Question

The HIV protease enzyme uses a general acid-base catalysis mechanism to cleave viral polypeptides but does not use a covalent catalysis. This enzyme functions optimally in the pH range of 4-6. Due to the specific amino acids involved in this catalysis, HIV protease is a member of which subclass of proteases? Select one: A. metalloproteases B. aspartyl proteases C. serine proteases D. lysine proteases E. cysteine proteases

Answer 1

HIV protease cuts up large precursor proteins into smaller proteins. These smaller proteins combine with HIV's genetic material to form a new HIV virus. Protease inhibitors prevent HIV from replicating by blocking protease.

HIV-1 protease (PR) is a retroviral aspartyl protease (retropepsin), an enzyme involved with peptide bond hydrolysis in retroviruses, that is essential for the life-cycle of HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS.

So, HIV protease falls under aspartyl proteases

So our answer is option-B