Bovine β-casein binding studies of a Schiff base ligand: fluorescence and circular dichroism approaches

A review of biophysical strategies to investigate protein-ligand binding: What have we employed?

The protein-ligand binding frequently occurs in living organisms and plays a crucial role in the execution of the functions of proteins and drugs. It is also an indispensable part of drug discovery and screening. While the methods for investigating protein-ligand binding are diverse, each has its own objectives, strengths, and limitations, which all influence the choice of method. Many studies concentrate on one or a few specific methods, suggesting that comprehensive summaries are lacking. Therefore in this review, these methods are comprehensively summarized and are discussed in detail: prediction and simulation methods, thermal and thermodynamic methods, spectroscopic methods, methods of determining three-dimensional structures of the complex, mass spectrometry-based methods and others. It is also important to integrate these methods based on the specific objectives of the research. With the aim of advancing pharmaceutical research, this review seeks to deepen the understanding of the protein-ligand binding process.

Investigation of the molecular basis of halogenated Schiff base derivative by combined crystallographic and computational studies

Halogenated Schiff base derivatives are gaining more popularity in supramolecular chemistry due to the synergistic effect of hydrogen and halogen-based noncovalent interactions, which helps to design novel therapeutic materials. In this work, we have examined the nature of molecular interactions to investigate the structure-functional relationship of a halogen-based derivative. The FTIR, HRMS and NMR spectroscopic techniques confirmed the formation of the desired novel Schiff base compound. Further, crystal structure studies showed an infinite 1D supramolecular chain formed by type-I halogen…halogen interaction. The Hirshfeld surface and enrichment ratio analyses were performed to visualize and assess the role of diverse interactions involved in crystal packing. The QTAIM, NCI, LOL and ELF studies were conducted extensively to comprehend the strength of interaction constructed based on electron density distribution. The global and local reactive indices were determined using DFT studies to analyze the molecular properties of the compound. Antibacterial activity against MRSA bacteria was performed and showed a good zone of inhibition. The docking analysis was performed for 1mwt protein and validated. The in silico molecular docking studies of the halogenated Schiff base structure with the penicillin-binding protein showed a good docking affinity of -7.5 kcal/mol and supported by in vitro studies. The ligand binding stability within the protein's active site was further demonstrated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies for the Schiff base molecule.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.