METHODS FOR PREVENTING THE EXPRESSION OF A PROTEASE

摘要

The invention provides methods to screen for inhibitors of proteases. The first method involves the construction of a plasmid system such that expression of a protease is toxic to a bacterial strain. Compounds of interest may then be screened for those which inhibit the toxic protease and thereby prevent killing of the bacterial strain. Inhibition is detected by successful transformations of the bacterial strain by the plasmid coding for the protease. The second method involves the construction of a fusion protein which contains a protease cleavage site inserted into a protein whose activity may be assayed. Compounds are screened for protease inhibition, which is detected by assaying for a change in color, light or activity of the protein. HIV protease and polio 3C protease are examples of proteases that may be used in these methods.