title: In-Silico screening of Pleconaril and its novel substituted derivatives with Neuraminidase of H1N1 Influenza strain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuraminidase (NA) is a prominent surface antigen of Influenza viruses, which helps in release of viruses from the host cells after replication. Anti influenza drugs such as Oseltamivir target a highly conserved active site of NA, which comprises of 8 functional residues (R118, D151, R152, R224, E276, R292, R371 and Y406) to restrict viral release from host cells, thus inhibiting its ability to cleave sialic acid residues on the cell membrane. Reports on the emergence of Oseltamivir resistant strains of H1N1 Influenza virus necessitated a search for alternative drug candidates. Pleconaril is a novel antiviral drug being developed by Schering-Plough to treat Picornaviridae infections, and is in its late clinical trials stage. Since, Pleconaril was designed to bind the highly conserved hydrophobic binding site on VP1 protein of Picorna viruses, the ability of Pleconaril and its novel substituted derivatives to bind highly conserved hydrophobic active site of H1N1 Neuraminidase, targeting which oseltamivir has been designed was investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  310 novel substituted variants of Pleconaril were designed using Chemsketch software and docked into the highly conserved active site of NA using arguslab software. 198 out of 310 Pleconaril variants analyzed for docking with NA active site were proven effective, based on their free binding energy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pleconaril variants with F, Cl, Br, CH3, OH and aromatic ring substitutions were shown to be effective alternatives to Oseltamivir as anti influenza drugs.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biotechnology, REVA Institute of Science and Management, Yelahanka, Bangalore 560064, India. hassainbasha53@gmail.com
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hussain Basha
authors.forename: R Nalini
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D055162:Biocatalysis / Q000187:drug effects; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010080:Oxazoles; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D010080:Oxazoles; D053139:Oseltamivir; C115201:pleconaril; D009439:Neuraminidase