Molecules, Vol. 26, Pages 1446: Structure-Based Virtual Screening Identifies Multiple Stable Binding Sites at the RecA Domains of SARS-CoV-2 Helicase Enzyme

Molecules, Vol. 26, Pages 1446: Structure-Based Virtual Screening Identifies Multiple Stable Binding Sites at the RecA Domains of SARS-CoV-2 Helicase Enzyme Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules26051446 Authors: Sajjad Ahmad Yasir Waheed Saba Ismail Saadia Bhatti Sumra Wajid Abbasi Khalid Muhammad With the emergence and global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific community worldwide has focused on search for new therapeutic strategies against this disease. One such critical approach is targeting proteins such as helicases that regulate most of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA metabolism. The purpose of the current study was to predict a library of phytochemicals derived from diverse plant families with high binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2 helicase (Nsp13) enzyme. High throughput virtual screening of the Medicinal Plant Database for Drug Design (MPD3) database was performed on SARS-CoV-2 helicase using AutoDock Vina. Nilotinib, with a docking value of −9.6 kcal/mol, was chosen as a reference molecule. A compound (PubChem CID: 110143421, ZINC database ID: ZINC257223845, eMolecules: 43290531) was screened as the best binder (binding energy of −10.2 kcal/mol on average) to the enzyme by using repeated docking runs in the screening process. On inspection, the compound was disclosed to show different binding sites of the triangular pockets collectively formed by Rec1A, Rec2A, and 1B domains and a stalk domain at the base. The molecule is often bound to the ATP binding ...
Source: Molecules - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research