Neutrons Probe Structure of Enzyme Critical to Development of Next-Generation HIV Drugs
Saturday, May 21, 2016 - 01:20
in Health & Medicine
A team led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory used neutron analysis to better understand a protein implicated in the replication of HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS. The enzyme, known as HIV-1 protease, is a key drug target for HIV and AIDS therapies. The multi-institutional team used neutron crystallography to uncover detailed interactions of hydrogen bonds at the enzyme's active site, revealing a pH-induced proton 'hopping' mechanism that guides its activity.