Study on the binding mode of the integrase with DNA via steered molecular dynamics simulation

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) is an essential enzyme in the lifecycle of this virus and also an important target for the study of anti-HIV drugs. In the current work, a model for the active site of IN and viral DNA was built by combining experimental data with the results of steered molecular dynamics simulation. The model was then taken into a series automatic molecular docking calculations with two groups of inhibitors. According to the results of molecular docking, the inhibitors of the second group share a similar binding model with those of the first group, though they have no common scaffold. The newly built model of the IN-DNA complex is helpful for our subsequent research on the design of IN inhibitors.