ISSN:
0192-8651
Keywords:
Computational Chemistry and Molecular Modeling
;
Biochemistry
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
Notes:
This article presents a new method for topological analysis of molecular surfaces. Explicit representation of the van der Waals interaction according to the Lennard-Jones potential enabled determination of the function of the maximum radius of a hypothetical atomic probe in any location, r, inside the host's domain. The size of the spatial gradient of the maximal probe's volume (named the ξ value) at that location was found to be a good descriptor of the local shape of the host. Consequently, mapping of the host domain according to the ξ value could be used as a quantitative tool for localization of potent local binding sites. The proposed method is illustrated by mapping an organic host (calix[4]arene) as well as an enzyme (HIV-aspartic protease). Analysis of the calix[4]arene derivative revealed that the proposed method reproduces immediately the known binding site of conic calix[4]arenes. The second test case demonstrated how the catalytic site of the enzyme could be disassembled into many local binding sites. Some of these sites, located according to the proposed method, were found to follow the shape of a known inhibitor of the enzyme in a complementary manner. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Additional Material:
4 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcc.540161203
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