AffiASSAY® HIV-2 Protease Activity Assay Kit (Fluorometric)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the cause of the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Infection with HIV-2 virus causes immunosuppression, as well as AIDS, characterized by the same signs, symptoms and opportunistic infections as HIV-1. However, HIV-2-associated AIDS may often be associated with lower viral load levels than HIV-1. Aspartyl HIV-2 Protease (retropepsin) is an essential enzyme for the life-cycle of HIV virus. Expressed as a part of the Gag-Pol polyprotein complex in the infected cells, it is auto-catalytically released upon formation of an immature viral particle. The enzyme subsequently cleaves the other parts of viral polyproteins resulting in the maturation of the virus. In HIV-infected patients the enzyme is subjected to intensive mutagenesis and mutants resistant to applied medicines are produced as a result of the selection pressure. BioVision’s HIV-2 Protease Activity assay kit utilizes the ability of active HIV-2 Protease to cleave a synthetic peptide substrate to release the free fluorophore which can be easily quantified (Ex/Em = 330/450 nm) using a fluorometer or fluorescence microplate reader. This assay is simple, rapid and can detect HIV-2 protease activity in samples and of purified enzyme.