HIV-1 protease: mechanism and drug discovery

The identification of the HIV retrovirus and the accumulated knowledge about the role of the different elements in its life cycle led researchers around the world to develop inhibitors that target different steps in the life cycle of the virus. One of the targets is HIV-1 protease (HIV PR), an essential enzyme needed in the proper assembly and maturation of infectious virions. Understanding the chemical mechanism of this enzyme has been a basic requirement in the development of efficient inhibitors. This review summarizes studies conducted in the last two decades on the mechanism of HIV PR and the impact of their conclusions on the drug discovery processes.