Structural Basis of Second-Generation HIV-1 Maturation Inhibitor Activity by Magic Angle Spinning NMR

The CA-SP1 junction of HIV-1 Gag forms a six-helix bundle (6HB) within the immature Gag lattice, sequestering the CA-SP1 cleavage site. Maturation inhibitors (MIs), such as Bevirimat (BVM) and its analogs, are an emerging class of HIV-1 antiviral compounds that stabilize Gag maturation intermediates by interfering with CA-SP1 proteolytic processing. Here, we report the binding modes of a potent second-generation BVM analog with an extended scaffold, HRF-4467, in crystalline CA CTD -SP1-NC 11 assemblies with inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6), as determined by magic-angle-spinning solid-state NMR (MAS NMR) spectroscopy. The atomic-level structure reveals that HRF-4467 binds asymmetrically in the SP1-NC 11 six-helix bundle and stabilizes its helical conformation in the immature lattice, in both the wild-type and the BVM-resistant SP1-V7A Gag variant. Additionally, in the presence of HRF-4467, IP6 adopts distinct conformations in the wild-type CA CTD -SP1-NC 11 and the SP1-V7A variant. Taken together, our results establish a molecular basis for HRF-4467's improved antiviral activity relative to BVM and suggest strategies for designing inhibitors with enhanced performance against MI-resistant HIV-1 variants for potential therapeutic use.