HIV-1 and SIV Envelope Glycoproteins

描述（由申请人提供）：详细了解参与HIV-1及其密切相关的SIV与靶细胞相互作用、结合和融合的分子的结构和功能方面，对于我们理解艾滋病的疾病过程以及合理设计诊断试剂、疫苗和其他治疗剂至关重要。感染过程中最重要的两个分子，即包膜糖蛋白（Env）糖蛋白，SU（表面）和TM（跨膜），仅在结构水平上得到部分表征，许多重要特征仍未明确定义。这些领域的不确定性包括可变环的方向，在结合和融合过程中发生的结构变化，以及促进或抑制ab介导的中和的特征。另一个不确定的领域涉及Env蛋白在病毒颗粒表面表达的方式。例如，关于病毒表面的Env尖峰的数量、分布和稳定性存在争议。该提案描述了旨在应用新方法测定HIV-1和SIV Env， gp120和gp41的三维形态的研究，它们在病毒表面以纯化的重组形式表达。我们的目标是确定在各种形式的HIV-1和SIV病毒颗粒表面单独或与单克隆抗体和配体复合的Env分子的数量、位置、方向和结构细节。此外，我们将通过对纯化的单体和三聚体Env蛋白和免疫复合物组成的二维晶体进行三维结构分析，扩展我们之前对单个分子和复合物的表位和反应位点定位研究。主要的方法将是通过阴性染色和低温电子显微镜（EM）断层扫描分析完整的病毒粒子，以及通过二维晶体阵列的电子衍射分析纯化的重组Env和免疫复合物。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Detailed knowledge of the structural and functional aspects of the molecules involved in the interaction, binding, and fusion of HIV-1 and the closely related SIV with their target cells is fundamental to our understanding of the disease processes in AIDS and to the rational design of diagnostic reagents, vaccines and other therapeutic agents. Two of the most important molecules in the infectious process, namely the envelope glycoproteins (Env) glycoproteins, SU (surface), and TM (transmembrane), are only partially characterized at the structural level with many of the important features are still poorly defined. These areas of uncertainty include the orientation of the variable loops, the structural changes that occur during the binding and fusion processes, and the features which foster or inhibit Ab-mediated neutralization. Another area of uncertainty involves the manner by which the Env proteins are expressed on the surface of virus particles. There is, for example, controversy regarding the number of Env spikes on the viral surface, their distribution and their stability. This proposal describes investigations aimed at applying new approaches for the determination of the 3-D morphology of the HIV-1 and SIV Env, gp120 and gp41, as expressed on the viral surface and in purified recombinant form. Our goals are to determine the numbers, locations, orientations, and structural details of Env molecules, both alone and in complex with monoclonal antibodies and ligands, on the surface of various forms of HIV-1 and SIV viral particles. In addition we will expand upon our previous epitope and reactive-site mapping studies of individual molecules and complexes by conducting 3-D structural analyses on 2-D crystals composed of purified monomeric and trimeric Env proteins and immune complexes. The primary methodologies will be the analysis of intact virions by negative stain and cryo-electron microscopic (EM) tomography and the analysis of purified recombinant Env and immune complexes by electron diffraction of 2-D crystalline arrays.