FEPrepare: A Web-Based Tool for Automating the Setup of Relative Binding Free Energy Calculations

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00215
• Publication Date: 2021-09-14T12:00:46Z
• Authors: Stamatia Zavitsanou; Alexandros Tsengenes; Michail Papadourakis; Giorgio Amendola; Alexios Chatzigoulas; Dimitris Dellis; Sandro Cosconati; Zoe Cournia
• Keywords: Physical Phenomena; Internet; 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; Entropy; Thermodynamics; Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Relative binding free energy calculations in drug design are becoming a useful tool in facilitating lead binding affinity optimization in a cost- and time-efficient manner. However, they have been limited by technical challenges such as the manual creation of large numbers of input files to set up, run, and analyze free energy simulations. In this Application Note, we describe FEPrepare, a novel web-based tool, which automates the setup procedure for relative binding FEP calculations for the dual-topology scheme of NAMD, one of the major MD engines, using OPLS-AA force field topology and parameter files. FEPrepare provides the user with all necessary files needed to run a FEP/MD simulation with NAMD. FEPrepare can be accessed and used at https://feprepare.vi-seem.eu/.