Simulation techniques play an ever increasing role in drug design by providing an atomistic view of the pathways of drugs to their target sites, thus revealing the determinants behind molecular recognition and binding, pinpointing local and allosteric conformational changes of both drugs and receptors, and unveiling key chemical mechanisms in enzymatic-like processes. In particular, molecular dynamics simulations, relying on a force field, quantum mechanical, or hybrid description of the system, have been largely employed to unveil mechanistic, kinetic, and thermodynamic aspects of the binding of anticancer drugs to DNA, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of their mechanism of action. Herein we review recent literature, focusing on selected examples from our work, to show how modern computer simulations can be applied to study the mechanism of action of antitumor drugs such as platinum compounds, organic antibiotics, and metal-based octahedral complexes, which are archetypal examples of the most common classes of DNA binding molecules. We discuss the strengths and limitations of in silico studies in this field, as well as current and future challenges. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Atomistic-level portrayal of drug-DNA interplay: A history of courtships and meetings revealed by molecular simulations / Vargiu, Attilio V.; Magistrato, Alessandra. - In: CHEMMEDCHEM. - ISSN 1860-7179. - 9:9(2014), pp. 1966-1981. [10.1002/cmdc.201402203]

Atomistic-level portrayal of drug-DNA interplay: A history of courtships and meetings revealed by molecular simulations

Magistrato, Alessandra
2014-01-01

Abstract

Simulation techniques play an ever increasing role in drug design by providing an atomistic view of the pathways of drugs to their target sites, thus revealing the determinants behind molecular recognition and binding, pinpointing local and allosteric conformational changes of both drugs and receptors, and unveiling key chemical mechanisms in enzymatic-like processes. In particular, molecular dynamics simulations, relying on a force field, quantum mechanical, or hybrid description of the system, have been largely employed to unveil mechanistic, kinetic, and thermodynamic aspects of the binding of anticancer drugs to DNA, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of their mechanism of action. Herein we review recent literature, focusing on selected examples from our work, to show how modern computer simulations can be applied to study the mechanism of action of antitumor drugs such as platinum compounds, organic antibiotics, and metal-based octahedral complexes, which are archetypal examples of the most common classes of DNA binding molecules. We discuss the strengths and limitations of in silico studies in this field, as well as current and future challenges. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
2014
9
9
1966
1981
Vargiu, Attilio V.; Magistrato, Alessandra
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Vargiu_et_al-2014-ChemMedChem.pdf

non disponibili

Tipologia: Versione Editoriale (PDF)
Licenza: Non specificato
Dimensione 4 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
4 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11767/70144
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 7
  • Scopus 25
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 23
social impact