Finding potential DNA-binding compounds by using molecular shape.

For the first time a general shape-search docking algorithm (DOCK) has been applied to the minor and major grooves of A-, B- and Z-type DNA dodecamers and to an intercalation site in a B-DNA-type hexamer. Both experimentally and theoretically derived geometries for the various DNA fragments were used. The DOCK searches were carried out on a subset of the Cambridge Crystallographic Database, consisting of almost 10,000 molecules. One of the molecules that scored best in terms of the DOCK algorithm was CC-1065, a potent antitumor agent known to (covalently) bind the AT-rich parts of the minor groove of B-DNA. Several known DNA-binding agents also scored highly. Molecules with shapes complementary to A-, B- and Z-type DNA were indicated by DOCK. In addition, compounds were extracted from the database that might be selective for the GC-rich regions of the minor groove of B-DNA. Many of the compounds in the present study may serve as a starting point for further molecular design of novel DNA-binding ligands.