Question

Select the statement that describes the major site where antiviral action is blocked by the protease inhibitors. Select one: a. The protease inhibitors block the ability of the human immunodeficiency virus from attaching and entering the cell membrane. b. The protease inhibitors block the uncoating process of the human immunodeficiency virus by binding to protease. c. The protease inhibitors block the nucleic acid synthesis of the human immunodeficiency virus. d. The protease inhibitors inhibit the late protein synthesis and processing of the human immunodeficiency virus.

Answer 1

d. The protease inhibitors inhibit the late protein synthesis and processing of the human immunodeficiency virus.

Step-by-step explanation:

Protease inhibitors are antiviral agents used to fight against pathogenic viruses such as retroviruses (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus, HIV) and RNA viruses (e.g., hepatitis C virus). Protease inhibitors can drastically reduce the viral load. Protease inhibitors may target 1-virus-encoded proteases which are responsible to produce functional proteins from polyprotein precursors and 2-processing structural proteins that are required for virus assembly. Some examples of protease inhibitors include, among others, ritonavir and indinavir, which are used in patients with HIV infection.