Maturation of the viral core enhances the fusion of HIV-1 particles with primary human T cells and monocyte-derived macrophages.
HIV-1 infection requires fusion of viral and cellular membranes in a reaction catalyzed by the viral envelope proteins gp120 and gp41. We recently reported that efficient HIV-1 particle fusion with target cells is linked to maturation of the viral core by an activity of the gp41 cytoplasmic domain. Here, we show that maturation enhances the fusion of a variety of recombinant viruses bearing primary and laboratory-adapted Env proteins with primary human CD4+ T cells. Overall, HIV-1 fusion was more dependent on maturation for viruses bearing X4-tropic envelope proteins than for R5-tropic viruses. Fusion of HIV-1 with monocyte-derived macrophages was also dependent on particle maturation. We conclude that the ability to couple fusion to particle maturation is a common feature of HIV-1 Env proteins and may play an important role during HIV-1 replication in vivo.
Jiang
Jiyang
J
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, A-5301 Medical Center North, Nashville, TN 37232-2363, USA.
Aiken
Christopher
C
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D002460:Cell Line; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000821:virology*; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D019713:Receptors, CCR5 / Q000378:metabolism; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism; D015728:Receptors, HIV / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication
D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D019713:Receptors, CCR5; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4; D015728:Receptors, HIV