Neutron crystal structure analysis of HIV-1 protease complexed with KNI-272

Adachi, Motoyasu; Ohara, Takashi   ; Kurihara, Kazuo; Tamada, Taro; Honjo, Eijiro; Okazaki, Nobuo; Arai, Shigeki; Shoyama, Yoshinari; Matsumura, Hiroyoshi*; Sugiyama, Shigeru*; Takano, Kazufumi*; Mori, Yusuke*; Hidaka, Koshi*; Kimura, Toru*; Hayashi, Yoshio*; Kiso, Yoshiaki*; Adachi, Hiroaki*; Kuroki, Ryota

We have determined a crystal structure of HIV-1 protease by neutron crystallography. The development of HIV-1 protease inhibitors is regarded as a major success of structure-based drug design and contributes to establish highly active anti-retroviral therapy for AIDS. To further understand the catalytic mechanism of HIV-1 protease and interaction between HIV-1 protease and its inhibitor, we have determined the crystal structure of HIV-1 protease in complex with a inhibitor, KNI-272 to 2.3 resolution by neutron crystallography. Our results indicates that the carbonyl group of allophenylnorstatine (Apns) in KNI-272 forms a significant hydrogen bond with protonated Asp 25, and the hydrogen atom from the hydroxyl group of Apns forms a remarkable hydrogen bond with the deprotonated Asp125. These results show direct evidence that Asp25 provides a proton to carbonyl group of substrate and Asp125 contributes to activate the attacking water molecule as a nucleophile.