Fusogenic segments of bovine leukemia virus and simian immunodeficiency virus are interchangeable and mediate fusion by means of oblique insertion in the lipid bilayer of their target cells

Characterization and application of recombinant Bovine Leukemia Virus Env protein

The Bovine Leukemia Virus (BLV) Envelope (Env) glycoprotein complex is instrumental in viral infectivity and shapes the host's immune response. This study presents the production and characterization of a soluble furin-mutated BLV Env ectodomain (sBLV-EnvFm) expressed in a stable S2 insect cell line. We purified a 63 kDa soluble protein, corresponding to the monomeric sBLV-EnvFm, which predominantly presented oligomannose and paucimannose N-glycans, with a high content of core fucose structures. Our results demonstrate that our recombinant protein can be recognized from specific antibodies in BLV infected cattle, suggesting its potential as a powerful diagnostic tool. Moreover, the robust humoral immune response it elicited in mice shows its potential contribution to the development of subunit-based vaccines against BLV.

Phylogenetic Analysis of South African Bovine Leukaemia Virus (BLV) Isolates

Bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) causes chronic lymphoproliferative disorder and fatal lymphosarcoma in cattle, leading to significant economic losses in the beef and dairy industries. BLV is endemic globally and eleven genotypes have been identified. To date, only Zambian isolates have been genotyped from Africa. Although high BLV prevalence has been reported in South Africa, there has been no molecular characterisation of South African BLV isolates. To characterise BLV isolates in South Africa for the first time, we investigated the phylogenetic relationships and compared the genetic variability of eight South African BLV isolates with BLV isolates representing the eleven known genotypes from different geographical regions worldwide. Phylogenetic analyses based on full-length and partial env sequences as well as full-length gag sequences revealed that at least two genotypes, genotypes 1 (G1) and 4 (G4), are present in cattle in South Africa, which is consistent with studies from Zambia. However, our analysis revealed that the G1 South African isolate is more similar to other G1 isolates than the G1 Zambian isolates whereas, the G4 South African isolates are more divergent from other G4 isolates but closely related to the G4 Zambian isolate. Lastly, amino acid sequence alignment identified genotype-specific as well as novel amino acid substitutions in the South African isolates. The detection of two genotypes (G1 and G4) in southern Africa highlights the urgent need for disease management and the development of an efficacious vaccine against local strains.

Development of a luminescence syncytium induction assay (LuSIA) for easily detecting and quantitatively measuring bovine leukemia virus infection

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) causes enzootic bovine leukosis and is closely related to the human T cell leukemia virus. Since BLV infection mostly occurs via cell-to-cell transmission, BLV infectivity is generally measured by culturing BLV-infected cells with reporter cells that form syncytia upon BLV infection. However, this method is time-consuming and requires skill. To visualize the infectivity of BLV, we developed a new assay called the luminescence syncytium induction assay (LuSIA) that is based on a new reporter cell line designated CC81-BLU3G. CC81-BLU3G is stably transfected with pBLU3-EGFP, which contains the BLV long terminal repeat U3 region linked to the enhanced-green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene. CC81-BLU3G expresses the EGFP in response to BLV Tax expression specifically, and forms fluorescing syncytia when transfected with an infectious BLV plasmid or when cultured with BLV-infected cells. Compared to the conventional assay, LuSIA was more specific and detected cattle samples with low proviral loads. The fluorescing syncytia was easily detected by eye and automated scanning and LuSIA counts correlated strongly with the proviral load of infected cattle (R² = 0.8942).

Single N-glycosylation site of bovine leukemia virus SU is involved in conformation and viral escape

The bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) envelope protein (Env) is synthesized as a polyprotein precursor (gp72) proteolytically cleaved into the mature surface (SU) and transmembrane (TM) glycoproteins. The amino-terminal region of SU contains conformational epitopes F, G and H, which require a glycosylated SU to be recognized by monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and antibodies from BLV-infected cattle. The SU contains eight asparagine (N) residues that are putative N-glycosylation sites. The N129, N203, N230 and N251 appear involved in carbohydrate binding, play an essential role in the in vitro infection. To determine which sites were actually glycosylated, we generated mutated SU forms, where each N-glycosylation site was changed to alanine (A). Subsequently, these N to A mutations were inserted into the env gene to generate Env mutants. The increase of electrophoretic mobility of EnvA256 and EnvA271 derived SU showed that the asparagine residues N256 and N271 were also glycosylated. ELISA revealed that only the N129 oligosaccharide determined the antigenic conformation of SU. The syncytium formation induced by EnvA129 showed that fusogenic capacity was independent of amino-terminal SU glycan conformational structure. Finally, anti-BLV serum inhibited syncytia formation even with the EnvA129 mutant. The latter inhibition was higher than Env, suggesting that the oligosaccharides could be also involved in the glycan shield for viral escape.

Determinants of the Bovine Leukemia Virus Envelope Glycoproteins Involved in Infectivity, Replication and Pathogenesis

Interaction of viral envelope proteins with host cell membranes has been extensively investigated in a number of systems. However, the biological relevance of these interactions in vivo has been hampered by the absence of adequate animal models. Reverse genetics using the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) genome highlighted important functional domains of the envelope protein involved in the viral life cycle. For example, immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAM) of the envelope transmembrane protein (TM) are essential determinants of infection. Although cell fusion directed by the aminoterminal end of TM is postulated to be essential, some proviruses expressing fusion-deficient envelope proteins unexpectedly replicate at wild-type levels. Surprisingly also, a conserved N-linked glycosylation site of the extracellular envelope protein (SU) inhibits cell-to-cell transmission suggesting that infectious potential has been limited during evolution. In this review, we summarize the knowledge pertaining to the BLV envelope protein in the context of viral infection, replication and pathogenesis.

Identification and characterization of common B cell epitope in bovine leukemia virus via high-throughput peptide screening system in infected cattle

Background

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is the causative agent of enzootic bovine leukosis, the most common neoplastic disease of cattle. BLV is closely related to human T cell leukemia virus. B cell epitopes are important for the use of antibodies as therapeutic agents, the epitope-driven vaccine design, and immunological assays. A common B cell epitope for BLV has not yet been found due to individual differences in disease susceptibility.

Results

We used a peptide microarray with 156 synthetic 15-mer peptides covering the envelope glycoprotein gp51 and the Gag proteins p15, p24, and p12 to map B cell epitope and one B cell epitope, gp51p16, was recognized by all four cattle experimentally infected with BLV. A newly developed high-throughput peptide ELISA system revealed 590 (91.2 %) of 647 cattle naturally infected with BLV, carrying 25 different bovine leukocyte antigen class II DRB3 (BoLA-DRB3) alleles, responded to a 20-mer gp51p16-C peptide containing a C-terminal cysteine and gp51p16. Alanine mutation and comparison of the sequences at 17 amino acid positions within gp51p16-C revealed that R7, R9, F10, V16, and Y18 were the common binding sites to BLV antibodies, and two of these sites were found to be highly conserved. Transient expression in the cells of five infectious molecular clones of BLV with a single alanine mutation at five common antibody binding sites had no effect syncytia formation of the gp51 protein. In addition, the mutant proteins, R7A and R9A had no effect on the expression of gp51 protein; the gp51 protein expressions of F10A, V16A and Y18A were lower than that of the wild type protein.

Conclusions

This is the first report to identify a common B cell epitope in BLV by comprehensive screening of BLV-infected cattle with varied genetic backgrounds in BoLA-DRB3. Our results have important implications for disease control and diagnosis.

Novel CD8(+) cytotoxic T cell epitopes in bovine leukemia virus with cattle

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is associated with enzootic bovine leukosis and is closely related to human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV). The cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) plays a key role in suppressing the progression of disease caused by BLV. T and B cell epitopes in BLV have been studied, but CD8(+) CTL epitopes remain poorly understood. We used a library of 115 synthetic peptides covering the entirety of the Env proteins (gp51 and gp30), the Gag proteins (p15, p24, and p12), and the Tax protein of BLV to identify 11 novel CD8(+) T cell epitopes (gp51N5, gp51N11, gp51N12, gp30N5, gp30N6, gp30N8, gp30N16, tax16, tax18, tax19, and tax20) in four calves experimentally infected with BLV. The number of CD8(+) T cell epitopes that could be identified in each calf correlated with the BLV proviral load. Interestingly, among the 11 epitopes identified, only gp51N11 was capable of inducing CD8(+) T cell-mediated cytotoxicity in all four calves, but it is not a suitable vaccine target because it shows a high degree of polymorphism according to the Wu-Kabat variability index. By contrast, no CTL epitopes were identified from the Gag structural protein. In addition, several epitopes were obtained from gp30 and Tax, indicating that cellular immunity against BLV is strongly targeted to these proteins. CD8(+) CTL epitopes from gp30 and Tax were less polymorphic than epitopes from. Indeed, peptides tax16, tax18, tax19, and tax20 include a leucine-rich activation domain that encompasses a transcriptional activation domain, and the gp30N16 peptide contains a proline-rich region that interacts with a protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP1 to regulate B cell activation. Moreover, at least one CD8(+) CTL epitope derived from gp30 was identified in each of the four calves. These results indicate that BLV gp30 may be the best candidate for the development of a BLV vaccine.

Detection of the BLV provirus from nasal secretion and saliva samples using BLV-CoCoMo-qPCR-2: Comparison with blood samples from the same cattle

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) induces enzootic bovine leukosis, which is the most common neoplastic disease in cattle. Sero-epidemiological studies show that BLV infection occurs worldwide. Direct contact between infected and uninfected cattle is thought to be one of the risk factors for BLV transmission. Contact transmission occurs via a mixture of natural sources, blood, and exudates. To confirm that BLV provirus is detectable in these samples, matched blood, nasal secretion, and saliva samples were collected from 50 cattle, and genomic DNA was extracted. BLV-CoCoMo-qPCR-2, an assay developed for the highly sensitive detection of BLV, was then used to measure the proviral load in blood (n=50), nasal secretions (n=48), and saliva (n=47) samples. The results showed that 35 blood samples, 14 nasal secretion samples, and 6 saliva samples were positive for the BLV provirus. Matched blood samples from cattle that were positive for the BLV provirus (either in nasal secretion or saliva samples) were also positive in their blood. The proviral load in the positive blood samples was >14,000 (copies/1×10(5) cells). Thus, even though the proviral load in the nasal secretion and saliva samples was much lower (<380 copies/1×10(5) cells) than that in the peripheral blood, prolonged direct contact between infected and healthy cattle may be considered as a risk factor for BLV transmission.

Mechanisms of pathogenesis induced by bovine leukemia virus as a model for human T-cell leukemia virus

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) make up a unique retrovirus family. Both viruses induce chronic lymphoproliferative diseases with BLV affecting the B-cell lineage and HTLV-1 affecting the T-cell lineage. The pathologies of BLV- and HTLV-induced infections are notably similar, with an absence of chronic viraemia and a long latency period. These viruses encode at least two regulatory proteins, namely, Tax and Rex, in the pX region located between the env gene and the 3′ long terminal repeat. The Tax protein is a key contributor to the oncogenic potential of the virus, and is also the key protein involved in viral replication. However, BLV infection is not sufficient for leukemogenesis, and additional events such as gene mutations must take place. In this review, we first summarize the similarities between the two viruses in terms of genomic organization, virology, and pathology. We then describe the current knowledge of the BLV model, which may also be relevant for the understanding of leukemogenesis caused by HTLV-1. In addition, we address our improved understanding of Tax functions through the newly identified BLV Tax mutants, which have a substitution between amino acids 240 and 265.

ATR-FTIR studies in pore forming and membrane induced fusion peptides

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has been shown to be very reliable for the characterization, identification and quantification of structural data. Particularly, the Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) technique which became one of the best choices to study the structure and organization of membrane proteins and membrane-bound peptides in biologically relevant membranes. An important advantage of IR spectroscopy is its ability to analyze material under a very wide range of conditions including solids, liquids and gases. This method allows elucidation of component secondary structure elements of a peptide or protein in a global manner, and by using site specific isotope labeling allows determination of specific regions. A few advantages in using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy include; a relatively simple technique, allow the determination of peptide orientation in the membrane, allow the determination of secondary structures of very small peptides, and importantly, the method is sensitive to isotopic labeling on the scale of single amino acids. Many studies were reported on the use of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy in order to study the structure and orientation of membrane bound hydrophobic peptides and proteins. The list includes native and de-novo designed peptides, as well as those derived from trans-membrane domains of various receptors (TMDs). The present review will focus on several examples that demonstrate the potential and the simplicity in using the ATR-FTIR approach to determine secondary structures of proteins and peptides when bound, inserted, and oligomerized within membranes. The list includes (i) a channel forming protein/peptide: the Ca(2+) channel phospholamban, (ii) a cell penetrating peptide, (iii) changes in the structure of a transmembrane domain located within ordered and non-ordered domains, and (iv) isotope edited FTIR to directly assign structure to the membrane associated fusion peptide in context of a Key gp41 Structural Motif. Importantly, a unique advantage of infrared spectroscopy is that it allows a simultaneous study of the structure of lipids and proteins in intact biological membranes without an introduction of foreign perturbing probes. Because of the long IR wavelength, light scattering problems are virtually non-existent. This allows the investigation of highly aggregated materials or large membrane fragments. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: FTIR in membrane proteins and peptide studies.

Studies on viral fusion peptides: the distribution of lipophilic and electrostatic potential over the peptide determines the angle of insertion into a membrane

The oblique insertion of type 1 viral fusion peptides into the cell membrane of the host cell has been shown previously to be an essential element of viral fusion. The actual physical explanation of the cause of the oblique insertion has been the subject of speculation. In this study the physical properties of the fusion peptide surface have been determined computationally and compared to the tilt angles determined both experimentally and by the use of molecular dynamics. It has been shown that the relationship between the distribution of lipophilic potential over the peptide surface and the peptide geometry control the tilt angle of the peptide in a biomimetic DMPC bilayer whereas the depth of penetration into the bilayer appears to be determined by the electrostatic potential and hydrogen bonding at the C-terminus.

Small-molecule mediated neuroprotection in an in situ model of tauopathy

Small-molecule inhibitors of neurofibrillary lesion formation may have utility for treatment of Alzheimer's disease and certain forms of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. These lesions are composed largely of tau protein, which aggregates to form intracellular fibrils in affected neurons. Previously it was shown that chronic overexpression of human tau protein within identified neurons (anterior bulbar cells) of the sea lamprey induced a phenotype-resembling tauopathic neurodegeneration, including the formation of tau filaments, fragmentation of dendritic arbors, and eventual cell death. Development of this neurodegenerative phenotype was blocked by chronic administration of a benzothiazole derivative termed N3 ((E)-2-[[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]azo]-6-methoxybenzothiazole) to lamprey aquaria. Here we examined the mechanism of action of N3 and an alkene analog termed N4 ((E)-2-[2-[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]ethenyl]-6-methoxybenzothiazole) in vitro and in the lamprey model. Results showed that although both compounds entered the lamprey central nervous system, only N3 arrested tauopathy. On the basis of in vitro aggregation assays, neither compound was capable of directly inhibiting tau filament formation. However, N3, but not N4, was capable of partially antagonizing the binding of Thioflavin S to synthetic tau filaments. The results suggest that occupancy of N3-binding sites on nascent tau filaments may significantly retard the progressive degeneration accompanying tau overexpression in lamprey.

Tilted properties of the 67-78 fragment of alpha-synuclein are responsible for membrane destabilization and neurotoxicity

Alpha-synuclein is a 140 residue protein associated with Parkinson's disease. Intraneural inclusions called Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites are mainly composed of alpha-synuclein aggregated into amyloid fibrils. Other amyloidogenic proteins, such as the beta amyloid peptide involved in Alzheimer's disease and the prion protein (PrP) associated with Creuztfeldt-Jakob's disease, are known to possess "tilted peptides". These peptides are short protein fragments that adopt an oblique orientation at a hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface, which enables destabilization of the membranes. In this paper, sequence analysis and molecular modelling predict that the 67-78 fragment of alpha-synuclein is a tilted peptide. Its destabilizing properties were tested experimentally. The alpha-synuclein 67-78 peptide is able to induce lipid mixing and leakage of unilamellar liposomes. The neuronal toxicity, studied using human neuroblastoma cells, demonstrated that the alpha-synuclein 67-78 peptide induces neurotoxicity. A mutant designed by molecular modelling to be amphipathic was shown to be significantly less fusogenic and toxic than the wild type. In conclusion, we have identified a tilted peptide in alpha-synuclein, which could be involved in the toxicity induced during amyloidogenesis of alpha-synuclein.

Aggregation and hemi-fusion of anionic vesicles induced by the antimicrobial peptide cryptdin-4

We show that cryptdin-4 (Crp4), an antimicrobial peptide found in mice, induces the aggregation and hemi-fusion of charged phospholipid vesicles constructed of the anionic lipid POPG and the zwitterionic lipid POPC. Hemi-fusion is confirmed with positive total lipid-mixing assay results, negative inner monolayer lipid-mixing assay results, and negative results from contents-mixing assays. Aggregation, as quantified by absorbance and dynamic light scattering, is self-limiting, creating finite-sized vesicle assemblies. The rate limiting step in the formation process is the mixing of juxtaposed membrane leaflets, which is regulated by bound peptide concentration as well as vesicle radius (with larger vesicles less prone to hemi-fusion). Bound peptide concentration is readily controlled by total peptide concentration and the fraction of anionic lipid in the vesicles. As little as 1% PEGylated lipid significantly reduces aggregate size by providing a steric barrier for membrane apposition. Finally, as stable hemi-fusion is a rare occurrence, we compare properties of Crp4 to those of many peptides known to induce complete fusion and lend insight into conditions necessary for this unusual type of membrane merger.

Molecular characterization of the env gene from Brazilian field isolates of Bovine Leukemia Virus

Molecular characterization of Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) isolates from Brazil using the env gene sequences revealed a high conservation of this gene. In most cases the substitutions corresponded to silent transitions. In addition, cystein residues, potential glycosylation sites, neutralization domains and other critical residues involved with the envelope structural domains and viral infectivity were conserved. Most of the substitutions found in the aminoacid sequences of the gp51 protein were localized in the G and H epitopes. Using the SIFT software, it was predicted that they should not alter the protein functions. Phylogenetic analyses showed that partial or complete env gene sequences grouped in three or four phylogenetic clusters, respectively. The sequences from the Brazilian isolates had similar mutation rates as compared to samples from other countries, and belonged to at least two phylogenetic clusters.

Determination of the minimal fusion peptide of bovine leukemia virus gp30

In this study, we determined the minimal N-terminal fusion peptide of the gp30 of the bovine leukemia virus on the basis of the tilted peptide theory. We first used molecular modelling to predict that the gp30 minimal fusion peptide corresponds to the 15 first residues. Liposome lipid-mixing and leakage assays confirmed that the 15-residue long peptide induces fusion in vitro and that it is the shortest peptide inducing optimal fusion since longer peptides destabilize liposomes to the same extent but not shorter ones. The 15-residue long peptide can thus be considered as the minimal fusion peptide. The effect of mutations reported in the literature was also investigated. Interestingly, mutations related to glycoproteins unable to induce syncytia in cell-cell fusion assays correspond to peptides predicted as non-tilted. The relationship between obliquity and fusogenicity was also confirmed in vitro for one tilted and one non-tilted mutant peptide.

Mechanisms of leukemogenesis induced by bovine leukemia virus: prospects for novel anti-retroviral therapies in human

In 1871, the observation of yellowish nodules in the enlarged spleen of a cow was considered to be the first reported case of bovine leukemia. The etiological agent of this lymphoproliferative disease, bovine leukemia virus (BLV), belongs to the deltaretrovirus genus which also includes the related human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). This review summarizes current knowledge of this viral system, which is important as a model for leukemogenesis. Recently, the BLV model has also cast light onto novel prospects for therapies of HTLV induced diseases, for which no satisfactory treatment exists so far.

Lipid-destabilising properties of a peptide with structural plasticity

The Chameleon peptide (Cham) is a peptide designed from two regions of the GB1 protein, one folded as an alpha-helix and the other as a beta structure. Depending on the environment, the Cham peptide adopts an alpha or a beta conformation when inserted in different locations of GB1. This environment dependence is also observed for tilted peptides. These short protein fragments, able to destabilise organised system, are mainly folded in beta structure in water and in alpha helix in a hydrophobic environment, like the lipid bilayer. In this paper, we tested whether the Cham peptide can be qualified as a tilted peptide. For this, we have compared the properties of Cham peptide (hydrophobicity, destabilising properties, conformation) to those of tilted peptides. The results suggest that Cham is a tilted peptide. Our study, together the presence of tilted fragments in transconformational proteins, suggests a relationship between tilted peptides and structural lability.

The N-terminal 12 Residue Long Peptide of HIV gp41 is the Minimal Peptide Sufficient to Induce Significant T-cell-like Membrane Destabilization in Vitro

Here, we predicted the minimal N-terminal fragment of gp41 required to induce significant membrane destabilization using IMPALA. This algorithm is dedicated to predict peptide interaction with a membrane. We based our prediction of the minimal fusion peptide on the tilted peptide theory. This theory proposes that some protein fragments having a peculiar distribution of hydrophobicity adopt a tilted orientation at a hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface. As a result of this orientation, tilted peptides should disrupt the interface. We analysed in silico the membrane-interacting properties of gp41 N-terminal peptides of different length derived from the isolate BRU and from an alignment of 710 HIV strains available on the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Molecular modelling results indicated that the 12 residue long peptide should be the minimal fusion peptide. We then assayed lipid-mixing and leakage of T-cell-like liposomes with N-terminal peptides of different length as first challenge of our predictions. Experimental results confirmed that the 12 residue long peptide is necessary and sufficient to induce membrane destabilization to the same extent as the 23 residue long fusion peptide. In silico analysis of some fusion-incompetent mutants presented in the literature further revealed that they cannot insert into a modelled membrane correctly tilted. According to this work, the tilted peptide model appears to explain at least partly the membrane destabilization properties of HIV fusion peptide.

Role of the Lid Hydrophobicity Pattern in Pancreatic Lipase Activity

Pancreatic lipase is a soluble globular protein that must undergo structural modifications before it can hydrolyze oil droplets coated with bile salts. The binding of colipase and movement of the lipase lid open access to the active site. Mechanisms triggering lid mobility are unclear. The *KNILSQIVDIDGI* fragment of the lid of the human pancreatic lipase is predicted by molecular modeling to be a tilted peptide. Tilted peptides are hydrophobicity motifs involved in membrane fusion and more globally in perturbations of hydrophobic/hydrophilic interfaces. Analysis of this lid fragment predicts no clear consensus of secondary structure that suggests that its structure is not strongly sequence determined and could vary with environment. Point mutations were designed to modify the hydrophobicity profile of the [240-252] fragment and their consequences on the lipase-mediated catalysis were tested. Two mutants, in which the tilted peptide motif was lost, also have poor activity on bile salt-coated oil droplets and cannot be reactivated by colipase. Conversely, one mutant in which a different tilted peptide is created retains colipase dependence. These results suggest that the tilted hydrophobicity pattern of the [240-252] fragment is neither important for colipase binding to lipase, nor for interfacial binding but is important to trigger the maximal catalytic efficiency of lipase in the presence of bile salt.

Rational design of complementary peptides to the betaAmyloid 29-42 fusion peptide: an application of PepDesign

Peptides in solution currently exist under several conformations; an equilibrium which varies with solvent polarity. Despite or because of this structure versatility, peptides can be selective biological tools: they can adapt to a target, vary conformation with solvents and so on. These capacities are crucial for cargo carriers. One promising way of using peptides in biotechnologies is to decipher their medium-sequence-structure-function relationships and one approach is molecular modelling. Only few "in silico" methods of peptide design are described in the literature. Most are used in support of experimental screening of peptide libraries. However, the way they are made does not teach us much for future researches. In this paper, we describe an "in silico" method (PepDesign) which starts by analysing the native interaction of a peptide with a target molecule in order to define which points are important. From there, a modelling protocol for the design of 'better' peptides is set. The PepDesign procedure calculates new peptides fulfilling the hypothesis, tests the conformational space of these peptides in interaction with the target by angular dynamics and goes up to the selection of the best peptide based on the analysis of complex structure properties. Experimental biological assays are finally used to test the selected peptides, hence to validate the approach. Applications of PepDesign are wide because the procedure will remain similar irrespective of the target which can be a protein, a drug or a nucleic acid. In this paper, we describe the design of peptides which binds to the fusogenic helical form of the C-terminal domain of the Abeta peptide (Abeta29-42).

Fusogenic tilted peptides induce nanoscale holes in supported phosphatidylcholine bilayers

Tilted peptides are known to insert in lipid bilayers with an oblique orientation, thereby destabilizing membranes and facilitating membrane fusion processes. Here, we report the first direct visualization of the interaction of tilted peptides with lipid membranes using in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. Phase-separated supported dioleoylphosphatidylcholine/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC/DPPC) bilayers were prepared by fusion of small unilamellar vesicles and imaged in buffer solution, in the absence and in the presence of the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) peptide. The SIV peptide was shown to induce the rapid appearance of nanometer scale bilayer holes within the DPPC gel domains, while keeping the domain shape unaltered. We attribute this behavior to a local weakening and destabilization of the DPPC domains due to the oblique insertion of the peptide molecules. These results were directly correlated with the fusogenic activity of the peptide as determined using fluorescently labeled DOPC/DPPC liposomes. By contrast, the nontilted ApoE peptide did not promote liposome fusion and did not induce bilayer holes but caused slight erosion of the DPPC domains. In conclusion, this work provides the first direct evidence for the production of stable, well-defined nanoholes in lipid bilayer domains by the SIV peptide, a behavior that we have shown to be specifically related to the tilted character of the peptide. A molecular mechanism underlying spontaneous insertion of the SIV peptide within lipid bilayers and the subsequent removal of bilayer patches is proposed, and its relevance to membrane fusion processes is discussed.

Dileucine and YXXL motifs in the cytoplasmic tail of the bovine leukemia virus transmembrane envelope protein affect protein expression on the cell surface

Several retroviruses downmodulate the cell surface expression of envelope (Env) proteins through peptide sequences located in the cytoplasmic tail of the transmembrane (TM) subunit. We investigated whether cell surface expression of a chimeric protein containing the cytoplasmic domain of the TM protein (CTM) of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) was regulated by two membrane-proximal dileucine motifs or by tyrosine Y487 or Y498 in YXXL motifs. A chimeric protein composed of the extracellular and membrane-spanning portions of human CD8-alpha plus a wild-type (wt) BLV CTM was detectable on the surface of only 40% of the cells in which it was transiently expressed. Replacement of either dileucine pair with alanines increased the level of surface display of chimeric proteins. Nearly all cells became surface positive when both dileucine motifs were altered simultaneously and when either an N-terminal segment containing both dileucine motifs or a C-terminal segment containing all YXXL motifs was deleted. In contrast, replacement of Y487 or Y498 with alanine or phenylalanine enabled only small increases in surface display compared with wt levels. Chimeric proteins had similar stabilities but were downmodulated from the cell surface at three different rates. Point mutants segregated into each of the three groups of proteins categorized according to these different rates. Interestingly, Y487 mutants were downmodulated less efficiently than Y498 mutants, which behaved like wt. CD8-CTM chimeric proteins were phosphorylated on serine residues, but the native BLV Env protein was not phosphorylated either in transfected cells or in a lymphoid cell line constitutively producing BLV. Thus, both dileucine and YXXL motifs within the BLV CTM contribute to downmodulation of a protein containing this domain. Interactions with other proteins may influence surface exposure of Env protein complexes in virus-infected cells, assisting in viral evasion of adaptive immunity.

Expression of the bovine leukemia virus envelope glycoprotein (gp51) by recombinant baculovirus and its use in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

The gene encoding the major envelope glycoprotein (gp51) with its signal sequence, represented by an additional NH2-terminal 33-residue amino acid sequence of bovine leukemia virus (BLV), was inserted into a baculovirus transfer vector. A recombinant virus expressing a secreted gp51 protein in insect cells was isolated. The recombinant gp51 expressed was characterized by using an anti-BLV monoclonal antibody by both Western blotting analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The secreted gp51 was used as an antigen, and an ELISA with recombinant gp51 (rgp51) was developed for the detection of BLV antibodies. This new procedure was compared with a previous ELISA method for the detection of BLV antibodies and an agar gel immunodiffusion test performed with an unpurified BLV antigen preparation. The comparative testing of field samples showed that the ELISA with rgp51 is more specific and also suitable for the testing of pooled sera.

Distribution of hydrophobic residues is crucial for the fusogenic properties of the Ebola virus GP2 fusion peptide

The lipid-destabilizing properties of the N-terminal domain of the GP2 of Ebola virus were investigated. Our results suggest that the domain of Ebola virus needed for fusion is shorter than that previously reported. The fusogenic properties of this domain are related to its oblique orientation at the lipid/water interface owing to an asymmetric distribution of the hydrophobic residues when helical.

Attenuated total reflection IR spectroscopy as a tool to investigate the orientation and tertiary structure changes in fusion proteins

Membrane fusion proceeds via a merging of two lipid bilayers and a redistribution of aqueous contents and bilayer components. It involves transition states in which the phospholipids are not arranged in bilayers and in which the monolayers are highly curved. Such transition states are energetically unfavourable since biological membranes are submitted to strong repulsive hydration electrostatic and steric barriers. Viral membrane proteins can help to overcome these barriers. Viral proteins involved in membrane fusion are membrane associated and the presence of lipids restricts drastically the potential of methods (RMN, X-ray crystallography) that have been used successfully to determine the tertiary structure of soluble proteins. We describe here how IR spectroscopy allows to solve some of the problems related to the lipid environment. The principles of the method, the experimental setup and the preparation of the samples are briefly described. A few examples illustrate how attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform IR (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy can be used to gain information on the orientation and the accessibility to the water phase of the fusogenic domain of viral proteins. Recent developments suggest that the method could also be used to detect changes located in the membrane domains and to identify intermediate structural states involved in the fusion process.

Anionic micelles and vesicles induce tau fibrillization in vitro

Alzheimer's disease is defined in part by the intraneuronal accumulation of filaments comprised of the microtubule-associated protein tau. In vitro, fibrillization of recombinant tau can be induced by treatment with various agents, including phosphotransferases, polyanionic compounds, and fatty acids. Here we characterize the structural features required for the fatty acid class of tau fibrillization inducer using recombinant full-length tau protein, arachidonic acid, and a series of straight chain anionic, cationic, and nonionic detergents. Induction of measurable tau fibrillization required an alkyl chain length of at least 12 carbons and a negative charge consisting of carboxylate, sulfonate, or sulfate moieties. All detergents and fatty acids were micellar at active concentrations, due to a profound, taudependent depression of their critical micelle concentrations. Anionic surfaces larger than detergent micelles, such as those supplied by phosphatidylserine vesicles, also induced tau fibrillization with resultant filaments originating from their surface. These data suggest that anionic surfaces presented as micelles or vesicles can serve to nucleate tau fibrillization, that this mechanism underlies the activity of fatty acid inducers, and that anionic membranes may serve this function in vivo.

Bovine leukemia virus gp30 transmembrane (TM) protein is not tyrosine phosphorylated: examining potential interactions with host tyrosine-mediated signaling

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) causes persistent lymphocytosis, a preneoplastic, polyclonal expansion of B lymphocytes. The expansion increases viral transmission to new hosts, but the mechanisms of this expansion have not been determined. We hypothesized that BLV infection contributes to B-cell expansion by signaling initiated via viral transmembrane protein motifs undergoing tyrosine phosphorylation. Viral mimicry of host cell proteins is a well-demonstrated mechanism by which viruses may increase propagation or decrease recognition by the host immune system. The cytoplasmic tail of BLV transmembrane protein gp30 (TM) has multiple areas of homology to motifs of host cell signaling proteins, including two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs) and two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motifs (ITIMs), which are homologous to B-cell receptor and inhibitory co-receptor motifs. Signaling by these motifs in B cells typically relies on tyrosine phosphorylation, followed by interactions with Src-homology-2 (SH2) domains of nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases or phosphatases. Phosphorylation of tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic tail of TM was tested in four systems including ex vivo cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells from BLV infected cows, BLV-expressing fetal lamb kidney cell and bat lung cell lines, and DT40 B cells transfected with a fusion of mouse extracellular CD8alpha and cytoplasmic TM. No phosphorylation of TM was detected in our experiments in any of the cell types utilized, or with various stimulation methods. Detection was attempted by immunoblotting for phosphotyrosines, or by metabolic labeling of cells. Thus BLV TM is not likely to modify host signal pathways through interactions between phosphorylated tyrosines of the ITAM or ITIM motifs and host-cell tyrosine kinases or phosphatases.

Envelope proteins containing single amino acid substitutions support a structural model of the receptor-binding domain of bovine leukemia virus surface protein

Functional domains of the strikingly conserved envelope (Env) glycoproteins of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and its close relative, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), are still being defined. We have used BLV Env protein variants to gain insights into the structure and function of this important determinant of viral infectivity. Each of 23 different single amino acid variants found in cDNA clones of env transcripts present after short-term culture of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from BLV-infected sheep was expressed in COS-1 cells and tested for the ability to mediate cell fusion and to be cleaved to surface (SU) and transmembrane (TM) protein subunits. Of 11 Env variants that failed to induce syncytia or did so poorly, 7 contained changes in amino acids identical or chemically conserved in the HTLV-1 Env protein. These seven included the four variants that showed aberrant proteolytic cleavage and poor cell surface expression, underscoring their importance for Env structure. Ten of 12 variants that retained wild-type syncytium-inducing ability clustered in the N-terminal half of BLV SU, which forms the putative receptor-binding domain (RBD). Several variants in the RBD showed evidence of subtle misfolding, as judged by reduced binding to monoclonal antibodies recognizing conformational epitopes F, G, and H formed by the N terminus of SU. We modeled the BLV RBD by aligning putative structural elements with known elements of the ecotropic Friend murine leukemia virus RBD monomer. All the variant RBD residues but one are exposed on the surface of this BLV model. These variants as well as function-altering, antibody-reactive residues defined by other investigators group on one face of the molecular model. They are strikingly absent from the opposite face, implying that it is likely to face inward in Env complexes. This surface might interact with the C-terminal domain of SU or with an adjacent monomer in the Env oligomer. This location suggests an orientation for the monomer of ecotropic Friend murine leukemia virus RBD.

Evidence that the transmembrane domain proximal region of the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 fusion glycoprotein gp21 has distinct roles in the prefusion and fusion-activated states

To investigate the structural context of the fusion peptide region in human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 gp21, maltose-binding protein (MBP) was used as an N-terminal solubilization partner for the entire gp21 ectodomain (residues 313-445) and C-terminally truncated ectodomain fragments. The bacterial expression of the MBP/gp21 chimeras resulted in soluble trimers containing intramonomer disulfide bonds. Detergents blocked the proteolytic cleavage of fusion peptide residues in the MBP/gp21-(313-425) chimera, indicating that the fusion peptide is available for interaction with detergent despite the presence of an N-terminal MBP domain. Limited proteolysis experiments indicated that the transmembrane domain proximal sequence Thr(425)-Ala(439) protects fusion peptide residues from chymotrypsin. MBP/gp21 chimera stability therefore depends on a functional interaction between N-terminal and transmembrane domain proximal regions in a gp21 helical hairpin structure. In addition, thermal aggregation experiments indicated that the Thr(425)-Ser(436) sequence confers stability to the fusion peptide-containing MBP/gp21 chimeras. The functional role of the transmembrane domain proximal sequence was assessed by alanine-scanning mutagenesis of the full-length envelope glycoprotein, with 11 of 12 single alanine substitutions resulting in 1.5- to 4.5-fold enhancements in cell-cell fusion activity. By contrast, single alanine substitutions in MBP/gp21 did not significantly alter chimera stability, indicating that multiple residues within the transmembrane domain proximal region and the fusion peptide and adjacent glycine-rich segment contribute to stability, thereby mitigating the potential effects of the substitutions. The fusion-enhancing effects of the substitutions are therefore likely to be caused by alteration of the prefusion complex. Our observations suggest that the function of the transmembrane domain proximal sequence in the prefusion envelope glycoprotein is distinct from its role in stabilizing the fusion peptide region in the fusion-activated helical hairpin conformation of gp21.

Computational study of lipid-destabilizing protein fragments: towards a comprehensive view of tilted peptides

Tilted peptides are short sequence fragments (10-20 residues long) that possess an asymmetric hydrophobicity gradient along their sequence when they are helical. Due to this gradient, they adopt a tilted orientation towards a single lipid/water interface and destabilize the lipids. We have detected those peptides in many different proteins with various functions. While being all tilted-oriented at a single lipid/water interface, no consensus sequence can be evidenced. In order to better understand the relationships between their lipid-destabilizing activity and their properties, we used IMPALA to classify the tilted peptides. This method allows the study of interactions between a peptide and a modeled lipid bilayer using simple restraint functions designed to mimic some of the membrane properties. We predict that tilted peptides have access to a wide conformational space in membranes, in contrast to transmembrane and amphipathic helices. In agreement with previous studies, we suggest that those metastable configurations could lead to the perturbation of the acyl chains organization and could be a general mechanism for lipid destabilization. Our results further suggest that tilted peptides fall into two classes: those from proteins acting on membrane behave differently than destabilizing fragments from interfacial proteins. While the former have equal access to the two layers of the membrane, the latter are confined within a single lipid layer. This could be in relation with the organization of lipid substrate on which the peptides physiologically act.

Common properties of fusion peptides from diverse systems

Although membrane fusion occurs ubiquitously and continuously in all eukaroytic cells, little is known about the mechanism that governs lipid bilayer fusion associated with any intracellular fusion reactions. Recent studies of the fusion of enveloped viruses with host cell membranes have helped to define the fusion process. The identification and characterization of key proteins involved in fusion reactions have mainly driven recent advances in our understanding of membrane fusion. The most important denominator among the fusion proteins is the fusion peptide. In this review, work done in the last few years on the molecular mechanism of viral membrane fusion will be highlighted, focusing in particular on the role of the fusion peptide and the modification of the lipid bilayer structure. Much of what is known regarding the molecular mechanism of viral membrane fusion has been gained using liposomes as model systems in which the molecular components of the membrane and the environment are strictly controlled. Many amphilphilic peptides have a high affinity for lipid bilayers, but only a few sequences are able to induce membrane fusion. The presence of alpha-helical structure in at least part of the fusion peptide is strongly correlated with activity whereas, beta-structure tends to be less prevalent, associated with non-native experimental conditions, and more related to vesicle aggregation than fusion. The specific angle of insertion of the peptides into the membrane plane is also found to be an important characteristic for the fusion process. A shallow penetration, extending only to the central aliphatic core region, is likely responsible for the destabilization of the lipids required for coalescence of the apposing membranes and fusion.

Genetic determinants of bovine leukemia virus pathogenesis

The understanding of HTLV-induced disease is hampered by the lack of a suitable animal model allowing the study of both viral replication and leukemogenesis in vivo. Although valuable information has been obtained in different species, such as rabbits, mice, rats, and monkeys, none of these systems was able to conciliate topics as different as viral infectivity, propagation within the host, and generation of leukemic cells. An alternate strategy is based on the understanding of diseases induced by viruses closely related to HTLV-1, like bovine leukemia virus (BLV). Both viruses indeed belong to the same subfamily of retroviruses, harbor a similar genomic organization, and infect and transform cells of the hematopoietic system. The main advantage of the BLV system is that it allows direct experimentation in two different species, cattle and sheep.

A mechanism of membrane neutral lipid acquisition by the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein

The microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) and apolipoprotein B (apoB) belong to the vitellogenin (VTG) family of lipid transfer proteins. MTP is essential for the intracellular assembly and secretion of apoB-containing lipoproteins, the key intravascular lipid transport proteins in vertebrates. We report the predicted three-dimensional structure of the C-terminal lipid binding cavity of MTP, modeled on the crystal structure of the lamprey VTG gene product, lipovitellin. The cavity in MTP resembles those found in the intracellular lipid-binding proteins and bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein. Two conserved helices, designated A and B, at the entrance to the MTP cavity mediate lipid acquisition and binding. Helix A (amino acids 725-736) interacts with membranes in a manner similar to viral fusion peptides. Mutation of helix A blocks the interaction of MTP with phospholipid vesicles containing triglyceride and impairs triglyceride binding. Mutations of helix B (amino acids 781-786) and of N780Y, which causes abetalipoproteinemia, have no impact on the interaction of MTP with phospholipid vesicles but impair triglyceride binding. We propose that insertion of helix A into lipid membranes is necessary for the acquisition of neutral lipids and that helix B is required for their transfer to the lipid binding cavity of MTP.

Natural variation in the amino acid sequence around the HIV type 1 glycoprotein 160 cleavage site and its effect on cleavability, subunit association, and membrane fusion

To assess the natural variation of the structure of the cleavage site as well as the N-terminal region of gp41 for the cytopathogenicity of HIV-1, syncytium-inducing (SI) and non-syncytium-inducing (NSI) virus isolates were obtained from HIV-1-infected patients. In addition, the coreceptor usage of the isolates was determined by infection of primary macrophages and PM-1 cells. DNA sequences encoding the C-terminal 41 amino acid residues of gp120 and the 64 amino acid N-terminal residues of gp41 were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and inserted into the Env expression vector pNLA1. When transfected into HeLa-T4(+) cells, all the recombinant plasmids, including those with inserts from NSI isolates, led to the formation of processed glycoprotein and to syncytium formation. One construct displayed significant lowered fusion capacity and had an amino acid exchange in the first position of the gp41 N terminus (gp41, 512A-->S) leading to a decreased association of the SU and TM subunits. Four constructs derived from two isolates of the same patient showed an unusual gp41 N terminus (gp41, 514G-->P) and a slightly diminished fusion capacity due to a decreased cleavability. This indicates that the major determinants for the SI and NSI phenotypes are not located around the gp160 cleavage site and that the N terminus of gp41 plays a minor role in the processing and fusion capacity of wild-type HIV-1 isolates.

Paramyxovirus F1 protein has two fusion peptides: implications for the mechanism of membrane fusion

Viral fusion proteins contain a highly hydrophobic segment, named the fusion peptide, which is thought to be responsible for the merging of the cellular and viral membranes. Paramyxoviruses are believed to contain a single fusion peptide at the N terminus of the F1 protein. However, here we identified an additional internal segment in the Sendai virus F1 protein (amino acids 214-226) highly homologous to the fusion peptides of HIV-1 and RSV. A synthetic peptide, which includes this region, was found to induce membrane fusion of large unilamellar vesicles, at concentrations where the known N-terminal fusion peptide is not effective. A scrambled peptide as well as several peptides from other regions of the F1 protein, which strongly bind to membranes, are not fusogenic. The functional and structural characterization of this active segment suggest that the F1 protein has an additional internal fusion peptide that could participate in the actual fusion event. The presence of homologous regions in other members of the same family suggests that the concerted action of two fusion peptides, one N-terminal and the other internal, is a general feature of paramyxoviruses.

Tilted peptides: a motif for membrane destabilization (hypothesis)

Cell life depends on the dynamics of molecular processes: molecule folding, organelle building and transformations involving membrane fusion, protein activation and degradation. To carry out these processes, the hydrophilic/hydrophobic interfaces of amphipathic systems such as membranes and native proteins must be disrupted. In the past decade, protein fragments acting in the disruption of interfaces have been evidenced: they are named the tilted or oblique peptides. Due to a peculiar distribution of hydrophobicity, they can disrupt hydrophobicity interfaces. Tilted peptides should be present in many proteins involved in various stages of cell life. This hypothesis overviews their discovery, describes how they are detected and discusses how they could be involved in dynamic biological processes.

Contribution of the hydrophobicity gradient to the secondary structure and activity of fusogenic peptides

Fusogenic peptides belong to a class of helical amphipathic peptides characterized by a hydrophobicity gradient along the long helical axis. According to the prevailing theory regarding the mechanism of action of fusogenic peptides, this hydrophobicity gradient causes the tilted insertion of the peptides in membranes, thus destabilizing the lipid core and, thereby, enhancing membrane fusion. To assess the role of the hydrophobicity gradient upon the fusogenic activity, two of these fusogenic peptides and several variants were synthesized. The LCAT-(57-70) peptide, which is part of the sequence of the lipolytic enzyme lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase, forms stable beta-sheets in lipids, while the apolipoprotein A-II (53-70) peptide remains predominantly helical in membranes. The variant peptides were designed through amino acid permutations, to be either parallel, perpendicular, or to retain an oblique orientation relative to the lipid-water interface. Peptide-induced vesicle fusion was monitored by lipid-mixing experiments, using fluorescent probes, the extent of peptide-lipid association, the conformation of lipid-associated peptides and their orientation in lipids, were studied by Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy. A comparison of the properties of the wild-type and variant peptides shows that the hydrophobicity gradient, which determines the orientation of helical peptides in lipids and their fusogenic activity, further influences the secondary structure and lipid binding capacity of these peptides.

The YXXL sequences of a transmembrane protein of bovine leukemia virus are required for viral entry and incorporation of viral envelope protein into virions

The cytoplasmic domain of an envelope transmembrane glycoprotein (gp30) of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) has two overlapping copies of the (YXXL)2 motif. The N-terminal motif has been implicated in in vitro signal transduction pathways from the external to the intracellular compartment and is also involved in infection and maintenance of high viral loads in sheep that have been experimentally infected with BLV. To determine the role of YXXL sequences in the replication of BLV in vitro, we changed the tyrosine or leucine residues of the N-terminal motif in an infectious molecular clone of BLV, pBLV-IF, to alanine to produce mutated proviruses designated Y487A, L490A, Y498A, L501A, and Y487/498A. Transient transfection of African green monkey kidney COS-1 cells with proviral DNAs that encoded wild-type and mutant sequences revealed that all of the mutated proviral DNAs synthesized mature envelope proteins and released virus particles into the growth medium. However, serial passages of fetal lamb kidney (FLK) cells, which are sensitive to infection with BLV, after transient transfection revealed that mutation of a second tyrosine residue in the N-terminal motif completely prevented the propagation of the virus. Similarly, Y498A and Y487/498A mutant BLV that was produced by the stably transfected COS-1 cells exhibited significantly reduced levels of cell-free virion-mediated transmission. Analysis of the protein compositions of mutant viruses demonstrated that lower levels of envelope protein were incorporated by two of the mutant virions than by wild-type and other mutant virions. Furthermore, a mutation of a second tyrosine residue decreased the specific binding of BLV particles to FLK cells and the capacity for viral penetration. Our data indicate that the YXXL sequences play critical roles in both viral entry and the incorporation of viral envelope protein into the virion during the life cycle of BLV.

A novel bacteriocin with a YGNGV motif from vegetable-associated Enterococcus mundtii: full characterization and interaction with target organisms

A novel broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide produced by vegetable-associated Enterococcus mundtii was purified and characterized, and designated mundticin. To our knowledge, this is the first report on bacteriocin production by this organism. The elucidation of the full primary amino acid sequence of mundticin (KYYGNGVSCNKKGCSVDWGKAIGIIGNNSAANLATGGAAGWSK) revealed that this antimicrobial peptide belongs to the class IIa bacteriocins of lactic acid bacteria which share a highly conserved N-terminal 'YGNGV' motif. Data obtained by computer modelling indicated an oblique orientation of the alpha-helical regions of mundticin and homologous class IIa bacteriocins at a hydrophobic-hydrophilic interface, which may play a role in the destabilization of phospholipid bilayers. The average mass of mundticin, as determined by electron spray mass spectrometry, was found to be 4287.21+/-0.59 Da. With respect to its biological activity, mundticin was shown to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum and a variety of lactic acid bacteria. Moreover, it was demonstrated to have a bactericidal effect on L. monocytogenes as a result of the dissipation of the membrane potential, and a loss of intracellular ATP in absence of ATP leakage. Its good solubility in water, and its stability over a wide pH and temperature range indicate the potential of this broad spectrum bacteriocin as a natural preservation agent for foods.

Enhanced efficiency of a targeted fusogenic peptide

Membrane targeting was investigated as a potential strategy to increase the fusogenic activity of an isolated fusion peptide. This was achieved by coupling the fusogenic carboxy-terminal part of the beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta, amino acids 29-40), involved in Alzheimer's disease, to a positively charged peptide (PIP2-binding peptide, PBP) interacting specifically with a naturally occurring negatively charged phospholipid, phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Peptide-induced vesicle fusion was spectroscopically evidenced by: (i) mixing of membrane lipids, (ii) mixing of aqueous vesicular contents, and (iii) an irreversible increase in vesicle size, at concentrations five to six times lower than the Abeta(29-40) peptide. In contrast, at these concentrations the PBP-Abeta(29-40) peptide did not display any significant activity on neutral vesicles, indicating that negatively charged phospholipids included as targets in the membranes, are required to compensate for the lower hydrophobicity of this peptide. When the alpha-helical structure of the chimeric peptide was induced by dissolving it in trifluoroethanol, an increase of the fusogenic potential of the peptide was observed, supporting the hypothesis that the alpha-helical conformation of the peptide is crucial to trigger the lipid-peptide interaction. The specificity of the interaction between PIP2 and the PBP moiety, was shown by the less efficient targeting of the chimeric peptide to membranes charged with phosphatidylserine. These data thus demonstrate that the specific properties of both the Abeta(29-40) and the PBP peptide are conserved in the chimeric peptide, and that a synergetic effect is reached through chemical linkage of these two fragments.

Conservative mutations in the immunosuppressive region of the bovine leukemia virus transmembrane protein affect fusion but not infectivity in vivo

Many retroviruses, including bovine leukemia virus (BLV), contain a highly conserved region located about 40 amino acids downstream from the fusion peptide within the sequence of the external domain of the transmembrane (TM) protein. This region is notably thought to be involved in the presentation of the NH2-terminal peptide to allow cell fusion. By using hydrophobic cluster analysis and by analogy with the influenza A hemagglutinin structures, the core of the TM structure including this particular region was predicted to consist, in the BLV and other retroviral envelope proteins, of an alpha-helix followed by a loop region, both docked against a subsequent alpha-helix that forms a triple-stranded coiled coil. The loop region could undergo, as in hemagglutinin, a major refolding into an alpha-helix integrating the coiled coil structure and putting the fusion peptide to one tip of the molecule. Based on this model, we have identified amino acids that may be essential to the BLV TM structure, and a series of mutations were introduced in the BLV env gene of an infectious molecular clone. A first series of mutations was designed to disturb the coiled coil structure (substitutions with proline residues), whereas others would maintain the general TM structure. When expressed by Semliki Forest virus recombinants, all the mutated envelope proteins were stable and efficiently synthesized in baby hamster kidney cells. Both proline-substituted and conservative mutants were strongly affected in their capacity to fuse to CC81 indicator cells. In addition, it appeared that the integrity of the TM coiled coil structure is essential for envelope protein multimerization, as analyzed by metrizamide gradient centrifugation. Finally, to gain insight into the role of this coiled coil in the infectious potential of BLV in vivo, the mutated TM genes were introduced in an infectious and pathogenic molecular clone and injected into sheep. It appeared that only the conservative mutations (A60V and A64S) allowed maintenance of viral infectivity in vivo. Since these mutations destroyed the ability to induce syncytia, we conclude that efficient fusion capacity of the recombinant envelopes is not a prerequisite for the infectious potential of BLV in vivo. Viral propagation of these mutants was strongly affected in some of the infected sheep. However, the proviral loads within half of the infected animals (2 out of 2 for A60V and 1 out of 4 for A64S) were close to the wild-type levels. In these sheep, it thus appears that the A60V and A64S mutants propagate efficiently despite being unable to induce syncytia in cell culture.

A glycine to alanine substitution in the paramyxovirus SV5 fusion peptide increases the initial rate of fusion

Simian virus 5 fusion (F) protein mutant F-G3A, which contains a glycine-to-alanine substitution at position 3 in the conserved hydrophobic fusion peptide at the N-terminus of the F1 subunit, has been shown previously to cause increased syncytium formation compared to wild-type (wt) F protein, when expressed using an SV40 recombinant virus vector system (C. M. Horvath and R. A. Lamb (1992) J. Virol. 66, 2443-2455). The wt F and the F-G3A proteins were expressed in eukaryotic cells using the vaccinia virus-bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase (vac-T7) expression system, and they showed similar cell surface expression levels as determined by flow cytometry. The final extent of fusion when the vac-T7 expression system was used was not found to be greatly different when examined with a reporter gene activation assay. However, the initial rate of fusion was found to be five- to sixfold higher for the F-G3A mutant protein than the wt F protein, when examined using a quantitative assay for lipid mixing based on relief of self-quenching of fluorescence of the lipid probe octadecyl rhodamine (R18). A microscopic fluorescent dye transfer assay also showed a much earlier spread of dye from R18-labeled red blood cells to the cells expressing the mutant F-G3A protein than the wt F protein. Thus, these data indicate that a single gly-to-ala mutation in the fusion peptide domain, although not affecting the final extent of fusion, significantly increased the rate of fusion. Possible mechanisms for the increased rate of fusion are discussed.

What studies of fusion peptides tell us about viral envelope glycoprotein-mediated membrane fusion (review)

This review describes the numerous and innovative methods used to study the structure and function of viral fusion peptides. The systems studied include both intact fusion proteins and synthetic peptides interacting with model membranes. The strategies and methods include dissecting the fusion process into intermediate stages, comparing the effects of sequence mutations, electrophysiological patch clamp methods, hydrophobic photolabelling, video microscopy of the redistribution of both aqueous and lipophilic fluorescent probes between cells, standard optical spectroscopy of peptides in solution (circular dichroism and fluorescence) and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of peptides bound to planar bilayers. Although the goal of a detailed picture of the fusion pore has not been achieved for any of the intermediate stages, important properties useful for constraining the development of models are emerging. For example, the presence of alpha-helical structure in at least part of the fusion peptide is strongly correlated with activity; whereas, beta-structure tends to be less prevalent, associated with non-native experimental conditions, and more related to vesicle aggregation than fusion. The specific angle of insertion of the peptides into the membrane plane is also found to be an important characteristic for the fusion process. A shallow penetration, extending only to the central aliphatic core region, is likely responsible for the destabilization of the lipids required for coalescence of the apposing membranes and fusion. The functional role of the fusion peptides (which tend to be either nonpolar or aliphatic) is then to bind to and dehydrate the outer bilayers at a localized site; and thus reduce the energy barrier for the formation of highly curved, lipidic 'stalk' intermediates. In addition, the importance of the formation of specific, 'higher-order' fusion peptide complexes has also been shown. Recent crystallographic structures of core domains of two more fusion proteins (in addition to influenza haemagglutinin) has greatly facilitated the development of prototypic models of the fusion site. This latter effort will undoubtedly benefit from the insights and constraints gained from the studies of fusion peptides.

Comparative processing of bovine leukemia virus envelope glycoprotein gp72 by subtilisin/kexin-like mammalian convertases

Intracellular proteolytic processing of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) envelope glycoprotein precursor (gp72) at the C-terminal end of the RVRR268 / site is an essential step for virus infectivity. Subtilisin/kexin-like convertases cleave proproteins at preferred RX(K/R)R / sites, including those commonly found in viral envelope glycoprotein precursors. We first demonstrated that gp72 is processed into gp51/gp30 in both CV1 cells and the furin-deficient LoVo cells, leading us to compare the ability of mammalian convertases to cleave BLV gp72 in vitro. In contrast to the inability of the neuroendocrine PC1 to cleave gp72, the convertases furin, PACE4, PC5-A and PC5-B, which process constitutively secreted precursors, can effectively cleave gp72 into gp51/gp30. N-terminal sequence analysis of the convertase-generated gp30 demonstrated that cleavage occurs at the in vivo-utilized RVRR / SPV site. Such furin-, PACE4- and PC5-mediated processing was completely inhibited by the alpha1-antitrypsin variant alpha1-PDX. Mutagenesis of the gp72 cleavage site into RVRG-TPV resulted in complete abrogation of gp72 processing by endogenous CV-1 cells and by convertases in vitro. Since our in vitro data suggest a redundancy in the ability of the convertases to cleave gp72, RT-PCR analysis was used to define the convertases expressed in B-lymphocytes, representing one of the major targets of BLV infection. Our data revealed that only furin and the newly discovered PC7 mRNAs are expressed in Raji, B-Jab and LG2 cell lines.