The analysis of HIV-protease dimerization mechanism at atomic andmolecular resolution, and the design of novel dimerization inhibition compounds.

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Using mass spectrometry and X-ray crystal structure analysis, we attempted toelucidate the dimerization dynamics of HIV -1 protease (PR). Our data showed that darunavir (DR V), anFDA-approved PR inhibitor, binds to both monomers and dimers of PR and blocks HIV -1 replication.We also showed that the introduction of DR V -resistance-associated amino acids into PR prevented DR Vfrom binding to PR monomers and decreased the amount of dimerized PR species. The data should be ofutility in not only examining the PR dimerization dynamics but also designing more potent PR inhibitorsthat hardly permit the emergence of DR V -resistant HIV -1 variants.