Molecular docking applied to evaluate two antiviral peptides against H۵N۱ virus

Influenza A viruses pose significant threats to human and animal health due to their capacity for rapid evolution, host adaptation, and pandemic emergence. Among these, the H۵N۱ subtype is highly pathogenic in birds and remains a critical zoonotic concern. Viral attachment and host specificity are mediated by the hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein, whose receptor-binding properties can shift through mutation. In this study, the antiviral potential of two peptides, PLNC۸α and PLNC۸β, was evaluated in silico against the H۵N۱ HA protein. Docking analyses revealed that PLNC۸β exhibited the strongest binding affinity with a binding energy of –۲۵۲.۸۶ kcal/mol, compared to –۲۴۰.۴۷ kcal/mol for PLNC۸α. Overall, PLNC۸β showed superior binding characteristics, highlighting its promise as a potential antiviral agent against H۵N۱. Further experimental validation is needed to confirm these computational findings.

کلیدواژه ها:

H۵N۱ ، hemagglutinin ، antiviral peptides ، molecular docking