journal menu
abstracts
The capsid (CA) protein of HIV-1, which forms the core of the virus, has been shown to have an increasingly important role in the early stages of the virus lifecycle, in particular during reverse transcription and nuclear import. We recently solved the structure of a fragment of the human cofactor CPSF6 in complex with the N-terminal domain of HIV-1 CA, revealing a previously unknown interface used by the virus to recruit CPSF6, which is required for the virus to successfully complete the early stages of its lifecycle. Using a recently developed hexameric unit of CA, we have solved the structure of the CPSF6 peptide with CA in a context that more closely resembles an intact CA lattice. This has revealed that CPSF6 contacts HIV-1 CA using an additional second site only present in the hexameric form of CA. Furthermore, we have now solved the structure of a fragment of NUP153 (an HIV-1 cofactor that is integral to the nuclear pore) in complex with hexameric CA and discovered that this also forms contacts specific to hexameric CA. Moreover, the binding sites for CPSF6 and NUP153 on CA overlap at one crucial residue, which is remarkably mimicked by two drugs independently discovered to bind at this same site. Together, these data provide evidence for an essential role for CA in HIV-1 infection, and highlights CA as an important target for antiretroviral drugs.
abstracts
The tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins are a large family of >100 members, several of which have important roles in antiviral immunity and innate immune signaling. TRIM5α associates with incoming HIV-1 capsids, interfering with controlled disassembly and targeting them for degradation by the proteasome. TRIM21 is a cytosolic antibody receptor, which also targets incoming viral capsids for proteasomal degradation. TRIM25 is also involved in innate immunity, being essential for the ubiquitination of RIG-I. Recent positive selection analysis has predicted another 10 TRIM proteins with antiviral activity. Despite the fact that TRIM5α, 21 and 25 play key roles in antiviral protection, their mechanism of action is incompletely understood. All three proteins share a similar domain architecture, comprising a RING, B Box, coiled coil and PRYSPRY domains. The RING domains are responsible for ubiquitin ligase activity, while the PRYSPRY domains determine target specificity. We have used a combination of crystallography and SAXS to generate the first complete model for a TRIM protein structure. Crystallographic studies of TRIM25 reveal a central elongated coiled-coil domain with an unusual right-handed twist. The dimer formed by the coiled-coil is antiparallel but is followed by additional helices that reverse the direction of the protein chain. This structure suggests that the N-terminal domains of each monomer are separated but the C terminal domains are maintained in proximity. Multi-angle light scattering (MALS), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and SAXS analysis confirms that this dimer structure is present in solution. Furthermore, scattering studies on the tripartite motif of TRIM21, comprising RING, B Box and coiled-coil, demonstrate that the first two domains of each monomer are held 150-200 Å apart. Finally, SAXS measurement of a complex between intact TRIM21 and its ligand, IgG Fc, provides the first empirical structure of a complete TRIM protein.
