PLIM: a protein-ligand interaction modeller.

A computer program is presented that models the binding of selected chemical groups to a protein surface. The groups are successively incorporated at energetically favourable positions to build up a pharmacophore pattern that may be used as the basis for a database search for possible ligands. The ability to predict known binding points in a trypsin-inhibitor complex is demonstrated, and the results from a run on dihydrofolate reductase are shown to be usable as a pharmacophore pattern for a database search.