Crystal Structures of Beta- and Gammaretrovirus Fusion Proteins Reveal a Role for Electrostatic Stapling in Viral Entry Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • ABSTRACT; Membrane fusion is a key step in the life cycle of all envelope viruses, but this process is energetically unfavorable; the transmembrane fusion subunit (TM) of the virion-attached glycoprotein actively catalyzes the membrane merger process. Retroviral glycoproteins are the prototypical system to study pH-independent viral entry. In this study, we determined crystal structures of extramembrane regions of the TMs from Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) and xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) at 1.7-Å and 2.2-Å resolution, respectively. The structures are comprised of a trimer of hairpins that is characteristic of class I viral fusion proteins and now completes a structural library of retroviral fusion proteins. Our results allowed us to identify a series of intra- and interchain electrostatic interactions in the heptad repeat and chain reversal regions. Mutagenesis reveals that charge-neutralizing salt bridge mutations significantly destabilize the postfusion six-helix bundle and abrogate retroviral infection, demonstrating that electrostatic stapling of the fusion subunit is essential for viral entry. Our data indicate that salt bridges are a major stabilizing force on the MPMV and XMRV retroviral TMs and likely provide the key energetics for viral and host membrane fusion.

publication date

  • January 1, 2014

has restriction

  • bronze

Date in CU Experts

  • November 13, 2020 11:17 AM

Full Author List

  • Aydin H; Cook JD; Lee JE

author count

  • 3

Other Profiles

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0022-538X

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1098-5514

Additional Document Info

start page

  • 143

end page

  • 153

volume

  • 88

issue

  • 1