Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 23, 2025

Author Spotlight: Streamlining Protein Target Prediction and Validation via Molecular Docking and CETSA
Published on: February 23, 2024
Big data and artificial intelligence discover novel drugs targeting proteins without 3D structure and overcome the
Huiqin He1, Benquan Liu1, Hongyi Luo1
1Jiangsu Key Lab of Drug Screening, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China.
Abstract:
The discovery of targeted drugs heavily relies on three-dimensional (3D) structures of target proteins. When the 3D structure of a protein target is unknown, it is very difficult to design its corresponding targeted drugs. Although the 3D structures of some proteins (the so-called undruggable targets) are known, their targeted drugs are still absent. As increasing crystal/cryogenic electron microscopy structures are deposited in Protein Data Bank, it is much more possible to discover the targeted drugs. Moreover, it is also highly probable to turn previous undruggable targets into druggable ones when we identify their hidden allosteric sites. In this review, we focus on the currently available advanced methods for the discovery of novel compounds targeting proteins without 3D structure and how to turn undruggable targets into druggable ones.
More Related Videos
08:31Biosensor-based High Throughput Biopanning and Bioinformatics Analysis Strategy for the Global Validation of Drug-protein Interactions
Published on: December 1, 2020
08:49Incorporating Target Protein Structure Flexibility and Dynamics in Computational Drug Discovery Using Ensemble-Based Docking Analysis
Published on: June 20, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Drug Discovery: Overview
Protein-protein Interfaces
Targets for Drug Action: Overview
Receptors are either membrane-spanning or intracellular proteins, which upon binding a ligand, get activated and transmit the signal downstream to elicit a response. Drugs bind receptors, either mimicking the action of endogenous ligands or blocking the receptor activity to bring about a modified response. Nearly 35% of approved drugs target the G...
Structure-Activity Relationships and Drug Design
SAR studies the intricate relationship between a drug's chemical structure and biological activity. It focuses on understanding how modifications to a drug's structure can influence...
Protein Networks
These interactions can be represented through maps depicting protein-protein interaction networks, represented as nodes and edges. Nodes are circles that are representative of a protein,...
Protein-Drug Binding: Determination Methods
Indirect methods involve isolating the bound drug from its free form in biological samples such as blood, serum, or plasma. These techniques aim to measure the percentage of drugs bound to proteins. Equilibrium dialysis is a commonly used method where the free drug concentration at equilibrium is measured by separating the bound...