title: The pre-transmembrane region of the HCV E1 envelope glycoprotein: interaction with model membranes.
abstract: The previously identified membranotropic regions of the HCV E1 envelope glycoprotein, a class II membrane fusion protein, permitted us to identify different sequences which might be implicated in viral membrane fusion, membrane interaction and/or protein-protein binding. HCV E1 glycoprotein presents a membrano-active region immediately adjacent to the transmembrane segment, which could be involved in membrane destabilization similarly to the pre-transmembrane domains of class I fusion proteins. Consequently, we have carried out a study of the binding and interaction with the lipid bilayer of a peptide corresponding to segment 309-340, peptide E1PTM, as well as the structural changes which take place in both the peptide and the phospholipid molecules induced by the binding of the peptide to the membrane. Here we demonstrate that peptide E1(PTM) strongly partitions into phospholipid membranes, interacts with negatively-charged phospholipids and locates in a shallow position in the membrane. These data support its role in HCV-mediated membrane fusion and suggest that the mechanism of membrane fusion elicited by class I and II fusion proteins might be similar.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular, Edf. Torregaitán, Campus de Elche, Universidad Miguel Hernández, E-03202 Elche-Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pérez-Berná
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernabeu
authors.forename: Miguel R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guillén
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villalaín
mesh_terms: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008566:Membranes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053586:Virus Internalization
chemical_list: C089669:1-(3-sulfonatopropyl)-4-(beta-(2-(di-n-octylamino)-6-naphthyl)vinyl)pyridinium betaine; C087035:E1 protein, Hepatitis C virus; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010455:Peptides; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins