Protease inhibitors structural genomics

The human retrovirus HIV can be controlled using chemotherapy directed at the reverse transcriptase and aspartyl protease encoded by the viral genome as with other microbial pathogens, however, resistance to drug therapy becomes a major problem. Figure 7.3 shows a crystal structure (PDB 1HXW) of the HIV protease, where mutated amino acids (shown in cyan) lead to disrupted binding of the clinically effective inhibitor ritonavir [24]. 

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