensitivity to isoenzyme-specific, substrate-competitive inhibitors. We present a model configuration for the PDE4 substrate (cAMP) and a PDE4-specific inhibitor (rolipram) within the active site of the enzyme. The docked models were also used to examine the structural consequences of mutations that confer resistance to rolipram and other PDE4-specific inhibitors. The proposed rolipram-binding configuration is consistent with the substrate-competitive nature of inhibition and also provides a structural basis for the observed specificity of binding to the R- versus S-enantiomer. For mutations that render the enzyme rolipram-insensitive, there was generally an inverse relationship between the magnitude of the drug resistance and the distance of the altered residue from the predicted binding site. We observed a direct correlation between the net loss of protein residue interactions (van der Waals contacts and hydrogen bond interactions) and the degree of rolipram resistance. The positions of several drug sensitivity-determinant residues define a surface leading to the substrate- and drug-binding sites, suggesting a possible approach channel leading to the enzyme active site. The binding of other PDE4 inhibitors (high- and low-affinity) was also modeled and used to predict the involvement of residues that were not previously implicated in pharmacological interactions.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Comparative evaluation of 11 scoring functions for molecular docking.

Eleven popular scoring functions have been tested on 100 protein-ligand complexes to evaluate their abilities to reproduce experimentally determined structures and binding affinities. They include four scoring functions implemented in the LigFit module in Cerius2 (LigScore, PLP, PMF, and LUDI), four scoring functions implemented in the CScore module in SYBYL (F-Score, G-Score, D-Score, and ChemScore), the scoring function implemented in the AutoDock program, and two stand-alone scoring functions (DrugScore and X-Score). These scoring functions are not tested in the context of a particular docking program. Instead, conformational sampling and scoring are separated into two consecutive steps. First, an exhaustive conformational sampling is performed by using the AutoDock program to generate an ensemble of docked conformations for each ligand molecule. This conformational ensemble is required to cover the entire conformational space as much as possible rather than to focus on a few energy minima. Then, each scoring function is applied to score this conformational ensemble to see if it can identify the experimentally observed conformation from all of the other decoys. Among all of the scoring functions under test, six of them, i.e., PLP, F-Score, LigScore, DrugScore, LUDI, and X-Score, yield success rates higher than the AutoDock scoring function. The success rates of these six scoring functions range from 66% to 76% if using root-mean-square deviation < or =2.0 A as the criterion. Combining any two or three of these six scoring functions into a consensus scoring scheme further improves the success rate to nearly 80% or even higher. However, when applied to reproduce the experimentally determined binding affinities of the 100 protein-ligand complexes, only X-Score, PLP, DrugScore, and G-Score are able to give correlation coefficients over 0.50. All of the 11 scoring functions are further inspected by their abilities to construct a descriptive, funnel-shaped energy surface for protein-ligand complexation. The results indicate that X-Score and DrugScore perform better than the other ones at this aspect.

Algorithms↗

On evaluating molecular-docking methods for pose prediction and enrichment factors.

Four of the most well-known, commercially available docking programs, FlexX, GOLD, GLIDE, and ICM, have been examined for their ligand-docking and virtual-screening capabilities. The relative performance of the programs in reproducing the native ligand conformation from starting SMILES strings for 164 high-resolution protein-ligand complexes is presented and compared. Applying only the native scoring functions, the latest versions of these four docking programs were also used to conduct virtual screening for 12 protein targets of therapeutic interest, involving both publicly available structures and AstraZeneca in-house structures. The capability of the four programs to correctly rank-order target-specific active compounds over alternative binders and nonbinders (decoys plus randomly selected compounds) and thereby enrich a small subset of a screening library is compared. Enrichments from the virtual-screening experiments are contrasted with those obtained with alternative 3D shape-matching and 2D similarity database-search methods.

Journal Article↗

The sensitivity of the results of molecular docking to induced fit effects: application to thrombin, thermolysin and neuraminidase.

This paper describes the application of PRO_LEADS to the flexible docking of ligands into crystallographically derived enzyme structures that are assumed to be rigid. PRO_LEADS uses a Tabu search methodology to perform the flexible search and an empirically derived estimate of the binding affinity to drive the docking process. The paper tests the extent to which the assumption of a rigid enzyme compromises the accuracy of the results. All-pairs docking experiments are performed for three enzymes (thrombin, thermolysin and influenza virus neuraminidase) based on six or more ligand-enzyme crystal structures for each enzyme. In 76% of the cases, PRO_LEADS can successfully identify the correct ligand conformation as the lowest energy configuration when the enzyme structure is derived from that ligand's crystal structure, but the methodology only docks 49% of the cases successfully when the ligand is docked against enzyme crystal structures derived from other ligands. Small movements in the enzyme structure lead to an under-prediction in the energy of the correct binding mode by up to 14 kJ/mol and in some cases this under-prediction can lead to the native mode not being recognised as the lowest energy solution. The type of movements responsible for mis-docking are: the movement of sidechains as a result of changes in C alpha position; the movement of sidechains without changes in C alpha position; the movement of flexible portions of main chains to facilitate the formation of hydrogen bonds; and the movement of metal atoms bound to the enzyme active site. The work illustrates that the assumption of a rigid active site can lead to errors in identification of the correct binding mode and the assessment of binding affinity, even for enzymes which show relatively small shift in atomic positions from one ligand to the next. A good docking code, such as PRO_LEADS, can usually dock successfully if there is induced fit in relatively rigid enzymes but there remains the need to develop improved strategies for dealing with enzyme flexibility. The work implies that treatments of enzyme flexibility which focus only on sidechain rotations will not deal with the critical shifts responsible for mis-docking of ligands in thrombin, thermolysin and neuraminidase. The paper demonstrates the utility of all pairs docking experiments as a method of assessing the effectiveness of docking methodologies in dealing with enzyme flexibility.

Binding Sites↗

Understanding human 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase binding with NAD+ and PGE2 by homology modeling, docking and molecular dynamics simulation.

Homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation have been performed to determine human 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) binding with its NAD+ cofactor and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) substrate. The computational studies have led to a three-dimensional (3D) model of the entire 15-PGDH-NAD+-PGE2 complex, demonstrating the detailed binding of PGE2 with 15-PGDH for the first time. This 3D model shows specific interactions of the protein with the cofactor and substrate in qualitative agreement with available experimental data. Our model demonstrates the PGE2-binding cavity of the protein for the first time. The model further leads to an interesting prediction that the catalytic activity of 15-PGDH should also significantly be affected by Gln148, in addition to the previously known three catalytic residues (Ser138, Tyr151, and Lys155). The reported 3D model of 15-PGDH-NAD+-PGE2 complex might be valuable for future rational design of novel inhibitors of 15-PGDH.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Packing optimization for automated generation of complex system's initial configurations for molecular dynamics and docking.

Molecular Dynamics is a powerful methodology for the comprehension at molecular level of many chemical and biochemical systems. The theories and techniques developed for structural and thermodynamic analyses are well established, and many software packages are available. However, designing starting configurations for dynamics can be cumbersome. Easily generated regular lattices can be used when simple liquids or mixtures are studied. However, for complex mixtures, polymer solutions or solid adsorbed liquids (for example) this approach is inefficient, and it turns out to be very hard to obtain an adequate coordinate file. In this article, the problem of obtaining an adequate initial configuration is treated as a "packing" problem and solved by an optimization procedure. The initial configuration is chosen in such a way that the minimum distance between atoms of different molecules is greater than a fixed tolerance. The optimization uses a well-known algorithm for box-constrained minimization. Applications are given for biomolecule solvation, many-component mixtures, and interfaces. This approach can reduce the work of designing starting configurations from days or weeks to few minutes or hours, in an automated fashion. Packing optimization is also shown to be a powerful methodology for space search in docking of small ligands to proteins. This is demonstrated by docking of the thyroid hormone to its nuclear receptor.

Journal Article↗

Subtype selectivity and flexibility of ionotropic glutamate receptors upon antagonist ligand binding.

The binding modes of a set of known ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonist-ligands have been studied using homology modeling, molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and ab initio quantum mechanical calculations. The core structure of the studied ligands is the decahydroisoquinoline ring, which has a carboxylic acid group at position three and different negatively-charged substituents (R) at position six. The binding affinities of these molecules have been reported earlier. From the current study, the carboxylate group of the decahydroisoquinoline ring hydrogen bonds with Arg485, the amino group with Pro478 and Thr480, and the negatively charged substituent R interacts with the positively charged N-terminus of helix-F. The subtype selectivity of these ligands seems to be strongly dependent on the amino acid at position 650 (GluR2: leucine, GluR5: valine), which affects the conformation of the ligand and ligand-receptor interactions, but depends considerably on the size of the R-group of the ligand. In addition, the MD simulations also revealed that the relative positions of the S1 and S2 domains can alter significantly showing different "closure" and "rotational movements" depending on the antagonist-ligand that is bound. Accordingly, molecular docking of antagonist ligands into static crystal structures cannot sufficiently explain ligand binding and subtype selectivity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Bioactive peptides for meat quality and preservation: Integrating peptidomics and computational screening.

Bioactive peptides generated from meat proteins, fermented meat products, and slaughter by-products have attracted increasing attention as functional molecules for improving meat quality and preservation. In meat systems, peptides can be produced through endogenous postmortem proteolysis, microbial fermentation, gastrointestinal digestion, or controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of underutilized animal by-products. These peptides are closely associated with key meat science endpoints, including postmortem tenderization, oxidative stability, color retention, flavor development, microbial inhibition, and the valorization of processing by-products. However, although high-resolution peptidomics has greatly expanded the identification of meat-derived peptide sequences, their translation into practical meat applications remains limited by matrix interactions, processing stability, sensory constraints, safety concerns, and insufficient validation in real meat systems. This review synthesizes recent advances in meat-related peptidomics and computational screening, including sequence-based prediction, machine learning, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, stability assessment, and safety-oriented filtering. Particular attention is given to how these approaches can prioritize peptides with antioxidant, antimicrobial, flavor-modulating, and preservation-related functions under meat-specific technological constraints. By integrating peptide generation pathways, mass spectrometry-based identification, in silico prioritization, and meat quality endpoints, this review proposes a stage-gated framework for translating meat-derived bioactive peptides from discovery to application. Future research should strengthen matrix-specific validation, standardized peptidomic reporting, and safety assessment to support the use of bioactive peptides in meat quality improvement, clean-label preservation, and circular utilization of meat industry by-products.

Animals↗

The Mechanism of Celosiae Semen in the Treatment of Diabetic Cataract: Based on Network Pharmacology.

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus can be complicated by a variety of ocular diseases, among which the postoperative complications of diabetic cataract (DC) are significantly higher than those of non-DC patients. Therefore, finding drugs with natural active ingredients is an urgent challenge in the prevention and treatment of DC. Discovering the potential molecular mechanism of celosiae semen (CS) for the treatment of DC and providing new ideas and programs for the treatment and prevention of DC. METHODS: In this study, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to predict the binding and functional enrichment of the main active ingredients of CS with DC-related targets, and to explore the potential pathways and mechanisms of CS for the treatment of DC. RESULTS: Through database searching and screening, a total of 45 potential targets of CS for the treatment of DC were identified, functionally enriched, and a protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and the key target, SRC, was finally found. The results of molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation showed that the main active ingredient of CS, stigmasterol, could bind stably to the key target SRC protein. DISCUSSION: This study not only elucidates the phyto-pharmacological basis of CS in DC management but also provides a framework for developing natural product-derived targeted therapies against diabetic ocular complications. The integration of modern genomics and computational chemistry to deconstruct the therapeutic effects of traditional Chinese herbal medicines has great clinical significance in expanding the scope of traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of DC and promoting precision targeting. However, this requires verification through basic experiments. CONCLUSION: These computational findings suggest that CS may exert its anti-cataract effects through the multi-target modulation of diabetic metabolic pathways and SRC-mediated signaling cascades.

Humans↗