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Published on: December 1, 2020
Computational Tools for Allosteric Drug Discovery: Site Identification and Focus Library Design
Wenkang Huang1, Ruth Nussinov2,3, Jian Zhang4
1Department of Pathophysiology, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine (SJTU-SM), Shanghai, 200025, China.
This study introduces computational tools to identify allosteric sites and design allosteric modulators, aiding in allosteric drug discovery for targeted therapies with fewer side effects.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Allostery regulates biological macromolecules via ligands binding to sites distinct from active sites.
- Allosteric drugs offer advantages like subtype selectivity and reduced toxicity compared to orthosteric drugs.
- Allosteric drug discovery faces challenges in site identification and modulator design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present computational tools for identifying potential allosteric sites.
- To develop methods for designing "allosteric-like" modulator libraries.
- To facilitate allosteric drug discovery.
Main Methods:
- Computational identification of allosteric sites.
- Design of "allosteric-like" modulator libraries.
- Structure-based drug design principles.
Main Results:
- Development of a suite of computational tools for allosteric site identification.
- Creation of libraries for "allosteric-like" modulator design.
- Demonstration of the utility of these tools in drug discovery.
Conclusions:
- The presented computational tools can aid in overcoming challenges in allosteric drug discovery.
- These tools may accelerate the development of novel allosteric therapeutics.
- Targeting allosteric sites offers a promising strategy for developing safer and more selective drugs.
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