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Lin Y, Hu Q, Ye Q, Zhang H, Bao Z, Li Y, Mo LJ. Diosgenin biosynthesis pathway and its regulation in Dioscorea cirrhosa L. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16702. [PMID: 38282859 PMCID: PMC10812585 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Dioscorea cirrhosa L. (D. cirrhosa) tuber is a traditional medicinal plant that is abundant in various pharmacological substances. Although diosgenin is commonly found in many Dioscoreaceae plants, its presence in D. cirrhosa remained uncertain. To address this, HPLC-MS/MS analysis was conducted and 13 diosgenin metabolites were identified in D. cirrhosa tuber. Furthermore, we utilized transcriptome data to identify 21 key enzymes and 43 unigenes that are involved in diosgenin biosynthesis, leading to a proposed pathway for diosgenin biosynthesis in D. cirrhosa. A total of 3,365 unigenes belonging to 82 transcription factor (TF) families were annotated, including MYB, AP2/ERF, bZIP, bHLH, WRKY, NAC, C2H2, C3H, SNF2 and Aux/IAA. Correlation analysis revealed that 22 TFs are strongly associated with diosgenin biosynthesis genes (-r2- > 0.9, P < 0.05). Moreover, our analysis of the CYP450 gene family identified 206 CYP450 genes (CYP450s), with 40 being potential CYP450s. Gene phylogenetic analysis revealed that these CYP450s were associated with sterol C-22 hydroxylase, sterol-14-demethylase and amyrin oxidase in diosgenin biosynthesis. Our findings lay a foundation for future genetic engineering studies aimed at improving the biosynthesis of diosgenin compounds in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lin
- Dongguan Institute of Forestry Science, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiuyan Hu
- Dongguan Institute of Forestry Science, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiang Ye
- College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Haohua Zhang
- College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ziyu Bao
- College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yongping Li
- Key Laboratory for Quality Regulation of Tropical Horticultural Crops of Hainan Province, School of Horticulture, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan, China
| | - Luo Jian Mo
- Dongguan Institute of Forestry Science, Dongguan, Guangdong, China
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Ranjan P, Dubey VK. Novel chemical scaffold as potential drug against Leishmania donovani: Integrated computational and experimental approaches. J Cell Biochem 2023; 124:1404-1422. [PMID: 37566640 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we have screened a large number of Food and Drug Administration-approved compounds for novel anti-leishmanial molecules targeting the citrate synthase enzyme of the parasite. Based on their docking and molecular dynamic simulation statistics, five compounds were selected. These compounds followed Lipinski's rule of five. Additionally, in vitro, antileishmanial and cytotoxicity studies were performed. The three compounds, Abemaciclib, Bazedoxifene, and Vorapaxar, had shown effective anti-leishmanial activities with IC50 values of 0.92 ± 0.02, 0.65 ± 0.09, and 6.1 ± 0.91 against Leishmania donovani promastigote and with EC50 values of 1.52 ± 0.37, 2.11 ± 0.38, 10.4 ± 1.27 against intramacrophagic amastigote without significantly harming macrophage cells. Among them, from in silico and antileishmanial activities studies, Abemaciclib had been selected based on their less binding energy, good antileishmanial activities, and also a significant difference in their binding energy with human citrate synthase for cell death mechanistic studies using flow cytometry and a DNA fragmentation assay. The action of this compound resulted in an increased reactive oxygen species production, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA damage, and an increase in the sub-G1 cell population. These properties are the hallmarks of apoptosis which were further confirmed by apoptotic assay. Based on the above result, this anticancer compound Abemaciclib could be employed as a potential treatment option for leishmaniasis after further confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Ranjan
- School of Biochemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vikash Kumar Dubey
- School of Biochemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Sakyi PO, Kwofie SK, Tuekpe JK, Gwira TM, Broni E, Miller WA, Wilson MD, Amewu RK. Inhibiting Leishmania donovani Sterol Methyltransferase to Identify Lead Compounds Using Molecular Modelling. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16030330. [PMID: 36986430 PMCID: PMC10054574 DOI: 10.3390/ph16030330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent outlook of leishmaniasis as a global public health concern coupled with the reportage of resistance and lack of efficacy of most antileishmanial drugs calls for a concerted effort to find new leads. The study combined In silico and in vitro approaches to identify novel potential synthetic small-molecule inhibitors targeting the Leishmania donovani sterol methyltransferase (LdSMT). The LdSMT enzyme in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway is required for the parasite’s membrane fluidity, distribution of membrane proteins, and control of the cell cycle. The lack of LdSMT homologue in the human host and its conserved nature among all Leishmania parasites makes it a viable target for future antileishmanial drugs. Initially, six known inhibitors of LdSMT with IC50 < 10 μM were used to generate a pharmacophore model with a score of 0.9144 using LigandScout. The validated model was used to screen a synthetic library of 95,630 compounds obtained from InterBioScreen limited. Twenty compounds with pharmacophore fit scores above 50 were docked against the modelled three-dimensional structure of LdSMT using AutoDock Vina. Consequently, nine compounds with binding energies ranging from −7.5 to −8.7 kcal/mol were identified as potential hit molecules. Three compounds comprising STOCK6S-06707, STOCK6S-84928, and STOCK6S-65920 with respective binding energies of −8.7, −8.2, and −8.0 kcal/mol, lower than 22,26-azasterol (−7.6 kcal/mol), a known LdSMT inhibitor, were selected as plausible lead molecules. Molecular dynamics simulation studies and molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area calculations showed that the residues Asp25 and Trp208 were critical for ligand binding. The compounds were also predicted to have antileishmanial activity with reasonable pharmacological and toxicity profiles. When the antileishmanial activity of the three hits was evaluated in vitro against the promastigotes of L. donovani, mean half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 21.9 ± 1.5 μM (STOCK6S-06707), 23.5 ± 1.1 μM (STOCK6S-84928), and 118.3 ± 5.8 μM (STOCK6S-65920) were obtained. Furthermore, STOCK6S-84928 and STOCK6S-65920 inhibited the growth of Trypanosoma brucei, with IC50 of 14.3 ± 2.0 μM and 18.1 ± 1.4 μM, respectively. The identified compounds could be optimised to develop potent antileishmanial therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O. Sakyi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 56, Ghana
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani P.O. Box 214, Ghana
| | - Samuel K. Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 77, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 54, Ghana
- Correspondence: (S.K.K.); (R.K.A.); Tel.: +233-203797922 (S.K.K.); +233-543823483 (R.K.A.)
| | - Julius K. Tuekpe
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 54, Ghana
| | - Theresa M. Gwira
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 54, Ghana
| | - Emmanuel Broni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 77, Ghana
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 581, Ghana
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Whelton A. Miller
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael D. Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 581, Ghana
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Richard K. Amewu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 56, Ghana
- Correspondence: (S.K.K.); (R.K.A.); Tel.: +233-203797922 (S.K.K.); +233-543823483 (R.K.A.)
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Sakyi PO, Broni E, Amewu RK, Miller WA, Wilson MD, Kwofie SK. Targeting Leishmania donovani sterol methyltransferase for leads using pharmacophore modeling and computational molecular mechanics studies. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2023.101162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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Prasanna P, Joshi T, Pant M, Pundir H, Chandra S. Evaluation of the inhibitory potential of Valproic acid against histone deacetylase of Leishmania donovani and computational studies of Valproic acid derivatives. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-18. [PMID: 35706132 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2087103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Valproic acid (VA) is a proven inhibitor of human histone deacetylases (HDACs). The homogenous HDAC has been associated with all major human parasitic pathogens and hence, it has been considered an attractive drug target for anti-leishmanial therapy. To assist in drug design endeavors for HDACs, an in-vitro study has been presented to investigate the VA inhibition on Leishmania donovani HDAC (LdHDAC). The regression analysis of VA by 24 hrs viability assay confirmed its activity against LdHDAC. Moreover, the toxicity of VA is also well documented. Thus, the in-silico experiments were also conducted to screen the non-toxic VA derivatives as anti-leishmanial drug candidates having potential as inhibitors of LdHDAC. For in-silico study, the 3D structure of target LdHDAC was developed by homology modeling. Based on their in-silico activity, we shortlisted 13 VA derivatives having maximum affinity for LdHDAC and identified four potential derivatives that can specifically bind to this protein. After that, these ligands were subjected to molecular dynamics simulation. These derivatives may be effective against L. donovani promastigotes since they followed Lipinski's RO5 and were non-toxic. Thus, screened derivatives can be considered as lead ligands for targeting LdHDAC and may be used as possible drug candidates to treat leishmaniasis and overcome the limitation of anti-leishmanial drugs. This is the first report of antileishmanial potential of VA and its derivatives targeting LdHDAC. Hence, the current investigation presents a search for novel target specific drugs to aid the anti-leishmanial drug development. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Prasanna
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hajipur, Vaishali, India
| | - Tanuja Joshi
- Computational Biology & Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Manish Pant
- Department of Post-Harvest Process and Food Engineering, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Hemlata Pundir
- Computational Biology & Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Subhash Chandra
- Computational Biology & Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, Uttarakhand, India
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Sakyi PO, Broni E, Amewu RK, Miller WA, Wilson MD, Kwofie SK. Homology Modeling, de Novo Design of Ligands, and Molecular Docking Identify Potential Inhibitors of Leishmania donovani 24-Sterol Methyltransferase. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:859981. [PMID: 35719359 PMCID: PMC9201040 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.859981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic challenges pertaining to leishmaniasis due to reported chemoresistance and toxicity necessitate the need to explore novel pathways to identify plausible inhibitory molecules. Leishmania donovani 24-sterol methyltransferase (LdSMT) is vital for the synthesis of ergosterols, the main constituents of Leishmania cellular membranes. So far, mammals have not been shown to possess SMT or ergosterols, making the pathway a prime candidate for drug discovery. The structural model of LdSMT was elucidated using homology modeling to identify potential novel 24-SMT inhibitors via virtual screening, scaffold hopping, and de-novo fragment-based design. Altogether, six potential novel inhibitors were identified with binding energies ranging from −7.0 to −8.4 kcal/mol with e-LEA3D using 22,26-azasterol and S1–S4 obtained from scaffold hopping via the ChEMBL, DrugBank, PubChem, ChemSpider, and ZINC15 databases. These ligands showed comparable binding energy to 22,26-azasterol (−7.6 kcal/mol), the main inhibitor of LdSMT. Moreover, all the compounds had plausible ligand efficiency-dependent lipophilicity (LELP) scores above 3. The binding mechanism identified Tyr92 to be critical for binding, and this was corroborated via molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) calculations. The ligand A1 was predicted to possess antileishmanial properties with a probability of activity (Pa) of 0.362 and a probability of inactivity (Pi) of 0.066, while A5 and A6 possessed dermatological properties with Pa values of 0.205 and 0.249 and Pi values of 0.162 and 0.120, respectively. Structural similarity search via DrugBank identified vabicaserin, daledalin, zanapezil, imipramine, and cefradine with antileishmanial properties suggesting that the de-novo compounds could be explored as potential antileishmanial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick O. Sakyi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana
| | - Emmanuel Broni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Richard K. Amewu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Whelton A. Miller
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, United States
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michael D. Wilson
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, United States
| | - Samuel Kojo Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
- *Correspondence: Samuel Kojo Kwofie,
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Wadanambi PM, Mannapperuma U. Computational study to discover potent phytochemical inhibitors against drug target, squalene synthase from Leishmania donovani. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07178. [PMID: 34141935 PMCID: PMC8188062 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The parasite, Leishmania donovani is responsible for lethal visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in humans. There is a need to investigate novel medicines as antileishmanial drugs, as medication currently introduced for leishmaniasis may cause resistance, serious side-effects, chemical instability and high cost. Therefore, this computational study was designed to explore potential phytochemical inhibitors against Leishmania donovani squalene synthase (LdSQS) enzyme, a drug target. MAIN METHODS Multiple sequence alignment was carried to detect conserved regions across squalene synthases from different Leishmania spp. Their evolutionary relationships were studied by generating phylogenetic tree. Homology modeling method was used to build a three dimensional model of the protein. The validated model was explored by docking simulation with the phytochemicals of interest to identify the most potent inhibitors. Two reported inhibitors were used as references in the virtual screening. The top hit compounds (binding energy less than -9 kcal/mol) were further subjected to intermolecular interaction analysis, pharmacophore modeling, pharmacokinetic and toxicity prediction. KEY FINDINGS Seven phytochemicals displayed binding energies less than -9 kcal/mol hence demonstrating ability to be strongly bound to the active site of LdSQS to inhibit the enzymatic activity. Ancistrotanzanine B demonstrated the lowest binding affinity of -9.83 kcal/mol superior to reported inhibitors in literature. Conserved two aspartate rich regions and two signatory motifs were found in the L. donovani squalene synthase by multiple sequence alignment. In addition, study of pharmacophore modeling confirmed that top hit phytochemicals and the reported inhibitor (E5700) share common chemical features for their biochemical interaction with LdSQS. Among seven phytochemicals, 3-O-methyldiplacol showed admissible physicochemical, pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictions compared to the reported inhibitors. All seven phytochemicals satisfied in silico prediction criteria for oral bioavailability. SIGNIFICANCE Based on the current study, these hits can be further structurally optimized and validated under laboratory conditions to develop antileishmanial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Uthpali Mannapperuma
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Tabrez S, Rahman F, Ali R, Muhammad F, Alshehri BM, Alaidarous MA, Banawas S, Dukhyil AAB, Rub A. Repurposing of FDA-approved drugs as inhibitors of sterol C-24 methyltransferase of Leishmania donovani to fight against leishmaniasis. Drug Dev Res 2021; 82:1154-1161. [PMID: 33929761 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by around 20 species of Leishmania. The main clinical forms of leishmaniasis are cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). VL is caused by Leishmania infantum in Central and South America, Mediterranean Basin, Middle East, and by L. donovani in Asia and Africa. Sterol C-24 methyltransferase (LdSMT) of L. donovani is a transferase enzyme of the sterol biosynthesis pathway. This pathway is one of the major targets for drug developments in Leishmania. Due to insufficient evidence about the exact function of SMT inside the cell and the uniqueness of the SMT enzyme in the Leishmania parasites made it a significant target for an effective drug development approach. We performed virtual screening of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug library against LdSMT and found simeprevir, an antiviral drug on top in the binding score. It showed a significant binding affinity with LdSMT. The binding was supported by hydrogen bonds and several other interactions. Simeprevir inhibited L. donovani growth of promastigotes with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) of 51.49 ± 5.87 μM. Further studies showed that simeprevir induced ROS generation in 44.7% of parasites at 125-μM concentration. Here, we for the first time reported simeprevir as an antileishmanial lead molecule using a drug repurposing approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shams Tabrez
- Infection and Immunity Lab (414), Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Fazlur Rahman
- Infection and Immunity Lab (414), Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Rahat Ali
- Infection and Immunity Lab (414), Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Fida Muhammad
- Infection and Immunity Lab (414), Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Bader Mohammed Alshehri
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed A Alaidarous
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia.,Health and Basic Sciences Research Center, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saeed Banawas
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia.,Health and Basic Sciences Research Center, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Abdul Aziz Bin Dukhyil
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdur Rub
- Infection and Immunity Lab (414), Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
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Raza S, Abbas G, Azam SS. Screening Pipeline for Flavivirus Based Inhibitors for Zika Virus NS1. IEEE/ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS 2020; 17:1751-1761. [PMID: 30990437 DOI: 10.1109/tcbb.2019.2911081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In-silico pipeline is applied for identifying and designing novel inhibitors against ZIKV NS1 protein. Comparative molecular docking studies are performed to explore the binding of structurally diverse compounds to ZIKV NS1 by AutoDock/Vina and GOLD. The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus, responsible for life-threatening infections and transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes in other organisms. It is associated with Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) and microcephaly. This epidemic increase in GBS and microcephaly convoyed the World Health Organization to affirm ZIKV a public health crisis. To combat the ZIKV infections, non-structural protein 1 (NS1), a major host-interaction molecule contributing towards replication, pathogenesis and immune evasion is targeted in the current study. For this purpose, a comprehensive study is required to develop potential novel antiviral inhibitors. Three compounds were identified through docking programs exhibiting properties which are non-toxic to human host and could inhibit the elusive ZIKV. Significant interaction with active site residues and H-bond interactions with the key residues were analyzed for these compounds using molecular dynamics simulation. Free energy calculation predicted higher affinity of Deoxycalyxin-A for ZIKV NS1. This study contributes towards fighting ZIKV infections and can help researchers in designing drug for the treatment of ZIKV.
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Nazar A, Abbas G, Azam SS. Deciphering the Inhibition Mechanism of under Trial Hsp90 Inhibitors and Their Analogues: A Comparative Molecular Dynamics Simulation. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:3812-3830. [PMID: 32659088 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b01134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) performs functions in cellular activities together with other signaling pathways. Hsp90 is evolutionarily conserved and universally articulated as a human cancer-causing agent involved in lung cancer and breast cancer followed by colon and rectum cancers. It has emerged as an effective drug candidate, and inhibition may affect several signaling pathways associated with cancer spread. Therefore, in-silico approaches, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and binding free energy calculations were applied to create insights into the inhibition mechanism against Hsp90 to identify new cancer therapeutic drugs. Top-docked Hsp90-inhibitor complexes with their analogues were selected as the best complexes based on the GOLD fitness score and orientation. The significant interaction of Hsp90 inhibitors and their analogues were observed to be bound with active site residues as well as residing within the same cavity region. System stability factors RMSD, RMSF, beta-factor, and radius of gyration were analyzed for top-docked complexes and ensure strong binding interaction between inhibitors and the Hsp90 cavity. Cavity bound inhibitors were found to retain consistent hydrogen bonding during the simulation. The radial distribution function (RDF) illustrated that interacting active site residues drive the binding and stability of the inhibitors. Similarly, the axial frequency distribution, which is an indigenously developed analytical tool, produced noteworthy knowledge of the hydrogen-bonding pattern. Results yielded new insights into the design of cancer therapeutic drugs against Hsp90. This finding suggests that under trial Hsp90 inhibitors MPC-3100 could be a potential starting point into the development of potential anticancer agents with the possibility of future directions for the improvement of early existing Hsp90 inhibitors CNF-2024 and SNX-5422 as an anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Nazar
- Computational Biology Lab, National Center for Bioinformatics (NCB), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
| | - Ghulam Abbas
- Computational Biology Lab, National Center for Bioinformatics (NCB), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
| | - Syed Sikander Azam
- Computational Biology Lab, National Center for Bioinformatics (NCB), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
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Zhan X, Luo X, He J, Zhang C, Liao X, Xu X, Feng S, Yu C, Jiang Z, Meng Y, Shen C, Wang H, Lu J. Bioactive compounds induced in Physalis angulata L. by methyl-jasmonate: an investigation of compound accumulation patterns and biosynthesis-related candidate genes. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 103:341-354. [PMID: 32227258 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-020-00996-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
We employed both metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to explore the accumulation patterns of physalins, flavonoids and chlorogenic acid in Physalis angulata and revealed the genes associated with the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds under methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Physalis angulata L. is an annual Solanaceae plant with a number of medicinally active compounds. Despite the potential pharmacological benefits of P. angulata, the scarce genomic information regarding this plant has limited the studies on the mechanisms of bioactive compound biosynthesis. To facilitate the basic understanding of the main chemical constituent biosynthesis pathways, we performed both metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to reveal the genes associated with the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds under methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Untargeted metabolome analysis showed that most physalins, flavonoids and chlorogenic acid were significantly upregulated. Targeted HPLC-MS/MS analysis confirmed variations in the contents of two important representative steroid derivatives (physalins B and G), total flavonoids, neochlorogenic acid, and chlorogenic acid between MeJA-treated plants and controls. Transcript levels of a few steroid biosynthesis-, flavonoid biosynthesis-, and chlorogenic acid biosynthesis-related genes were upregulated, providing a potential explanation for MeJA-induced active ingredient synthesis in P. angulata. Systematic correlation analysis identified a number of novel candidate genes associated with bioactive compound biosynthesis. These results may help to elucidate the regulatory mechanism underlying MeJA-induced active compound accumulation and provide several valuable candidate genes for further functional study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaori Zhan
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Xiujun Luo
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Jinyu He
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Chengchao Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Xinyue Liao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Xinyun Xu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Shangguo Feng
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Chunna Yu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Zhifang Jiang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Yijun Meng
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Chenjia Shen
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Huizhong Wang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China.
| | - Jiangjie Lu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China.
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Scotti MT, Monteiro AFM, de Oliveira Viana J, Bezerra Mendonça Junior FJ, Ishiki HM, Tchouboun EN, De Araújo RSA, Scotti L. Recent Theoretical Studies Concerning Important Tropical Infections. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:795-834. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190711121418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) form a group of diseases that are strongly associated
with poverty, flourish in impoverished environments, and thrive best in tropical areas,
where they tend to present overlap. They comprise several diseases, and the symptoms
vary dramatically from disease to disease, often causing from extreme pain, and untold misery
that anchors populations to poverty, permanent disability, and death. They affect more than 1
billion people worldwide; mostly in poor populations living in tropical and subtropical climates.
In this review, several complementary in silico approaches are presented; including
identification of new therapeutic targets, novel mechanisms of activity, high-throughput
screening of small-molecule libraries, as well as in silico quantitative structure-activity relationship
and recent molecular docking studies. Current and active research against Sleeping
Sickness, American trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis and Schistosomiasis infections will hopefully
lead to safer, more effective, less costly and more widely available treatments against
these parasitic forms of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Tullius Scotti
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
| | - Alex France Messias Monteiro
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
| | - Jéssika de Oliveira Viana
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
| | | | - Hamilton M. Ishiki
- University of Western Sao Paulo (Unoeste), Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo Santos A. De Araújo
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Drug Delivery, Department of Biological Science, State University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Luciana Scotti
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
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13
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Petrucelli MF, Peronni K, Sanches PR, Komoto TT, Matsuda JB, Silva Junior WAD, Beleboni RO, Martinez-Rossi NM, Marins M, Fachin AL. Dual RNA-Seq Analysis of Trichophyton rubrum and HaCat Keratinocyte Co-Culture Highlights Important Genes for Fungal-Host Interaction. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9070362. [PMID: 30029541 PMCID: PMC6070946 DOI: 10.3390/genes9070362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The dermatophyte Trichophyton rubrum is the major fungal pathogen of skin, hair, and nails that uses keratinized substrates as the primary nutrients during infection. Few strategies are available that permit a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction of T. rubrum with the host because of the limitations of models mimicking this interaction. Dual RNA-seq is a powerful tool to unravel this complex interaction since it enables simultaneous evaluation of the transcriptome of two organisms. Using this technology in an in vitro model of co-culture, this study evaluated the transcriptional profile of genes involved in fungus-host interactions in 24 h. Our data demonstrated the induction of glyoxylate cycle genes, ERG6 and TERG_00916, which encodes a carboxylic acid transporter that may improve the assimilation of nutrients and fungal survival in the host. Furthermore, genes encoding keratinolytic proteases were also induced. In human keratinocytes (HaCat) cells, the SLC11A1, RNASE7, and CSF2 genes were induced and the products of these genes are known to have antimicrobial activity. In addition, the FLG and KRT1 genes involved in the epithelial barrier integrity were inhibited. This analysis showed the modulation of important genes involved in T. rubrum–host interaction, which could represent potential antifungal targets for the treatment of dermatophytoses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kamila Peronni
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Bioinformatics, Regional Hemotherapy Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto 2501, Brazil.
| | - Pablo Rodrigo Sanches
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, Brazil.
| | | | - Josie Budag Matsuda
- Biotechnology Unit, University of Ribeirão Preto-UNAERP, São Paulo 2201, Brazil.
| | - Wilson Araújo da Silva Junior
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Bioinformatics, Regional Hemotherapy Center of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto 2501, Brazil.
| | | | - Nilce Maria Martinez-Rossi
- Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14049-900, Brazil.
| | - Mozart Marins
- Biotechnology Unit, University of Ribeirão Preto-UNAERP, São Paulo 2201, Brazil.
| | - Ana Lúcia Fachin
- Biotechnology Unit, University of Ribeirão Preto-UNAERP, São Paulo 2201, Brazil.
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14
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Ahmad S, Navid A, Akhtar AS, Azam SS, Wadood A, Pérez-Sánchez H. Subtractive Genomics, Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Revealed LpxC as a Potential Drug Target Against Multi-Drug Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Interdiscip Sci 2018; 11:508-526. [PMID: 29721784 DOI: 10.1007/s12539-018-0299-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The emergence and dissemination of pan drug resistant clones of Klebsiella pneumoniae are great threat to public health. In this regard new therapeutic targets must be highlighted to pave the path for novel drug discovery and development. Subtractive proteomic pipeline brought forth UDP-3-O-[3-hydroxymyristoyl] N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase (LpxC), a Zn+2 dependent cytoplasmic metalloprotein and catalyze the rate limiting deacetylation step of lipid A biosynthesis pathway. Primary sequence analysis followed by 3-dimensional (3-D) structure elucidation of the protein led to the detection of K. pneumoniae LpxC (KpLpxC) topology distinct from its orthologous counterparts in other bacterial species. Molecular docking study of the protein recognized receptor antagonist compound 106, a uridine-based LpxC inhibitory compound, as a ligand best able to fit the binding pocket with a Gold Score of 67.53. Molecular dynamics simulation of docked KpLpxC revealed an alternate binding pattern of ligand in the active site. The ligand tail exhibited preferred binding to the domain I residues as opposed to the substrate binding hydrophobic channel of subdomain II, usually targeted by inhibitory compounds. Comparison with the undocked KpLpxC system demonstrated ligand induced high conformational changes in the hydrophobic channel of subdomain II in KpLpxC. Hence, ligand exerted its inhibitory potential by rendering the channel unstable for substrate binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Ahmad
- National Center for Bioinformatics (NCB), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Afifa Navid
- National Center for Bioinformatics (NCB), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Amina Saleem Akhtar
- National Center for Bioinformatics (NCB), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Syed Sikander Azam
- National Center for Bioinformatics (NCB), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
| | - Abdul Wadood
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University-Mardan, Shankar Campus, Mardan, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Horacio Pérez-Sánchez
- Structural Bioinformatics and High Performance Computing Research Group (BIO-HPC), Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), Murcia, Spain
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15
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Raza S, Azam SS. AFD: an application for bi-molecular interaction using axial frequency distribution. J Mol Model 2018; 24:84. [DOI: 10.1007/s00894-018-3601-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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16
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Roca C, Sebastián-Pérez V, Campillo NE. In silico Tools for Target Identification and Drug Molecular Docking in Leishmania. DRUG DISCOVERY FOR LEISHMANIASIS 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/9781788010177-00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases represent a significant health burden in large parts of the world. Drug discovery is currently a key bottleneck in the pipeline of these diseases. In this chapter, the in silico approaches used for the processes involved in drug discovery, identification and validation of druggable Leishmania targets, and design and optimisation of new anti-leishmanial drugs are discussed. We also provide a general view of the different computational tools that can be employed in pursuit of this aim, along with the most interesting cases found in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Roca
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC) Ramiro de Maeztu 9 28040 Madrid Spain
| | | | - Nuria E. Campillo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC) Ramiro de Maeztu 9 28040 Madrid Spain
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17
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Azam SS, Abro A, Raza S. Binding pattern analysis and structural insight into the inhibition mechanism of Sterol 24-C methyltransferase by docking and molecular dynamics approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2015; 33:2563-77. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2014.1002423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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