According to a Reuters report, a group of scientists in London has succeeded in synthesizing integrase, an enzyme that is a key step in the replication of genetic viruses such as HIV. It was a step that had eluded scientists for years because of the difficulty of creating a crystal of the enzyme. But after 40,000 attempts, the research team succeeded in creating the crystal.
With integrase on hand, scientists will be able to observe the way integrase functions and the way integrase blockers, including some popular anti-AIDS drugs, work. It could lead to the design of a drug that could be a partial cure for all genetic viruses, including HIV.
