Terminal Interface Conformations Modulate Dimer Stability Prior to Amino Terminal Autoprocessing of HIV-1 Protease
- GSU
The HIV-1 protease (PR) mediates its own release (autoprocessing) from the polyprotein precursor, Gag-Pol, flanked by the transframe region (TFR) and reverse transcriptase at its N- and C-termini, respectively. Autoprocessing at the N-terminus of PR mediates stable dimer formation essential for catalytic activity, leading to the formation of infectious virus. An antiparallel {beta}-sheet interface formed by the four N- and C-terminal residues of each subunit is important for dimer stability. Here, we present the first high-resolution crystal structures of model protease precursor-clinical inhibitor (PI darunavir or saquinavir) complexes, revealing varying conformations of the N-terminal flanking (S{sup -4}FNF{sup -1}) and interface residues (P{sup 1}QIT{sup 4}). A 180{sup o} rotation of the T{sup 4}-L{sup 5} peptide bond is accompanied by a new Q{sup 2}-L{sup 5} hydrogen bond and complete disengagement of PQIT from the {beta}-sheet dimer interface, which may be a feature for intramolecular autoprocessing. This result is consistent with drastically lower thermal stability by 14-20 C of PI complexes of precursors and the mature PR lacking its PQIT residues (by 18.3 C). Similar to the TFR-PR precursor, this deletion also results in a darunavir dissociation constant (2 x 10{sup 4})-fold higher and a markedly increased dimer dissociation constant relative to the mature PR. The terminal {beta}-sheet perturbations of the dimeric structure likely account for the drastically poorer inhibition of autoprocessing of TFR-PR relative to the mature PR, even though significant differences in active site-PI interactions in these structures were not observed. The novel conformations of the dimer interface may be exploited to target selectively the protease precursor prior to its N-terminal cleavage.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- NIHNIAID
- OSTI ID:
- 1035384
- Journal Information:
- Biochemistry-US, Vol. 51, Issue (5) ; 02, 2012; ISSN 0006-2960
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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