Ligand design by targeting a binding site water.

ABSTRACT: Solvent reorganization is a major driving force of protein-ligand association, but the contribution of binding site waters to ligand affinity is poorly understood. We investigated how altered interactions with a water network can influence ligand binding to a receptor. A series of ligands of the A_2A adenosine receptor, which either interacted with or displaced an ordered binding site water, were studied experimentally and by molecular dynamics simulations. An analog of the endogenous ligand that was unable to hydrogen bond to the ordered water lost affinity and this activity cliff was captured by molecular dynamics simulations. Two compounds designed to displace the ordered water from the binding site were then synthesized and evaluated experimentally, leading to the discovery o

SUBMITTER: Matricon P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8179138 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature