***Enzymology***
HIV protease is an aspartate protease. You've got to task of designing a strong inhibitor of the protease. You now forms a team with an expert in organic chemistry. He can do everything, so you just need to design the molecule. Based on the reaction mechanism; try to design a transition state inhibitor of HIV protease.

Question

frostbite · Answer

The mechanism can be found in the attachment.

shrutipande9 · Answer

instead of OH binding...maybe some other molecule binds...which prevents the whole reaction...this is the best i could think:P

aaronq · Answer

please post chemistry questions in the chemistry section.. just kidding.

hm I'm thinking maybe something that can undergo a condensation (into an anhydride or a derivative) with the alkoxide on the Asp2.. So maybe change the nitrogen into a carbon (so it can't attack), and instead the -OH (closest to Asp2) can rip the H off, forming a good leaving group (an oxonium ion) and the alkoxide can attack the carbocation that is left.
I don't know how plausible this is (it's entropically unfavourable).

frostbite · Answer

Sounds reasonable. And this is biology it is Enzymology :P

abb0t · Answer

get rid of peptide bonding.