Computational comparison of microtubule-stabilising agents laulimalide and peloruside with taxol and colchicine

Microtubule-stabilising agents laulimalide and peloruside have been compared with tubulin-interacting drugs paclitaxel and colchicine by different computational approaches. Docking and QSAR-based programs point to a favourable interaction with the β tubulin paclitaxel binding site, although an additional, preferred binding site has been found at the α subunit of tubulin. All together provides a plausible rationalisation of the singular binding features of these microtubule stabilisers and paves the way for future structural studies.