Refining the multiple protein structure pharmacophore method: consistency across three independent HIV-1 protease models

J Med Chem. 2006 Jun 15;49(12):3478-84. doi: 10.1021/jm050755m.

Abstract

Developing methods to incorporate protein flexibility into structure-based drug design is an important challenge. Our approach uses multiple protein structures (MPS) to create a receptor-based pharmacophore model of the desired target. We have previously demonstrated the success of the method by applying it to human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease (HIV-1p). Our models, based on an apo structure, discriminated known HIV-1p inhibitors from druglike inactive compounds and also accurately identified bound conformations of known inhibitors. Here, we test the method by applying it to all three unbound crystal structures of HIV-1p. We have also improved our method with denser probe mapping of the binding site and refined our selection criteria for pharmacophore elements. Our improved protocol has led to the development of a consistent 8-site pharmacophore model for HIV-1p, which is independent of starting structure, and a robust MPS pharmacophore method that is more amenable to automation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • HIV Protease / chemistry*
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • HIV-1 / enzymology*
  • Ligands
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship*

Substances

  • HIV Protease Inhibitors
  • Ligands
  • HIV Protease