A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction

Abstract Accurate protein-ligand binding affinity prediction is crucial in drug discovery. Existing methods are predominately docking-free, without explicitly considering atom-level interaction between proteins and ligands in scenarios where crystallized protein-ligand binding conformations are unav...

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Main Authors: Ming-Hsiu Wu, Ziqian Xie, Degui Zhi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Communications Chemistry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01506-1
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author Ming-Hsiu Wu
Ziqian Xie
Degui Zhi
author_facet Ming-Hsiu Wu
Ziqian Xie
Degui Zhi
author_sort Ming-Hsiu Wu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Accurate protein-ligand binding affinity prediction is crucial in drug discovery. Existing methods are predominately docking-free, without explicitly considering atom-level interaction between proteins and ligands in scenarios where crystallized protein-ligand binding conformations are unavailable. Now, with breakthroughs in deep learning AI-based protein folding and binding conformation prediction, can we improve binding affinity prediction? This study introduces a framework, Folding-Docking-Affinity (FDA), which folds proteins, determines protein-ligand binding conformations, and predicts binding affinities from three-dimensional protein-ligand binding structures. Our experimental results indicate that FDA performs comparably to state-of-the-art docking-free methods. We anticipate that our proposed framework serves as a starting point for integrating binding structures for more accurate binding affinity prediction.
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issn 2399-3669
language English
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spelling doaj-art-90ba04d8a87544ea9400fc14519677a72025-08-20T03:06:48ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692025-04-01811910.1038/s42004-025-01506-1A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity predictionMing-Hsiu Wu0Ziqian Xie1Degui Zhi2McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonMcWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonMcWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonAbstract Accurate protein-ligand binding affinity prediction is crucial in drug discovery. Existing methods are predominately docking-free, without explicitly considering atom-level interaction between proteins and ligands in scenarios where crystallized protein-ligand binding conformations are unavailable. Now, with breakthroughs in deep learning AI-based protein folding and binding conformation prediction, can we improve binding affinity prediction? This study introduces a framework, Folding-Docking-Affinity (FDA), which folds proteins, determines protein-ligand binding conformations, and predicts binding affinities from three-dimensional protein-ligand binding structures. Our experimental results indicate that FDA performs comparably to state-of-the-art docking-free methods. We anticipate that our proposed framework serves as a starting point for integrating binding structures for more accurate binding affinity prediction.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01506-1
spellingShingle Ming-Hsiu Wu
Ziqian Xie
Degui Zhi
A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction
Communications Chemistry
title A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction
title_full A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction
title_fullStr A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction
title_full_unstemmed A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction
title_short A Folding-Docking-Affinity framework for protein-ligand binding affinity prediction
title_sort folding docking affinity framework for protein ligand binding affinity prediction
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01506-1
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AT minghsiuwu foldingdockingaffinityframeworkforproteinligandbindingaffinityprediction
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