Structural Heterogeneity of the Membrane-Interacting Region of the HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein.

ABSTRACT: The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimer (gp120/gp41)₃ forms the key functional envelope spike and is the target of neutralizing antibodies. The glycoprotein gp41 component mediates the fusion of viral and host cell membranes. In addition to its ectodomain, the membrane-interacting C-terminal domain of gp41 plays a crucial role in maintaining the fusogenicity and antigenic characteristics of Env. The membrane-interacting domain of gp41 consists of the highly conserved membrane proximal external region (MPER), which contains epitopes for broadly neutralizing antibodies, the transmembrane domain (TMD), which anchors Env in the membrane and mediates trimer formation, and the cytoplasmic tail (CT) domain, which plays an important role in Env trafficking to HIV-1 assembly sites.

SUBMITTER: Majumder A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12458417 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature