Structural highlights
Function
[GAG_HV1N5] Matrix protein p17 targets Gag and Gag-Pol polyproteins to the plasma membrane via a multipartite membrane binding signal, that includes its myristoylated N-terminus. Also mediates nuclear localization of the preintegration complex. Implicated in the release from host cell mediated by Vpu. Capsid protein p24 forms the conical core of the virus that encapsulates the genomic RNA-nucleocapsid complex. Nucleocapsid protein p7 encapsulates and protects viral dimeric unspliced (genomic) RNA. Binds these RNAs through its zinc fingers. p6-gag plays a role in budding of the assembled particle by interacting with the host class E VPS proteins TSG101 and PDCD6IP/AIP1 (By similarity).
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Preventing the spread of infectious diseases remains an urgent priority worldwide, and this is driving the development of advanced nanotechnology to diagnose infections at the point of care. Herein, we report the creation of a library of novel nanobody capture ligands to detect p24, one of the earliest markers of HIV infection. We demonstrate that these nanobodies, one tenth the size of conventional antibodies, exhibit high sensitivity and broad specificity to global HIV-1 subtypes. Biophysical characterization indicates strong 690 pM binding constants and fast kinetic on-rates, 1 to 2 orders of magnitude better than monoclonal antibody comparators. A crystal structure of the lead nanobody and p24 was obtained and used alongside molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the molecular basis of these enhanced performance characteristics. They indicate that binding occurs at C-terminal helices 10 and 11 of p24, a negatively charged region of p24 complemented by the positive surface of the nanobody binding interface involving CDR1, CDR2, and CDR3 loops. Our findings have broad implications on the design of novel antibodies and a wide range of advanced biomedical applications.
Unravelling the Molecular Basis of High Affinity Nanobodies against HIV p24: In Vitro Functional, Structural, and in Silico Insights.,Gray ER, Brookes JC, Caillat C, Turbe V, Webb BLJ, Granger LA, Miller BS, McCoy LE, El Khattabi M, Verrips CT, Weiss RA, Duffy DM, Weissenhorn W, McKendry RA ACS Infect Dis. 2017 Jul 14;3(7):479-491. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.6b00189. Epub , 2017 Jun 26. PMID:28591513[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Gray ER, Brookes JC, Caillat C, Turbe V, Webb BLJ, Granger LA, Miller BS, McCoy LE, El Khattabi M, Verrips CT, Weiss RA, Duffy DM, Weissenhorn W, McKendry RA. Unravelling the Molecular Basis of High Affinity Nanobodies against HIV p24: In Vitro Functional, Structural, and in Silico Insights. ACS Infect Dis. 2017 Jul 14;3(7):479-491. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.6b00189. Epub , 2017 Jun 26. PMID:28591513 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acsinfecdis.6b00189
