title: HIV-1 Vpu - an ion channel in search of a job.
abstract: Vpu is a small membrane protein encoded by HIV-1 and some SIV isolates. The protein is best known for its ability to degrade CD4 and to enhance the release of progeny virions from infected cells. However, Vpu also promotes host-cell apoptosis by deregulating the NFκB signaling pathway and it assembles into cation-conducting membrane pores. This review summarizes our current understanding of these various functions of Vpu with particular emphasis on recent progress in the Vpu field. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Viral Membrane Proteins - Channels for Cellular Networking.
authors.affiliation: Viral Biochemistry Section, Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, NIAID, NIH Bldg. 4, Room 310, 4 Center Drive MSC 0460, Bethesda, MD 20892-0460, USA. Electronic address: kstrebel@nih.gov.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strebel
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology; D017209:Apoptosis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology; D053585:Virus Attachment; D000074010:Bone Marrow Stromal Antigen 2; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C094572:BST2 protein, human; D000074010:Bone Marrow Stromal Antigen 2; C514859:vpu protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
keywords: BST-2; CD4; HIV-1; Ion channel; Tetherin; Vpu