PMID: 19775161 , Related PDB ids: 3IRX, 3IS9

Authors:

Cullen MD, Ho WC, Bauman JD, Das K, Arnold E, Hartman TL, Watson KM, Buckheit RW, Pannecouque C, De Clercq E, Cushman M

Title:

Crystallographic study of a novel subnanomolar inhibitor provides insight on the binding interactions of alkenyldiarylmethanes with human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase.

Journal:

J Med Chem. 2009 Oct 22;52(20):6467-73.

Abstract:

Two crystal structures have been solved for separate complexes of alkenyldiarylmethane (ADAM) nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) 3 and 4 with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT). The structures reveal inhibitor binding is exclusively hydrophobic in nature and the shape of the inhibitor-bound NNRTI binding pocket is unique among other reported inhibitor-RT crystal structures. Primarily, ADAMs 3 and 4 protrude from a large gap in the back side of the binding pocket, placing portions of the inhibitors unusually close to the polymerase active site and allowing 3 to form a weak hydrogen bond with Lys223. The lack of additional stabilizing interactions, beyond the observed hydrophobic surface contacts, between 4 and RT is quite perplexing given the extreme potency of the compound (IC(50)