Advanced molecular dynamics simulation methods for kinase drug discovery

Future Med Chem. 2016 Apr;8(5):545-66. doi: 10.4155/fmc.16.9. Epub 2016 Apr 7.

Abstract

Interest in the application of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations has increased in the field of protein kinase (PK) drug discovery. PKs belong to an important drug target class because they are directly involved in a number of diseases, including cancer. MD methods simulate dynamic biological and chemical events at an atomic level. This information can be combined with other in silico and experimental methods to efficiently target selected receptors. In this review, we present common and advanced methods of MD simulations and we focus on the recent applications of MD-based methodologies that provided significant insights into the elucidation of biological mechanisms involving PKs and into the discovery of novel kinase inhibitors.

Keywords: conformational sampling; drug discovery; molecular dynamics simulation; protein kinase; protein–ligand association process; structure–kinetics relationship.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Drug Design
  • Drug Discovery
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / metabolism*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Protein Kinases / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protein Kinases