Combining Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics to Predict the Binding Modes of Flavonoid Derivatives with the Neuraminidase of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza A Virus

Control of flavonoid derivatives inhibitors release through the inhibition of neuraminidase has been identified as a potential target for the treatment of H1N1 influenza disease. We have employed molecular dynamics simulation techniques to optimize the 2009 H1N1 influenza neuraminidase X-ray crystal structure. Molecular docking of the compounds revealed the possible binding mode. Our molecular dynamics simulations combined with the solvated interaction energies technique was applied to predict the docking models of the inhibitors in the binding pocket of the H1N1 influenza neuraminidase. In the simulations, the correlation of the predicted and experimental binding free energies of all 20 flavonoid derivatives inhibitors is satisfactory, as indicated by R(2) = 0.75.