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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Binding of the gp120 envelope (Env) glycoprotein to the CD4 receptor is the first step in the HIV-1 infectious cycle. Although the CD4-binding site has been extensively characterized, the initial receptor interaction has been difficult to study because of major CD4-induced structural rearrangements. Here we used cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to visualize the initial contact of CD4 with the HIV-1 Env trimer at 6.8-A resolution. A single CD4 molecule is embraced by a quaternary HIV-1-Env surface formed by coalescence of the previously defined CD4-contact region with a second CD4-binding site (CD4-BS2) in the inner domain of a neighboring gp120 protomer. Disruption of CD4-BS2 destabilized CD4-trimer interaction and abrogated HIV-1 infectivity by preventing the acquisition of coreceptor-binding competence. A corresponding reduction in HIV-1 infectivity occurred after the mutation of CD4 residues that interact with CD4-BS2. Our results document the critical role of quaternary interactions in the initial HIV-Env-receptor contact, with implications for treatment and vaccine design.

Quaternary contact in the initial interaction of CD4 with the HIV-1 envelope trimer.,Liu Q, Acharya P, Dolan MA, Zhang P, Guzzo C, Lu J, Kwon A, Gururani D, Miao H, Bylund T, Chuang GY, Druz A, Zhou T, Rice WJ, Wigge C, Carragher B, Potter CS, Kwong PD, Lusso P Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2017 Feb 20. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.3382. PMID:28218750^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.