Computer system and methods for producing morphogen analogs of human OP-1

A method of producing a morphogenic analog having osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) like biological activity, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a molecular model comprising X-ray crystallograhic coordinates defining a three dimensional shape representative of at least a portion of human OP-1;
• (b) identifying a candidate analog having a three dimensional shape corresponding to the three dimensional shape representative of at least a portion of human OP-1;
• and
• (c) producing the candidate analog identified in step (b).

A method of producing a morphogen analog that modulates an osteogenic protein-1 (OP-1) mediated biological effect, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing in a computer memory atomic X-ray crystallographic co-ordinates defining at least a portion of human OP-1;
• (b) generating with a processor a molecular model having a three-dimensional shape and a solvent accessible surface representative of at least a portion of human OP-1,
• (c) identifying a candidate morphogen analog having a three-dimensional structure shape and a solvent accessible surface corresponding to the three-dimensional shape and the solvent accessible surface of at least a portion of human OP-1;
• (d) producing the candidate morphogen analog identified in step (c);
• and
• (e) determining whether the candidate morphogen analog produced in step (d) modulates the OP-1 mediated biological effect.