Binding Studies of Erythromycin A and its Analogues using Molecular Docking Technique

Interaction of twelve erythromycin A analogues with 50S ribosomal subunit were studied employing AutoDock 3.0.5. Results showed that all active macrolides bound at the same binding site with erythromycin A in contrast to the inactive analogues which bound at location slightly different than erythromycin A. The binding site showed consistency with the X-ray data from the perspectives of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions formed by erythromycins, roxithromycin, azithromycin, cethromycin and telithromycin with the ribosome. The inactive derivatives of erythromycin A anhydride showed higher binding free energy, while 5-desosaminyl erythronolides A and B even though having quiet similar values of binding free energy with the active analogues, docked at binding sites which are quiet different than the active analogues. These results suggest the molecular docking technique can be used in predicting the binding of erythromycin A analogues to their ribosomal target.