S-nitrosothiols as novel, reversible inhibitors of human rhinovirus 3C protease

Abstract

Human rhinovirus (HRV) 3C protease was inactivated by a series of S-nitrosothiols. These compounds exhibited different inhibitory activities in a time- and concentration-dependent manner with second-order rate constants (k(inact)/K(I)) ranging from 131 to 5360 M-1 min-1. The inactive enzyme could be re-activated by DTT, GSH and ascorbate, which indicated the inactivation mechanism was through an S-transnitrosylation process. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.