title: HIV entry and envelope glycoprotein-mediated fusion.
abstract: HIV entry involves binding of the trimeric viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) gp120/gp41 to cell surface receptors, which triggers conformational changes in Env that drive the membrane fusion reaction. The conformational landscape that the lipids and Env navigate en route to fusion has been examined by biophysical measurements on the microscale, whereas electron tomography, x-rays, and NMR have provided insights into the process on the nanoscale and atomic scale. However, the coupling between the lipid and protein pathways that give rise to fusion has not been resolved. Here, we discuss the known and unknown about the overall HIV Env-mediated fusion process.
authors.affiliation: Nanobiology Program, Center for Cancer Research, NCI, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.forename: Stewart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Durell
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viard
mesh_terms: D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray / Q000379:methods; D055032:Electron Microscope Tomography / Q000379:methods; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000276:immunology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D008055:Lipids