Structural highlights
Function
[NEF_HV112] Factor of infectivity and pathogenicity, required for optimal virus replication. Alters numerous pathways of T-lymphocytes function and down-regulates immunity surface molecules in order to evade host defense and increase viral infectivity. Alters the functionality of other immunity cells, like dendritic cells, monocytes/macrophages and NK cells. One of the earliest and most abundantly expressed viral proteins (By similarity). In infected CD4(+) T-lymphocytes, down-regulates the surface MHC-I, mature MHC-II, CD4, CD28, CCR5 and CXCR4 molecules. Mediates internalization and degradation of host CD4 through the interaction of with the cytoplasmic tail of CD4, the recruitment of AP-2 (clathrin adapter protein complex 2), internalization through clathrin coated pits, and subsequent transport to endosomes and lysosomes for degradation. Diverts host MHC-I molecules to the trans-Golgi network-associated endosomal compartments by an endocytic pathway to finally target them for degradation. MHC-I down-regulation may involve AP-1 (clathrin adapter protein complex 1) or possibly Src family kinase-ZAP70/Syk-PI3K cascade recruited by PACS2. In consequence infected cells are masked for immune recognition by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. Decreasing the number of immune receptors also prevents reinfection by more HIV particles (superinfection) (By similarity). Bypasses host T-cell signaling by inducing a transcriptional program nearly identical to that of anti-CD3 cell activation. Interaction with TCR-zeta chain up-regulates the Fas ligand (FasL). Increasing surface FasL molecules and decreasing surface MHC-I molecules on infected CD4(+) cells send attacking cytotoxic CD8+ T-lymphocytes into apoptosis (By similarity). Plays a role in optimizing the host cell environment for viral replication without causing cell death by apoptosis. Protects the infected cells from apoptosis in order to keep them alive until the next virus generation is ready to strike. Inhibits the Fas and TNFR-mediated death signals by blocking MAP3K5. Interacts and decreases the half-life of p53, protecting the infected cell against p53-mediated apoptosis. Inhibits the apoptotic signals regulated by the Bcl-2 family proteins through the formation of a Nef/PI3-kinase/PAK2 complex that leads to activation of PAK2 and induces phosphorylation of Bad (By similarity). Extracellular Nef protein targets CD4(+) T-lymphocytes for apoptosis by interacting with CXCR4 surface receptors (By similarity).
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Negative factor (Nef) is a regulatory myristoylated protein of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that has a two-domain structure consisting of an anchor domain and a core domain separated by a specific cleavage site of the HIV proteases. For structural analysis, the HIV-1 Nef anchor domain (residues 2-57) was synthesized with a myristoylated and non-myristoylated N terminus. The structures of the two peptides were studied by1H NMR spectroscopy and a structural model was obtained by restrained molecular dynamic simulations. The non-myristoylated peptide does not have a unique, compactly folded structure but occurs in a relatively extended conformation. The only rather well-defined canonical secondary structure element is a short two-turn alpha-helix (H2) between Arg35 and Gly41. A tendency for another helical secondary structure element (H1) can be observed for the arginine-rich region (Arg17 to Arg22). Myristoylation of the N-terminal glycine residue leads to stabilization of both helices, H1 and H2. The first helix in the arginine-rich region is stabilized by the myristoylation and now contains residues Pro14 to Arg22. The second helix appears to be better defined and to contain more residues (Ala33 to Gly41) than in the absence of myristoylation. In addition, the hydrophobic N-terminal myristic acid residue interacts closely with the side-chain of Trp5 and thereby forms a loop with Gly2, Gly3 and Lys4 in the kink region. This interaction could possibly be disturbed by phosphorylation of a nearby serine residue, and modifiy the characteristic membrane interactions of the HIV-1 Nef anchor domain.
Structure of the anchor-domain of myristoylated and non-myristoylated HIV-1 Nef protein.,Geyer M, Munte CE, Schorr J, Kellner R, Kalbitzer HR J Mol Biol. 1999 May 28;289(1):123-38. PMID:10339411[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
See Also
References
- ↑ Geyer M, Munte CE, Schorr J, Kellner R, Kalbitzer HR. Structure of the anchor-domain of myristoylated and non-myristoylated HIV-1 Nef protein. J Mol Biol. 1999 May 28;289(1):123-38. PMID:10339411 doi:10.1006/jmbi.1999.2740
