molecules-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

In Silico Methods Applied in Drug and Pesticide Discovery, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Computational and Theoretical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 409

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail
Guest Editor
Coriolan Dragulescu Institute of Chemistry of the Romanian Academy, 24 M. Viteazu Avenue, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
Interests: theoretical chemistry; molecular modeling; homology modeling; molecular docking; ligand- and structure-based pharmacophores; virtual screening; conformational analyses; QSAR studies; medicinal chemistry; agrochemicals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies—ICSI Ramnicu Valcea, 240050 Ramnicu Valcea, Romania
Interests: gas chromatography; pesticide; food control; wastewater; ground water; soil; sediment; sludge; particulate matter; water; juice; beverages; alcohol; food authenticity; wine varieties; biotechnology; food safety; dairy products; environment; authenticity

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico
Interests: medicinal chemistry; synthetic organic chemistry; immunology of infectious diseases; medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry; antibodies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, the large-scale application of computational techniques (in silico methods) in the area of drug discovery is succesful, while a smaller involvement of these techniques has been noted in the field of agrochemistry. In silico methods are especially applied in the early stages of the research process, during which basic studies aim to decipher the biology associated with a desired pharmacological/agrochemical response, prioritizing drug/pesticide targets, and identifying or optimizing new active chemical entities. The great advantages of computational methods include rapidity and cost-effectiveness compared to in vitro/vivo tests.

However, the success of in silico methods greatly depends on the experimental validation of theoretical models. This critical stage ensures the accuracy of predictions and confirms their relevance in real-world contexts. Validation through in vitro and in vivo tests helps eliminate potential errors and refine the models for higher precision. Moreover, this combination of theoretical modeling and practical experimentation enables a deeper understanding of the biological and chemical mechanisms involved, strengthening confidence in their application for decision-making processes.

Dr. Ana Borota
Dr. Diana Ionela Popescu
Prof. Dr. Gildardo Rivera Sanchez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • molecular modeling of small and complex molecules/macromolecules
  • homology modeling
  • molecular docking
  • virtual screening
  • ADME-Tox
  • ligand- and structure-based pharmacophore modeling
  • QSAR/QSPR models
  • drug/pesticide design
  • molecular dynamics

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issues

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 6292 KiB  
Article
The Structural Basis of Binding Stability and Selectivity of Sarolaner Enantiomers for Ctenocephalides felis RDL Receptors
by Xiaojiao Zheng, Xin Wang, Xiulian Ju, Zhichao Ma and Genyan Liu
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2756; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132756 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 109
Abstract
The ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor (GABAR) is a key target for the development of antiparasitic agents, particularly against ectoparasites, such as fleas and ticks. Binding stability and selectivity of sarolaner enantiomers for Ctenocephalides felis RDL receptors (RDLR) were investigated in the current [...] Read more.
The ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor (GABAR) is a key target for the development of antiparasitic agents, particularly against ectoparasites, such as fleas and ticks. Binding stability and selectivity of sarolaner enantiomers for Ctenocephalides felis RDL receptors (RDLR) were investigated in the current study. Wild-type (WT) C. felis RDLR and its A285S mutant were constructed using homology-based, fragment-based threading and AI-driven approaches, of which, SWISS-MODEL generated the most reliable structures. Molecular docking showed that the sarolaner S-enantiomer had higher binding affinity for both receptors than the R-enantiomer, primarily due to hydrogen bonding with Ile256, π–π stacking with Phe326, and hydrophobic interactions with Ile267 and Ile268. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the binding stability of the S-enantiomer-receptor complex in which key residues maintained interactions throughout the trajectories. Binding free energy analysis supported these results and highlighted the role of nonpolar interactions in binding stability. The A285S mutation had minimal impact on the binding pocket, and the S-enantiomer remained selective for and bound to the mutant receptor. Insights into the insecticidal mechanism of sarolaner enantiomers are given, and the current findings may inform the development of veterinary drugs from novel isoxazoline-based NAMs targeting insect GABARs. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop