We will explore the structures of several Angiotensin Converter Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors which prevent the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, leading to increased vasoconstriction and other negative effects in humans. See: American Academy of Family Physicians article for more details.
Our aim in this investigation is to examine the common molecular themes among the inhibitors of this converting enzyme. Rational drug design is based on a systematic examination of the important molecular motifs in both the potential drugs and the enzyme that they are interacting with. Often effective drugs bind more tightly to important enzymes then the biological target molecule, in this case angiotensin I. By examining several views of the enzyme and then the traget angiotensin I and several effective drugs we will attempt to draw several conclusions.
Go to view ACE with linisopril drug bound to enzyme: ACE.htmlNote on manipulating the molecular models...
| # | Drug and Use. | Model | |
| 1 | linisopril isolated from crystal structure and enapril [column 2] | ||
| 2 | merged views and quinapril [column 2] | ||
| 3 | Linisopril optimized | ||
| 4 | Angiotensin I | ||
| 5 | Angiotensin II |