title: Molecular modeling of drug-DNA interactions: virtual screening to structure-based design.
abstract: Virtual ligand screening (VLS) and structure-based design are strategies that have been routinely used for the development of pharmaceuticals, particularly those targeting enzymes and other protein targets. In recent years, an increased understanding of the role played by nucleic acids in biological systems made DNA an alternative candidate for the development of new drugs. This review highlights some successful applications of molecular modeling in virtual ligand screening and structure-based design of organic and inorganic molecules that target non-canonical nucleic acid structures such as G-quadruplex and triplex DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China. edmondma@hkbu.edu.hk
authors.forename: Dik-Lung
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Daniel Shiu-Hin
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Maria Hiu-Tung
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kwan
authors.forename: Chung-Hang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D054856:G-Quadruplexes; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; C051802:triplex DNA; D004247:DNA