Optimization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoproteins with V1/V2 deleted, using virus evolution.

ABSTRACT: The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) complex is the principal focus of neutralizing antibody-based vaccines. The functional Env complex is a trimer consisting of six individual subunits: three gp120 molecules and three gp41 molecules. The individual subunits have proven unsuccessful as vaccines presumably because they do not resemble the functional Env complex. Variable domains and carbohydrates shield vulnerable neutralization epitopes on the functional Env complex. The deletion of variable loops has been shown to improve gp120's immunogenicity; however, problems have been encountered when introducing such modifications in stabilized Env trimer constructs. To address these issues, we have created a set of V1/V2 and V3 loop deletion variants in the context of

SUBMITTER: Bontjer I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2612307 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature