The HIV-1 CA protein is an attractive therapeutic target for the development of new antivirals. An inter-protomer pocket within the hexamer configuration of the CA, which is a binding site for key host dependency factors, is an especially appealing region for small molecule targeting. Using a field-based pharmacophore derived from an inhibitor known to interact with this region, coupled to biochemical and biological assessment, we have identified a new compound that inhibits HIV-1 infection and that targets the assembled CA hexamer.
Keywords: Antiviral; Computer-aided drug design; Field-based virtual screening; HIV-1 capsid protein; Surface plasmon resonance.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.