Heparin enhances the furin cleavage of HIV-1 gp160 peptides.
Infectious HIV-1 requires gp160 cleavage by furin at the REKR511 downward arrow motif (site1) into the gp120/gp41 complex, whereas the KAKR503 (site2) sequence remains uncleaved. We synthesized 41mer and 51mer peptides, comprising site1 and site2, to study their conformation and in vitro furin processing. We found that, while the previously reported 19mer and 13mer analogues represent excellent in vitro furin substrates, the present extended sequences require heparin for optimal processing. Our data support the hypothesis of a direct binding of heparin with site1 and site2, allowing selective exposure/accessibility of the REKR sequence, which is only then optimally cleaved by furin.
Laboratory of Biochemical Neuroendocrinology, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2W 1R7.
A
A
Pasquato
M
M
Dettin
A
A
Basak
R
R
Gambaretto
L
L
Tonin
N G
NG
Seidah
C
C
Di Bello
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D045683:Furin / Q000378:metabolism*; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity / Q000187:drug effects
D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D006493:Heparin; D045683:Furin