Question: HIV Protease is an enzyme required for the viral life-cycle that cleaves immature HIV proteins in…
Show transcribed image text HIV Protease is an enzyme required for the viral life-cycle that cleaves immature HIV proteins into mature, actively infectious ones. The HIV Protease enzyme is a homodimer and functions as an aspartyl protease (its active site uses two aspartic acid residues to cleave peptide bonds). 'Protease inhibitors' such as the drug Kaletra/lopinavir act as competitive inhibitors of HIV Protease, and are a cornerstone in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. a. Where would you predict to find lopinavir bound to the HIV Protease enzyme? b. Would increasing the concentration of the peptide substrate for the enzyme be expected to reduce lopinavir binding? In what situation would it not? c. Draw a graph with MichaeH^ curves you would predict for HIV Protease in the absence and presence of lopinavir. Be sure to label the axes appropriately.
HIV Protease is an enzyme required for the viral life-cycle that cleaves immature HIV proteins into mature, actively infectious ones. The HIV Protease enzyme is a homodimer and functions as an aspartyl protease (its active site uses two aspartic acid residues to cleave peptide bonds). 'Protease inhibitors' such as the drug Kaletra/lopinavir act as competitive inhibitors of HIV Protease, and are a cornerstone in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. a. Where would you predict to find lopinavir bound to the HIV Protease enzyme? b. Would increasing the concentration of the peptide substrate for the enzyme be expected to reduce lopinavir binding? In what situation would it not? c. Draw a graph with MichaeH^ curves you would predict for HIV Protease in the absence and presence of lopinavir. Be sure to label the axes appropriately.
