Cysteine protease inhibitors which deactivate the protease by covalently bonding to the cysteine protease and releasing the enolate of a 1,3-dicarbonyl (or its enolic form). The cysteine protease inhibitors of the present invention accordingly comprise a first portion which targets a desired cysteine protease and positions the inhibitor near the thiolate anion portion of the active site of the protease, and a second portion which covalently bonds to the cysteine protease and irreversibly deactivates that protease by providing a carbonyl or carbonyl-equivalent which is attacked by the thiolate anion of the active site of the cysteine protease to sequentially cleave a .beta.-dicarbonyl enol ether leaving group.
半胱
氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂通过共价结合到半胱
氨酸
蛋白酶并释放1,3-二羰基(或其烯醇形式)的烯醇酸,从而使
蛋白酶失活。因此,本发明的半胱
氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂包括第一部分,该部分定位于所需的半胱
氨酸
蛋白酶并将
抑制剂定位于
蛋白酶的活性位点的巯基阴离子部分附近,以及第二部分,该部分与半胱
氨酸
蛋白酶共价结合并通过提供被巯基阴离子攻击的羰基或羰基等效物,以顺序裂解β-二羰基烯醇醚离去基来不可逆地失活该
蛋白酶。