G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are one of the most important target classes in pharmacology and are the target of many blockbuster drugs. Yet only with the recent elucidation of the rhodopsin structure have these receptors become amenable to a rational drug design. Based on recent examples from academia and the pharmaceutical industry, this book demonstrates how to apply the whole range of bioinformatics, chemoinformatics and molecular modeling tools to the rational design of novel drugs targeting GPCRs. Essential reading for medicinal chemists and drug designers working with this largest class of drug targets in the human genome.

G protein coupled receptors remain the most important class of therapeutic targets in medicine. In the last 5 years, tremendous advances have been made in our understanding of the structure and mechanism of this critical family of drug targets. The present volume explores the modern experimental and conceptual framework for drug discovery for G protein coupled receptors. It explores advances in structure determination and structure-based drug design as well as new concepts of allosteric modulation, functional selectivity/biased agonism, and pharmacological chaperones. In addition, emerging drug targets such as receptor families for fatty acids, carboxylic acids, lipid mediators, etc. are included. Final chapters cover novel mechanisms of signal regulation through PDZ domains and RGS proteins. This volume will bring an up-to-date perspective on the G protein coupled receptor field to both academic and industry scientists. The present volume explores the modern experimental and conceptual framework for drug discovery for G protein coupled receptors It explores advances in structure determination and structure-based drug design as well as new concepts of allosteric modulation, functional selectivity/biased agonism, and pharmacological chaperones This volume will bring an up-to-date perspective on the G protein coupled receptor field to both academic and industry scientists

Peptides are a rapidly growing class of mediators whose activity regulates homeostasis as well as pathological processes. Most of the peptide-activated receptors belong to the superfamily of 7 transmembrane domain receptors coupled to G proteins. Peptides of different sizes (from a few to more than 100 aminoacids) activate peptidergic receptors by interacting at specific sites, that often differ from those where antagonists bind. Other receptors are activated by proteases that, by cleaving the receptor extracellular region, unmask a tethered ligand. G protein-coupled receptors for chemokines represent the way of entry of the HIV virus in target cells. The great impact of non peptide agonist/antagonists in current and future medicine reflects these large variety of functions and modes of activation of peptidergic G protein-coupled receptors.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are heptahelical transmembrane receptors that convert extra-cellular stimuli into intra-cellular signaling, and ultimately into biological responses. Since GPCRs are natural targets for approximately 40% of all modern medicines, it is not surprising that they have been the subject of intense research. Notwithstanding the amount of data generated over the years, discovering ligands of these receptors with optimal therapeutic properties is not straightforward and has certainly been hampered for years by the lack of high-resolution structural information about these receptors. Luckily, there has been a steady increase of high-resolution crystal structures of these receptors since 2007, and this information, integrated with dynamic inferences from computational and experimental methods, holds great potential for the discovery of new, improved drugs. This book, which provides, for the first time, state-of-the-art views on modeling and simulation of GPCRs, is divided into 4 parts. In the first part, the impact of currently available GPCR crystal structures on structural modeling is discussed extensively as are critical insights from simulations in the second part of the book. The third part reports recent progress in rational ligand discovery and mathematical modeling, whereas the fourth part provides an overview of bioinformatics tools and resources that are available for GPCRs.

G Protein Pathways is the first of three volumes examining the nature of heterotrimeric G proteins. The text takes an integrated approach to studying common experimental questions at many different levels related to G proteins. Methods related to G proteins using molecular modeling, systems biology, protein engineering, protein biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology are all accessible in the same volume. The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant today--truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.

This new volume of Methods in Enzymology continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters authored by leaders in the field. This volume covers G protein coupled receptors, and includes chapters on such topics as GPCR modelling, interactions with other molecules, virtual screening and GPCR activation. - Continues the legacy of this premier serial with quality chapters authored by leaders in the field - Covers G protein coupled receptors - Contains chapters on such topics as GPCR modelling, interactions with other molecules, virtual screening and GPCR activation

Allosteric Modulation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors reviews fundamental information on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and allosteric modulation, presenting original research in the area and collectively providing a comprehensive description of key issues in GPCR allosteric modulation. The book provides background on core concepts of molecular pharmacology while also introducing the most important advances and studies in the area. It also discusses key methodologies. This is an essential book for researchers and advanced students engaged in pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutical sciences training and research. Many of the GPCR-targeted drugs released in the past decade have specifically worked via allosteric mechanisms. Unlike direct orthosteric-acting compounds that occupy a similar receptor site to that of endogenous ligands, allosteric modulators alter GPCR-dependent signaling at a site apart from the endogenous ligand. Recent methodological and analytical advances have greatly improved our ability to understand the signaling mechanisms of GPCRs. We now know that allostery is a common regulatory mechanism for all GPCRs and not – as we once believed – unique to a few receptor subfamilies. - Introduces background on core concepts of molecular pharmacology, including statistical analyses, non-linear regression, complex models and GPCR-dependent signal transduction as they relate to allosteric modulation - Discusses critical advances and landmark studies, including discoveries in the area of GPCR allosteric modulation, which are reviewed for their importance in positive and negative regulation, protein-protein interactions, and small molecule drug discovery - Includes key methodologies used to study allosteric modulation at the in silico, in vitro, and in vivo levels of drug discovery and characterization

G Protein Pathways is the first of three volumes examining the nature of heterotrimeric G proteins. The text takes an integrated approach to studying common experimental questions at many different levels related to G proteins. Methods related to G proteins using molecular modeling, systems biology, protein engineering, protein biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology are all accessible in the same volume.The critically acclaimed laboratory standard for more than forty years, Methods in Enzymology is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. Now with more than 300 volumes (all of them still in print), the series contains much material still relevant todaytruly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.

The broad range of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) encompasses all areas of modern medicine and have an enormous impact on the process of drug development. Using disease-oriented methods to cover everything from screening to expression and crystallization, G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Drug Discovery describes the physiological roles of GPCRs

Leading experts illustrate how sophisticated computational data mining techniques can impact contemporary drug discovery and development In the era of post-genomic drug development, extracting and applying knowledge from chemical, biological, and clinical data is one of the greatest challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical Data Mining brings together contributions from leading academic and industrial scientists, who address both the implementation of new data mining technologies and application issues in the industry. This accessible, comprehensive collection discusses important theoretical and practical aspects of pharmaceutical data mining, focusing on diverse approaches for drug discovery—including chemogenomics, toxicogenomics, and individual drug response prediction. The five main sections of this volume cover: A general overview of the discipline, from its foundations to contemporary industrial applications Chemoinformatics-based applications Bioinformatics-based applications Data mining methods in clinical development Data mining algorithms, technologies, and software tools, with emphasis on advanced algorithms and software that are currently used in the industry or represent promising approaches In one concentrated reference, Pharmaceutical Data Mining reveals the role and possibilities of these sophisticated techniques in contemporary drug discovery and development. It is ideal for graduate-level courses covering pharmaceutical science, computational chemistry, and bioinformatics. In addition, it provides insight to pharmaceutical scientists, principal investigators, principal scientists, research directors, and all scientists working in the field of drug discovery and development and associated industries.