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Nature 441, 817-818 (15 June 2006) | doi:10.1038/441817a; Published online 14 June 2006

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Structural biology: Images from the surface of HIV

Dennis R. Burton1

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Human and monkey immunodeficiency viruses are studded with 'spikes' that enable them to infect cells. Structural studies reveal that these spikes are tripod-like assemblies that cluster on the virus surface.

Newly produced HIV particles are in limbo between life and death, their fate determined by whether protruding structures — 'spikes' — on their surface make contact with receptors on the surface of white blood cells, in particular a subset known as CD4+ T cells. If a productive contact is made, a molecular sequence is triggered that results in the genetic material of the virus being injected into the target cell.

  1. Dennis R. Burton is in the Departments of Immunology and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
    Email: burton@scripps.edu

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