CombiDOCK: structure-based combinatorial docking and library design.

We have developed a strategy for efficiently docking a large combinatorial library into a target receptor. For each scaffold orientation, all potential fragments are attached to the scaffold, their interactions with the receptor are individually scored and factorial combinations of fragments are constructed. To test its effectiveness, this approach is compared to two simple control algorithms. Our method is more efficient than the controls at selecting best scoring molecules and at selecting fragments for the construction of an exhaustive combinatorial library. We also carried out a retrospective analysis of the experimental results of a 10 x 10 x 10 exhaustive combinatorial library. An enrichment factor of approximately 4 was found for identifying the compounds in the library that are active at 330 nM.