Journal Article

Hierarchical Virtual Screening and Binding Free Energy Prediction of Potential Modulators of Aedes Aegypti Odorant-Binding Protein 1

Da Costa, Glauber V., Campos, Joaquín M., Santos, Cleydson B. R., Neto, Moysés F. A., Ramos, Ryan Da S., Leite, Franco H. A., Cerqueira, Amanda P. M., de Lima, Lucio R., Junior, Jairo T. Magalhães

2022

Overview

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is the main hematophagous vector responsible for arbovirus transmission in Brazil. The disruption of A. aegypti hematophagy remains one of the most efficient and least toxic methods against these diseases and, therefore, efforts in the research of new chemical entities with repellent activity have advanced due to the elucidation of the functionality of the olfactory receptors and the behavior of mosquitoes. With the growing interest of the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries in the development of chemical entities with repellent activity, computational studies (e.g., virtual screening and molecular modeling) are a way to prioritize potential modulators with stereoelectronic characteristics (e.g., pharmacophore models) and binding affinity to the AaegOBP1 binding site (e.g., molecular docking) at a lower computational cost. Thus, pharmacophore- and docking-based virtual screening was employed to prioritize compounds from Sigma-Aldrich® (n = 126,851) and biogenic databases (n = 8766). In addition, molecular dynamics (MD) was performed to prioritize the most potential potent compounds compared to DEET according to free binding energy calculations. Two compounds showed adequate stereoelectronic requirements (QFIT > 81.53), AaegOBP1 binding site score (Score > 42.0), volatility and non-toxic properties and better binding free energy value (∆G < −24.13 kcal/mol) compared to DEET ((N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide)) (∆G = −24.13 kcal/mol).

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Aedes / Aedes aegypti / Analysis / Animals / Binding sites / DEET - chemistry / Force and energy / Genetic algorithms / Insect Repellents - chemistry / Insect Repellents - pharmacology / Ligands / Molecular Docking Simulation / Molecular dynamics / Mosquito Vectors / Mosquitoes / odorant binding protein 1 / Pharmaceutical Preparations - metabolism / pharmacophore model / Protein binding / Proteins / Receptors, Odorant - metabolism / Success / virtual screening / VOCs / Volatile organic compounds