Conformational Evaluation of HIV-1 Trimeric Envelope Glycoproteins Using a Cell-based ELISA Assay

Structure of trimeric HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins.

Finding trimeric HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins in random noise.

In two recent papers, Mao et al. (1, 2) present the trimeric structure of the HIV-1 gp160 trimer at 11and 6-Å resolutions, respectively. The authors repeatedly emphasize their “reference-free,” “gold standard” methodology, but in neither of their papers do they state how the particles were selected from the electron micrographs. They do state (figure S3 in ref. 1): “Each row shows a sequence of...

Structural Mechanism of Trimeric HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Activation

HIV-1 infection begins with the binding of trimeric viral envelope glycoproteins (Env) to CD4 and a co-receptor on target T-cells. Understanding how these ligands influence the structure of Env is of fundamental interest for HIV vaccine development. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we describe the contrasting structural outcomes of trimeric Env binding to soluble CD4, to the broadly neutralizing...

Conformational states of a soluble, uncleaved HIV-1 envelope trimer

HIV-1 envelope spike [Env; trimeric (gp160)3, cleaved to (gp120/gp41)3] induces membrane fusion, leading to viral entry. It is also the viral component targeted by neutralizing antibodies. Vaccine development requires production, in quantities suitable for clinical studies, of a recombinant form that resembles functional Env. HIV-1 gp140 trimers the uncleaved ectodomains of (gp160)3 from a few ...

Molecular Architectures of Trimeric SIV and HIV-1 Envelope Glycoproteins on Intact Viruses: Strain-Dependent Variation in Quaternary Structure

The initial step in target cell infection by human, and the closely related simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV, respectively) occurs with the binding of trimeric envelope glycoproteins (Env), composed of heterodimers of the viral transmembrane glycoprotein (gp41) and surface glycoprotein (gp120) to target T-cells. Knowledge of the molecular structure of trimeric Env on intact viruses ...