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Title: Receptor Activation of HIV-1 Env Leads to Asymmetric Exposure of the gp41 Trimer

Journal Article · · PLoS Pathogens

Structural rearrangements of HIV-1 glycoprotein Env promote viral entry through membrane fusion. Env is a symmetric homotrimer with each protomer composed of surface subunit gp120 and transmembrane subunit gp41. Cellular CD4- and chemokine receptor-binding to gp120 coordinate conformational changes in gp41, first to an extended prehairpin intermediate (PHI) and, ultimately, into a fusogenic trimer-of-hairpins (TOH). HIV-1 fusion inhibitors target gp41 in the PHI and block TOH formation. To characterize structural transformations into and through the PHI, we employed asymmetric Env trimers containing both high and low affinity binding sites for individual fusion inhibitors. Asymmetry was achieved using engineered Env heterotrimers composed of protomers deficient in either CD4- or chemokine receptor-binding. Linking receptor engagement to inhibitor affinity allowed us to assess conformational changes of individual Env protomers in the context of a functioning trimer. We found that the transition into the PHI could occur symmetrically or asymmetrically depending on the stoichiometry of CD4 binding. Sequential engagement of multiple CD4s promoted progressive exposure of individual fusion inhibitor binding sites in a CD4-dependent fashion. By contrast, engagement of only a single CD4 molecule led to a delayed, but symmetric, exposure of the gp41 trimer. This complex coupling between Env-CD4 interaction and gp41 exposure explained the multiphasic fusion-inhibitor titration observed for a mutant Env homotrimer with a naturally asymmetric gp41. Our results suggest that the spatial and temporal exposure of gp41 can proceed in a nonconcerted, asymmetric manner depending on the number of CD4s that engage the Env trimer. The findings have important implications for the mechanism of viral membrane fusion and the development of vaccine candidates designed to elicit neutralizing antibodies targeting gp41 in the PHI.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Institutes of Health (NIH); American Foundation for AIDS Research
Grant/Contract Number:
R01 GM066682; T32 GM100836; 02856-31-RGT
OSTI ID:
1368229
Journal Information:
PLoS Pathogens, Vol. 12, Issue 12; ISSN 1553-7374
Publisher:
Public Library of ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 24 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (8)

Electron diffraction data processing with DIALS journal May 2018
Mutations That Increase the Stability of the Postfusion gp41 Conformation of the HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Are Selected by both an X4 and R5 HIV-1 Virus To Escape Fusion Inhibitors Corresponding to Heptad Repeat 1 of gp41, but the gp120 Adaptive Mutations Differ between the Two Viruses journal March 2019
CD4 occupancy triggers sequential pre-fusion conformational states of the HIV-1 envelope trimer with relevance for broadly neutralizing antibody activity journal January 2019
Massively Parallel Profiling of HIV-1 Resistance to the Fusion Inhibitor Enfuvirtide journal May 2019
HIV-1 Env trimer opens through an asymmetric intermediate in which individual protomers adopt distinct conformations journal March 2018
CD4 occupancy triggers sequential pre-fusion conformational states of the HIV-1 envelope trimer with relevance for broadly neutralizing antibody activity text January 2019
Massively parallel profiling of HIV-1 resistance to the fusion inhibitor enfuvirtide posted_content November 2018
Stoichiometric Analyses of Soluble CD4 to Native-like HIV-1 Envelope by Single-Molecule Fluorescence Spectroscopy journal October 2019