of DNA-encoded chemical libraries. Hits from any of the above approaches can be optimised to high affinity binders that efficiently inhibit the enzyme. Computer-based methods for predicting the binding orientation and affinity of an inhibitor for an enzyme such as molecular docking and molecular mechanics can be used to assist in the optimisation process. New inhibitors are used to obtain crystallographic structures of the enzyme in an inhibitor/enzyme complex to show how the molecule is binding to the active site, allowing changes to be made to the inhibitor to optimise binding in a process known as structure-based drug design. This test and improve cycle is repeated until a sufficiently potent inhibitor is produced. See also Activity-based proteomics – a branch of proteomics that uses covalent enzyme inhibitors as reporters to monitor enzyme activity. Antimetabolite – an enzyme inhibitor that is used to interfere with cell growth and division Transition state analogue – a type of enzyme inhibitor that mimics the transition state of the chemical reaction catalysed by the enzyme References External links , Database of enzymes giving lists of known inhibitors for each entry Database of drugs and enzyme inhibitors Recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry (NC-IUB) on enzyme inhibition terminology Medicinal chemistry Metabolism