The large extracellular loop of CD63 interacts with gp41 of HIV-1 and is essential for establishing the virological synapse.

ABSTRACT: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) persists lifelong in infected individuals and has evolved unique strategies in order to evade the immune system. One of these strategies is the direct cell-to-cell spread of HIV-1. The formation of a virological synapse (VS) between donor and target cell is important for this process. Tetraspanins are cellular proteins that are actively involved in the formation of a VS. However, the molecular mechanisms of recruiting host proteins for the cell-cell transfer of particles to the VS remains unclear. Our study has mapped the binding site for the transmembrane envelope protein gp41 of HIV-1 within the large extracellular loop (LEL) of CD63 and showed that this interaction occurs predominantly at the VS between T cells where viral particles are transf

SUBMITTER: Ivanusic D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8113602 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature