The formation of cysteine-linked dimers of BST-2/tetherin is important for inhibition of HIV-1 virus release but not for sensitivity to Vpu

Springer Science and Business Media LLC - Tập 6 - Trang 1-16 - 2009
Amy J Andrew1, Eri Miyagi1, Sandra Kao1, Klaus Strebel1
1Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Viral Biochemistry Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, USA

Tóm tắt

The Human Immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpu protein enhances virus release from infected cells and induces proteasomal degradation of CD4. Recent work identified BST-2/CD317 as a host factor that inhibits HIV-1 virus release in a Vpu sensitive manner. A current working model proposes that BST-2 inhibits virus release by tethering viral particles to the cell surface thereby triggering their subsequent endocytosis. Here we defined structural properties of BST-2 required for inhibition of virus release and for sensitivity to Vpu. We found that BST-2 is modified by N-linked glycosylation at two sites in the extracellular domain. However, N-linked glycosylation was not important for inhibition of HIV-1 virus release nor did it affect surface expression or sensitivity to Vpu. Rodent BST-2 was previously found to form cysteine-linked dimers. Analysis of single, double, or triple cysteine mutants revealed that any one of three cysteine residues present in the BST-2 extracellular domain was sufficient for BST-2 dimerization, for inhibition of virus release, and sensitivity to Vpu. In contrast, BST-2 lacking all three cysteines in its ectodomain was unable to inhibit release of wild type or Vpu-deficient HIV-1 virions. This defect was not caused by a gross defect in BST-2 trafficking as the mutant protein was expressed at the cell surface of transfected 293T cells and was down-modulated by Vpu similar to wild type BST-2. While BST-2 glycosylation was functionally irrelevant, formation of cysteine-linked dimers appeared to be important for inhibition of virus release. However lack of dimerization did not prevent surface expression or Vpu sensitivity of BST-2, suggesting Vpu sensitivity and inhibition of virus release are separable properties of BST-2.

Tài liệu tham khảo

Rong L, Zhang J, Lu J, Pan Q, Lorgeoux RP, Aloysius C, Guo F, Liu SL, Wainberg MA, Liang C: The Transmembrane Domain of BST-2 Determines Its Sensitivity to Down-Modulation by HIV-1 Vpu. J Virol. 2009, 83: 7536-46. 10.1128/JVI.00620-09.

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