AN ASSAY SYSTEM FOR SCREENING PROTEASE INHIBITORS

摘要

Compositions and methods for identifying agents that inhibit protease activity are provided. In particular, polynucleotides, recombinant expression vectors, and host cells are provided that may be used in a bacterial cell-based assay for identifying agents that are inhibitors of protease activity, such as inhibitors of HIV protease activity. The bacterial cells express a precursor of a protease and encode a reporter polypeptide that contains a protease recognition sequence, which can be cleaved by the mature, catalytically active protease such that the reporter activity of the reporter polypeptide is decreased or eliminated.