Crystal structure of lysine sulfonamide inhibitor reveals the displacement of the conserved flap water molecule in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease.
Nalam, M.N., Peeters, A., Jonckers, T.H., Dierynck, I., Schiffer, C.A.(2007) J Virol 81: 9512-9518
- PubMed: 17596316 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00799-07
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
2Q3K - PubMed Abstract: 
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease has been continuously evolving and developing resistance to all of the protease inhibitors. This requires the development of new inhibitors that bind to the protease in a novel fashion. Most of the inhibitors that are on the market are peptidomimetics, where a conserved water molecule mediates hydrogen bonding interactions between the inhibitors and the flaps of the protease. Recently a new class of inhibitors, lysine sulfonamides, was developed to combat the resistant variants of HIV protease. Here we report the crystal structure of a lysine sulfonamide. This inhibitor binds to the active site of HIV-1 protease in a novel manner, displacing the conserved water and making extensive hydrogen bonds with every region of the active site.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 364 Plantation Street, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.