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Crystal structure of dimeric HIV-1 capsid protein

Nature Structural Biology volume 3, pages 763–770 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

X-ray diffraction analysis of a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) capsid (CA) protein shows that each monomer within the dimer consists of seven α-helices, five of which are arranged in a coiled coil-like structure. Sequence assignments were made for two of the helices, and tentative connectivity of the remainder of the protein was confirmed by the recent solution structure of a monomeric N-terminal fragment. The C-terminal third of the protein is mostly disordered in the crystal. The longest helices in the coiled coil-like structure are separated by a long, highly antigenic peptide that includes the binding site of an antibody fragment complexed with CA in the crystal. The site of binding of the Fab, the position of the antigenic loop and the site of cleavage between the matrix protein and CA establish the side of the dimer that would be on the exterior of the retroviral core.

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Author notes

  1. Andrew J. Prongay

    Present address: Structural Chemistry, Schering-Plough Research Institute, Kenilworth, NJ, 07033, USA

  2. Walter Keller

    Present address: Institute of Physical Chemistry, Karl-Franzen-Universität Graz, A-8010, Graz, Austria

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Cory Momany, Ladislau C. Kovari, Andrew J. Prongay, Walter Keller, Alexander E. Gorbalenya, Liang Tong & Michael G. Rossmann

  2. Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA

    Rossitza K. Gitti, Brian M. Lee & Michael F. Summers

  3. Institute of Poliomyelitis & Viral Encephalitides, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 142782, Moscow Region, Russia

    Alexander E. Gorbalenya

  4. Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, 06877, USA

    Liang Tong

  5. Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Seattle, WA, 98121, USA

    Jan McClure

  6. Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA

    Lorna S. Ehrlich & Carol Carter

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Momany, C., Kovari, L., Prongay, A. et al. Crystal structure of dimeric HIV-1 capsid protein. Nat Struct Mol Biol 3, 763–770 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/nsb0996-763

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