Approximating protein flexibility through dynamic pharmacophore models: application to fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH)

J Chem Inf Model. 2011 Dec 27;51(12):3247-53. doi: 10.1021/ci200371z. Epub 2011 Dec 7.

Abstract

A structure-based drug discovery method is described that incorporates target flexibility through the use of an ensemble of protein conformations. The approach was applied to fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), a key deactivating enzyme in the endocannabinoid system. The resultant dynamic pharmacophore models are rapidly able to identify known FAAH inhibitors over drug-like decoys. Different sources of FAAH conformational ensembles were explored, with both snapshots from molecular dynamics simulations and a group of X-ray structures performing well. Results were compared to those from docking and pharmacophore models generated from a single X-ray structure. Increasing conformational sampling consistently improved the pharmacophore models, emphasizing the importance of incorporating target flexibility in structure-based drug design.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Amidohydrolases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Amidohydrolases / chemistry
  • Amidohydrolases / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Drug Design*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Conformation
  • Rats

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Amidohydrolases
  • fatty-acid amide hydrolase