HIV-1 Protease Uses Bi-Specific S2/S2' Subsites to Optimize Cleavage of Two Classes of Target Sites

Non-prime- and prime-side profiling of Pro-Pro endopeptidase specificity using synthetic combinatorial peptide libraries and mass spectrometry

A group of bacterial proteases, the Pro-Pro endopeptidases (PPEPs), possess the unique ability to hydrolyze proline-proline bonds in proteins. Since a protease's function is largely determined by its substrate specificity, methods that can extensively characterize substrate specificity are valuable tools for protease research. Previously, we achieved an in-depth characterization of PPEP prime-side specificity. However, PPEP specificity is also determined by the non-prime-side residues in the substrate. To gain a more complete insight into the determinants of PPEP specificity, we characterized the non-prime- and prime-side specificity of various PPEPs using a combination of synthetic combinatorial peptide libraries and mass spectrometry. With this approach, we deepened our understanding of the P3-P3' specificities of PPEP-1 and PPEP-2, while identifying the endogenous substrate of PPEP-2 as the most optimal substrate in our library data. Furthermore, by employing the library approach, we investigated the altered specificity of mutants of PPEP-1 and PPEP-2. Additionally, we characterized a novel PPEP from Anoxybacillus tepidamans, which we termed PPEP-4. Based on structural comparisons, we hypothesized that PPEP-4 displays a PPEP-1-like prime-side specificity, which was substantiated by the experimental data. Intriguingly, another putative PPEP from Clostridioides difficile, CD1597, did not display Pro-Pro endoproteolytic activity. Collectively, we characterized PPEP specificity in detail using our robust peptide library method and, together with additional structural information, provide more insight into the intricate mechanisms that govern protease specificity.

FMO-guided design of darunavir analogs as HIV-1 protease inhibitors

The prevalence of HIV-1 infection continues to pose a significant global public health issue, highlighting the need for antiretroviral drugs that target viral proteins to reduce viral replication. One such target is HIV-1 protease (PR), responsible for cleaving viral polyproteins, leading to the maturation of viral proteins. While darunavir (DRV) is a potent HIV-1 PR inhibitor, drug resistance can arise due to mutations in HIV-1 PR. To address this issue, we developed a novel approach using the fragment molecular orbital (FMO) method and structure-based drug design to create DRV analogs. Using combinatorial programming, we generated novel analogs freely accessible via an on-the-cloud mode implemented in Google Colab, Combined Analog generator Tool (CAT). The designed analogs underwent cascade screening through molecular docking with HIV-1 PR wild-type and major mutations at the active site. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations confirmed the assess ligand binding and susceptibility of screened designed analogs. Our findings indicate that the three designed analogs guided by FMO, 19-0-14-3, 19-8-10-0, and 19-8-14-3, are superior to DRV and have the potential to serve as efficient PR inhibitors. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach and its potential to be used in further studies for developing new antiretroviral drugs.

Comprehending the Structure, Dynamics, and Mechanism of Action of Drug-Resistant HIV Protease

Since the emergence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the 1980s, strategies to combat HIV-AIDS are continuously evolving. Among the many tested targets to tackle this virus, its protease enzyme (PR) was proven to be an attractive option that brought about numerous research publications and ten FDA-approved drugs to inhibit the PR activity. However, the drug-induced mutations in the enzyme made these small molecule inhibitors ineffective with prolonged usage. The research on HIV PR, therefore, remains a thrust area even today. Through this review, we reiterate the importance of understanding the various structural and functional components of HIV PR in redesigning the structure-based small molecule inhibitors. We also discuss at length the currently available FDA-approved drugs and how these drug molecules induced mutations in the enzyme structure. We then recapitulate the reported mechanisms on how these drug-resistant variants remain sufficiently active to cleave the natural substrates. We end with the future scope covering the recently proposed strategies that show promise to deal with the mutations.

Revealing the drug resistance mechanism of saquinavir due to G48V and V82F mutations in subtype CRF01_AE HIV-1 protease: molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy calculations

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) protease is one of the important targets in AIDS therapy. The majority of HIV infections are caused due to non-B subtypes in developing countries. The co-occurrence of mutations along with naturally occurring polymorphisms in HIV-1 protease cause resistance to the FDA approved drugs, thereby posing a major challenge in the treatment of antiretroviral therapy. In this work, the resistance mechanism against SQV due to active site mutations G48V and V82F in CRF01_AE (AE) protease was explored. The binding free energy calculations showed that the direct substitution of valine at position 48 introduces a bulkier side chain, directly impairing the interaction with SQV in the binding pocket. Also, the intramolecular hydrogen bonding network of the neighboring residues is altered, indirectly affecting the binding of SQV. Interestingly, the substitution of phenylalanine at position 82 induces conformational changes in the 80's loop and the flap region, thereby favoring the binding of SQV. The V82F mutant structure also maintains similar intramolecular hydrogen bond interactions as observed in AE-WT.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Sequence dependencies and biophysical features both govern cleavage of diverse cut-sites by HIV protease

The infectivity of HIV-1 requires its protease (PR) cleave multiple cut-sites with low sequence similarity. The diversity of cleavage sites has made it challenging to investigate the underlying sequence properties that determine binding and turnover of substrates by PR. We engineered a mutational scanning approach utilizing yeast display, flow cytometry, and deep sequencing to systematically measure the impacts of all individual amino acid changes at 12 positions in three different cut-sites (MA/CA, NC/p1, and p1/p6). The resulting fitness landscapes revealed common physical features that underlie cutting of all three cut-sites at the amino acid positions closest to the scissile bond. In contrast, positions more than two amino acids away from the scissile bond exhibited a strong dependence on the sequence background of the rest of the cut-site. We observed multiple amino acid changes in cut-sites that led to faster cleavage rates, including a preference for negative charge five and six amino acids away from the scissile bond at locations where the surface of protease is positively charged. Analysis of individual cut sites using full-length matrix-capsid proteins indicate that long-distance sequence context can contribute to cutting efficiency such that analyses of peptides or shorter engineered constructs including those in this work should be considered carefully. This work provides a framework for understanding how diverse substrates interact with HIV-1 PR and can be extended to investigate other viral PRs with similar properties.

Co-evolution of drug resistance and broadened substrate recognition in HIV protease variants isolated from an Escherichia coli genetic selection system

A genetic selection system for activity of HIV protease is described that is based on a synthetic substrate constructed as a modified AraC regulatory protein that when cleaved stimulate L-arabinose metabolism in an Escherichia coli araC strain. Growth stimulation on selective plates was shown to depend on active HIV protease and the scissile bond in the substrate. In addition, the growth of cells correlated well with the established cleavage efficiency of the sites in the viral polyprotein, Gag, when these sites were individually introduced into the synthetic substate of the selection system. Plasmids encoding protease variants selected based on stimulation of cell growth in the presence of saquinavir or cleavage of a site not cleaved by wild-type protease, were indistinguishable with respect to both phenotypes. Also, both groups of selected plasmids encoded side chain substitutions known from clinical isolates or displayed different side chain substitutions but at identical positions. One highly frequent side chain substitution, E34V, not regarded as a major drug resistance substitution was found in variants obtained under both selective conditions and is suggested to improve protease processing of the synthetic substrate. This substitution is away from the substrate-binding cavity and together with other substitutions in the selected reading frames supports the previous suggestion of a substrate-binding site extended from the active site binding pocket itself.

Stephan Oroszlan and the Proteolytic Processing of Retroviral Proteins: Following A Pro

Steve Oroszlan determined the sequences at the ends of virion proteins for a number of different retroviruses. This work led to the insight that the amino-terminal amino acid of the mature viral CA protein is always proline. In this remembrance, we review Steve’s work that led to this insight and show how that insight was a necessary precursor to the work we have done in the subsequent years exploring the cleavage rate determinants of viral protease processing sites and the multiple roles the amino-terminal proline of CA plays after protease cleavage liberates it from its position in a protease processing site.

Biarsenical fluorescent probes for multifunctional site-specific modification of proteins applicable in life sciences: an overview and future outlook

Fluorescent modification of proteins of interest (POI) in living cells is desired to study their behaviour and functions in their natural environment. In a perfect setting it should be easy to perform, inexpensive, efficient and site-selective. Although multiple chemical and biological methods have been developed, only a few of them are applicable for cellular studies thanks to their appropriate physical, chemical and biological characteristics. One such successful system is a tetracysteine tag/motif and its selective biarsenical binders (e.g. FlAsH and ReAsH). Since its discovery in 1998 by Tsien and co-workers, this method has been enhanced and revolutionized in terms of its efficiency, formed complex stability and breadth of application. Here, we overview the whole field of knowledge, while placing most emphasis on recent reports. We showcase the improvements of classical biarsenical probes with various optical properties as well as multifunctional molecules that add new characteristics to proteins. We also present the evolution of affinity tags and motifs of biarsenical probes demonstrating much more possibilities in cellular applications. We summarize protocols and reported observations so both beginners and advanced users of biarsenical probes can troubleshoot their experiments. We address the concerns regarding the safety of biarsenical probe application. We showcase examples in virology, studies on receptors or amyloid aggregation, where application of biarsenical probes allowed observations that previously were not possible. We provide a summary of current applications ranging from bioanalytical sciences to allosteric control of selected proteins. Finally, we present an outlook to encourage more researchers to use these magnificent probes.

HIV Protease: Historical Perspective and Current Research

The retroviral protease of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an excellent target for antiviral inhibitors for treating HIV/AIDS. Despite the efficacy of therapy, current efforts to control the disease are undermined by the growing threat posed by drug resistance. This review covers the historical background of studies on the structure and function of HIV protease, the subsequent development of antiviral inhibitors, and recent studies on drug-resistant protease variants. We highlight the important contributions of Dr. Stephen Oroszlan to fundamental knowledge about the function of the HIV protease and other retroviral proteases. These studies, along with those of his colleagues, laid the foundations for the design of clinical inhibitors of HIV protease. The drug-resistant protease variants also provide an excellent model for investigating the molecular mechanisms and evolution of resistance.

CARD8 is an inflammasome sensor for HIV-1 protease activity

HIV-1 has high mutation rates and exists as mutant swarms within the host. Rapid evolution of HIV-1 allows the virus to outpace the host immune system, leading to viral persistence. Approaches to targeting immutable components are needed to clear HIV-1 infection. Here, we report that the caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 8 (CARD8) inflammasome senses HIV-1 protease activity. HIV-1 can evade CARD8 sensing because its protease remains inactive in infected cells before viral budding. Premature intracellular activation of the viral protease triggered CARD8 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis of HIV-1-infected cells. This strategy led to the clearance of latent HIV-1 in patient CD4+ T cells after viral reactivation. Thus, our study identifies CARD8 as an inflammasome sensor of HIV-1, which holds promise as a strategy for the clearance of persistent HIV-1 infection.

An n→π* Interaction in the Bound Substrate of Aspartic Proteases Replicates the Oxyanion Hole

Aspartic proteases regulate many biological processes and are prominent targets for therapeutic intervention. Structural studies have captured intermediates along the reaction pathway, including the Michaelis complex and tetrahedral intermediate. Using a Ramachandran analysis of these structures, we discovered that residues occupying the P1 and P1' positions (which flank the scissile peptide bond) adopt the dihedral angle of an inverse γ-turn and polyproline type-II helix, respectively. Computational analyses reveal that the polyproline type-II helix engenders an n→π* interaction in which the oxygen of the scissile peptide bond is the donor. This interaction stabilizes the negative charge that develops in the tetrahedral intermediate, much like the oxyanion hole of serine proteases. The inverse γ-turn serves to twist the scissile peptide bond, vacating the carbonyl π* orbital and facilitating its hydration. These previously unappreciated interactions entail a form of substrate-assisted catalysis and offer opportunities for drug design.