Identification of a Potential Zika Virus Inhibitor Targeting NS5 Methyltransferase Using Virtual Screening and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

J Chem Inf Model. 2020 Feb 24;60(2):562-568. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00809. Epub 2020 Feb 7.

Abstract

The NS5 methyltransferase (MTase) has been reported as an attractive molecular target for antivirals discovery against the Zika virus (ZIKV). Here, we report structure-based virtual screening of 42 390 structures from the Development Therapeutics Program (DTP) AIDS Antiviral Screen Database. Among the docked compounds, ZINC1652386 stood out due to its high affinity for MTase in comparison to the cocrystallized ligand MS2042, which interacts with the Asp146 residue in the MTase binding site by hydrogen bonding. Subsequent molecular dynamics simulations predicted that this compound forms a stable complex with MTase within 50 ns. Thus, ZINC1652386 may represent a promising ZIKV methyltransferase inhibitor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Binding Sites
  • Databases, Pharmaceutical
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Methyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Methyltransferases / chemistry
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Protein Conformation
  • User-Computer Interface
  • Zika Virus / drug effects*
  • Zika Virus / enzymology*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Methyltransferases