[Home]   [  News]   [  Events]   [  People]   [  Research]   [  Education]   [Visitor Info]   [UCSD Only]   [Admin]
Home > Events > CCoM > Abstract
Search this site:

A virtual screening study of the acetylcholine binding protein using a computational relaxed-complex approach

Arneh Babakhani
Chemistry Department, UCSD

Abstract:

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a member of the ligand-gated ion channel family and is implicated in many neurological events. Yet, the receptor is difficult to target without high-resolution structures. In contrast, the structure of the acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) has been solved to high resolution, and it serves as a surrogate structure of the extra-cellular domain in nAChR. Here we conduct a virtual screening study of the AChBP using the relaxedcomplex method, which involves a combination of molecular dynamics simulations (to achieve receptor structures) and ligand docking. The library screened through comes from the National Cancer Institute, and its ligands show great potential for binding AChBP in various manners. These ligands mimic the known binders of AChBP; a significant subset docks well against all species of the protein and some distinguish between the various structures. These novel ligands could serve as potential pharmaceuticals in the AChBP/nAChR systems.

Thursday, October 23, 2008
11:00AM AP&M 2402