BackgroundMeasuring the structural diversity of compound databases is relevant in drug discovery and many other areas of chemistry. Since molecular diversity depends on molecular representation, comprehensive chemoinformatic analysis of the diversity of libraries uses multiple criteria. For instance, the diversity of the molecular libraries is typically evaluated employing molecular scaffolds, structural fingerprints, and physicochemical properties. However, the assessment with each criterion is analyzed independently and it is not straightforward to provide an evaluation of the “global diversity”.ResultsHerein the Consensus Diversity Plot (CDP) is proposed as a novel method to represent in low dimensions the diversity of chemical libraries considering simultaneously multiple molecular representations. We illustrate the application of CDPs to classify eight compound data sets and two subsets with different sizes and compositions using molecular scaffolds, structural fingerprints, and physicochemical properties.ConclusionsCDPs are general data mining tools that represent in two-dimensions the global diversity of compound data sets using multiple metrics. These plots can be constructed using single or combined measures of diversity. An online version of the CDPs is freely available at: https://consensusdiversityplots-difacquim-unam.shinyapps.io/RscriptsCDPlots/.Graphical AbstractConsensus Diversity Plot is a novel data mining tool that represents in two-dimensions the global diversity of compound data sets using multiple metrics. Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13321-016-0176-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Aim: Fungi are valuable resources for bioactive secondary metabolites. However, the chemical space of fungal secondary metabolites has been studied only on a limited basis. Herein, we report a comprehensive chemoinformatic analysis of a unique set of 207 fungal metabolites isolated and characterized in a USA National Cancer Institute funded drug discovery project. Results: Comparison of the molecular complexity of the 207 fungal metabolites with approved anticancer and nonanticancer drugs, compounds in clinical studies, general screening compounds and molecules Generally Recognized as Safe revealed that fungal metabolites have high degree of complexity. Molecular fingerprints showed that fungal metabolites are as structurally diverse as other natural products and have, in general, drug-like physicochemical properties. Conclusion: Fungal products represent promising candidates to expand the medicinally relevant chemical space. This work is a significant expansion of an analysis reported years ago for a smaller set of compounds (less than half of the ones included in the present work) from filamentous fungi using different structural properties.

No abstract

Nota: Artículo recibido el 18 de octubre de 2017 y aceptado el 02 de mayo de 2018. ARTÍCULO DE REVISIÓN abstractAutomated molecular docking aims at predicting the possible interactions between two molecules. This method has proven useful in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery providing atomistic insights into molecular recognition. Over the last 20 years methods for molecular docking have been improved, yielding accurate results on pose prediction. Nonetheless, several aspects of molecular docking need revision due to changes in the paradigm of drug discovery. In the present article, we review the principles, techniques, and algorithms for docking with emphasis on protein-ligand docking for drug discovery. We also discuss current approaches to address major challenges of docking.Key Words: chemoinformatics, computer-aided drug design, drug discovery, structure-activity relationships. Acoplamiento Molecular: Avances Recientes y Retos resuMenEl acoplamiento molecular automatizado tiene como objetivo proponer un modelo de unión entre dos moléculas. Este método ha sido útil en química farmacéutica y en el descubrimiento de nuevos fármacos por medio del entendimiento de las fuerzas de interacción involucradas en el reconocimiento molecular. Durante los últimos 20 años se ha modificado extensamente la técnica de acoplamiento molecular dando resultados precisos en la predicción de los modos de unión. Sin embargo, hay algunas áreas que requieren ser mejoradas substancialmente. En este trabajo se revisan principios, técnicas y algoritmos usados en los programas computacionales del acoplamiento molecular con enfoque en la interacción proteína-ligando aplicado al descubrimiento de nuevos fármacos. También se discuten las estrategias dirigidas a solucionar los principales retos de esta técnica computacional.Palabras Clave: descubrimiento de nuevos fármacos, diseño de fármacos asistido por computadora, quimioinformática, relaciones estructura-actividad.

No abstract