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Ferreiro D, Khalil R, Gallego MJ, Osorio NS, Arenas M. The evolution of the HIV-1 protease folding stability. Virus Evol 2022; 8:veac115. [PMID: 36601299 PMCID: PMC9802575 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veac115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of structural proteins is generally constrained by the folding stability. However, little is known about the particular capacity of viral proteins to accommodate mutations that can potentially affect the protein stability and, in general, the evolution of the protein stability over time. As an illustrative model case, here, we investigated the evolution of the stability of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) protease (PR), which is a common HIV-1 drug target, under diverse evolutionary scenarios that include (1) intra-host virus evolution in a cohort of seventy-five patients sampled over time, (2) intra-host virus evolution sampled before and after specific PR-based treatments, and (3) inter-host evolution considering extant and ancestral (reconstructed) PR sequences from diverse HIV-1 subtypes. We also investigated the specific influence of currently known HIV-1 PR resistance mutations on the PR folding stability. We found that the HIV-1 PR stability fluctuated over time within a constant and wide range in any studied evolutionary scenario, accommodating multiple mutations that partially affected the stability while maintaining activity. We did not identify relationships between change of PR stability and diverse clinical parameters such as viral load, CD4+ T-cell counts, and a surrogate of time from infection. Counterintuitively, we predicted that nearly half of the studied HIV-1 PR resistance mutations do not significantly decrease stability, which, together with compensatory mutations, would allow the protein to adapt without requiring dramatic stability changes. We conclude that the HIV-1 PR presents a wide structural plasticity to acquire molecular adaptations without affecting the overall evolution of stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ferreiro
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain,Departamento de Bioquímica, Genética e Inmunología, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
| | - Ruqaiya Khalil
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain,Departamento de Bioquímica, Genética e Inmunología, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
| | - María J Gallego
- CINBIO, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain,Departamento de Bioquímica, Genética e Inmunología, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain
| | - Nuno S Osorio
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga 4710-057, Portugal,ICVS/3Bs—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães 4806-909, Portugal
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Phillips KN, Cooper TF. The cost of evolved constitutive lac gene expression is usually, but not always, maintained during evolution of generalist populations. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12497-12507. [PMID: 34594515 PMCID: PMC8462147 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Beneficial mutations can become costly following an environmental change. Compensatory mutations can relieve these costs, while not affecting the selected function, so that the benefits are retained if the environment shifts back to be similar to the one in which the beneficial mutation was originally selected. Compensatory mutations have been extensively studied in the context of antibiotic resistance, responses to specific genetic perturbations, and in the determination of interacting gene network components. Few studies have focused on the role of compensatory mutations during more general adaptation, especially as the result of selection in fluctuating environments where adaptations to different environment components may often involve trade-offs. We examine whether costs of a mutation in lacI, which deregulated the expression of the lac operon in evolving populations of Escherichia coli bacteria, were compensated. This mutation occurred in multiple replicate populations selected in environments that fluctuated between growth on lactose, where the mutation was beneficial, and on glucose, where it was deleterious. We found that compensation for the cost of the lacI mutation was rare, but, when it did occur, it did not negatively affect the selected benefit. Compensation was not more likely to occur in a particular evolution environment. Compensation has the potential to remove pleiotropic costs of adaptation, but its rarity indicates that the circumstances to bring about the phenomenon may be peculiar to each individual or impeded by other selected mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly N. Phillips
- Department of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Tim F. Cooper
- Department of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
- School of Natural and Computational SciencesMassey UniversityAucklandNew Zealand
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3
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Joshi VR, Newman RM, Pack ML, Power KA, Munro JB, Okawa K, Madani N, Sodroski JG, Schmidt AG, Allen TM. Gp41-targeted antibodies restore infectivity of a fusion-deficient HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008577. [PMID: 32392227 PMCID: PMC7241850 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) mediates viral entry via conformational changes associated with binding the cell surface receptor (CD4) and coreceptor (CCR5/CXCR4), resulting in subsequent fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. While the gp120 Env surface subunit has been extensively studied for its role in viral entry and evasion of the host immune response, the gp41 transmembrane glycoprotein and its role in natural infection are less well characterized. Here, we identified a primary HIV-1 Env variant that consistently supports >300% increased viral infectivity in the presence of autologous or heterologous HIV-positive plasma. However, in the absence of HIV-positive plasma, viruses with this Env exhibited reduced infectivity that was not due to decreased CD4 binding. Using Env chimeras and sequence analysis, we mapped this phenotype to a change Q563R, in the gp41 heptad repeat 1 (HR1) region. We demonstrate that Q563R reduces viral infection by disrupting formation of the gp41 six-helix bundle required for virus-cell membrane fusion. Intriguingly, antibodies that bind cluster I epitopes on gp41 overcome this inhibitory effect, restoring infectivity to wild-type levels. We further demonstrate that the Q563R change increases HIV-1 sensitivity to broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) targeting the gp41 membrane-proximal external region (MPER). In summary, we identify an HIV-1 Env variant with impaired infectivity whose Env functionality is restored through the binding of host antibodies. These data contribute to our understanding of gp41 residues involved in membrane fusion and identify a mechanism by which host factors can alleviate a viral defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinita R. Joshi
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Virology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ruchi M. Newman
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Melissa L. Pack
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Karen A. Power
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - James B. Munro
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ken Okawa
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Navid Madani
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joseph G. Sodroski
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Aaron G. Schmidt
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Todd M. Allen
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Pachón-Ibáñez ME, Smani Y, Pachón J, Sánchez-Céspedes J. Perspectives for clinical use of engineered human host defense antimicrobial peptides. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2018; 41:323-342. [PMID: 28521337 PMCID: PMC5435762 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fux012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi are among the leading causes of death worldwide. The emergence of drug-resistance mechanisms, especially among bacteria, threatens the efficacy of all current antimicrobial agents, some of them already ineffective. As a result, there is an urgent need for new antimicrobial drugs. Host defense antimicrobial peptides (HDPs) are natural occurring and well-conserved peptides of innate immunity, broadly active against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, viruses and fungi. They also are able to exert immunomodulatory and adjuvant functions by acting as chemotactic for immune cells, and inducing cytokines and chemokines secretion. Moreover, they show low propensity to elicit microbial adaptation, probably because of their non-specific mechanism of action, and are able to neutralize exotoxins and endotoxins. HDPs have the potential to be a great source of novel antimicrobial agents. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the advances made in the development of human defensins as well as the cathelicidin LL-37 and their derivatives as antimicrobial agents against bacteria, viruses and fungi for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Eugenia Pachón-Ibáñez
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Seville
| | - Younes Smani
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Seville
| | - Jerónimo Pachón
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Seville.,Department of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Javier Sánchez-Céspedes
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Seville.,Department of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
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Abstract
α, β, and θ defensins are effectors of the innate immune system with potent antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity. Defensins have direct antiviral activity in cell culture, with varied mechanisms for individual viruses, although some common themes have emerged. In addition, defensins have potent immunomodulatory activity that can alter innate and adaptive immune responses to viral infection. In some cases, there is evidence for paradoxical escape from defensin neutralization or enhancement of viral infection. The direct and indirect activities of defensins have led to their development as therapeutics and vaccine components. The major area of investigation that continues to lag is the connection between the effects of defensins in cell culture models and viral pathogenesis in vivo. Model systems to study defensin biology, including more physiologic models designed to bridge this gap, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi K Holly
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195;
| | - Karina Diaz
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195;
| | - Jason G Smith
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195;
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Herman Lara H. Luciferase Time-based, High-throughput Screening Assay for the Discovery of HIV-1 Inhibitors. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.15406/jhvrv.2014.01.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Abstract
Cyclic peptides are found in a diverse range of organisms and are characterized by their stability and role in defense. Why is only one class of cyclic peptides found in mammals? Possibly we have not looked hard enough for them, or the technologies needed to identify them are not fully developed. We also do not yet understand their intriguing biosynthesis from two separate gene products. Addressing these challenges will require the application of chemical tools and insights from other classes of cyclic peptides. Herein, we highlight recent developments in the characterization of theta defensins and describe the important role that chemistry has played in delineating their modes of action. Furthermore, we emphasize the potential of theta defensins as antimicrobial agents and scaffolds for peptide drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne C Conibear
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072 QLD (Australia) http://www.imb.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=11695
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Defensins are a major family of antimicrobial peptides expressed predominantly in neutrophils and epithelial cells, and play important roles in innate immune defense against infectious pathogens. Their biological functions in and beyond innate immunity, structure and activity relationships, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic potential continue to be interesting research topics. This review examines recent progress in our understanding of alpha and theta-defensins - the two structural classes composed of members of myeloid origin. RECENT FINDINGS A novel mode of antibacterial action is described for human enteric alpha-defensin 6, which forms structured nanonets to entrap bacterial pathogens and protect against bacterial invasion of the intestinal epithelium. The functional multiplicity and mechanistic complexity of defensins under different experimental conditions contribute to a debate over the role of enteric alpha-defensins in mucosal immunity against HIV-1 infection. Contrary to common belief, hydrophobicity rather than cationicity plays a dominant functional role in the action of human alpha-defensins; hydrophobicity-mediated high-order assembly endows human alpha-defensins with an extraordinary ability to acquire structural diversity and functional versatility. Growing evidence suggests that theta-defensins offer the best opportunity for therapeutic development as a novel class of broadly active anti-infective and anti-inflammatory agents. SUMMARY Defensins are the 'Swiss army knife' in innate immunity against microbial pathogens. Their modes of action are often reminiscent of the story of 'The Blind Men and the Elephant'. The functional diversity and mechanistic complexity, as well as therapeutic potential of defensins, will continue to attract attention to this important family of antimicrobial peptides.
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Cheng DQ, Li Y, Huang JF. Molecular evolution of the primate α-/θ-defensin multigene family. PLoS One 2014; 9:e97425. [PMID: 24819937 PMCID: PMC4018336 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The primate α-/θ-defensin multigene family encodes versatile endogenous cationic and amphipathic peptides that have broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity. Although previous studies have reported that α-/θ-defensin (DEFA/DEFT) genes are under birth-and-death evolution with frequent duplication and rapid evolution, the phylogenetic relationships of the primate DEFA/DEFT genes; the genetic bases for the existence of similar antimicrobial spectra among closely related species; and the evolutionary processes involved in the emergence of cyclic θ-defensins in Old World monkeys and their subsequent loss of function in humans, chimpanzees and gorillas require further investigation. In this study, the DEFA/DEFT gene repertoires from primate and treeshrew were collected, followed by detailed phylogenetic, sequence and structure, selection pressure and comparative genomics analyses. All treeshrew, prosimian and simian DEFA/DEFT genes are grouped into two major clades, which are tissue-specific for enteric and myeloid defensins in simians. The simian enteric and myeloid α-defensins are classified into six functional gene clusters with diverged sequences, variable structures, altered functional constraints and different selection pressures, which likely reflect the antimicrobial spectra among closely related species. Species-specific duplication or pseudogenization within each simian cluster implies that the antimicrobial spectrum is ever-shifting, most likely challenged by the ever-changing pathogen environment. The DEFT evolved from the myeloid DEFA8. The prosegment of θ-defensin is detected with adaptive changes coevolving with the new protein fold of mature peptide, coincident with the importance of the prosegment for the correct folding of the mature peptide. Lastly, a less-is-hitchhiking hypothesis was proposed as a possible explanation for the expansion of pseudogene DEFTP and the loss of functional DEFT, where the gain or loss of the hitchhiker is determined by its adjacent driver gene during the birth-and-death evolutionary process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Qiang Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Yaan, China
| | - Jing-Fei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
- Kunming Institute of Zoology-Chinese University of Hongkong Joint Research Center for Bio-resources and Human Disease Mechanisms, Kunming, China
- * E-mail:
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Bastian AR, Contarino M, Bailey LD, Aneja R, Moreira DRM, Freedman K, McFadden K, Duffy C, Emileh A, Leslie G, Jacobson JM, Hoxie JA, Chaiken I. Interactions of peptide triazole thiols with Env gp120 induce irreversible breakdown and inactivation of HIV-1 virions. Retrovirology 2013; 10:153. [PMID: 24330857 PMCID: PMC3878761 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-10-153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We examined the underlying mechanism of action of the peptide triazole thiol, KR13 that has been shown previously to specifically bind gp120, block cell receptor site interactions and potently inhibit HIV-1 infectivity. Results KR13, the sulfhydryl blocked KR13b and its parent non-sulfhydryl peptide triazole, HNG156, induced gp120 shedding but only KR13 induced p24 capsid protein release. The resulting virion post virolysis had an altered morphology, contained no gp120, but retained gp41 that bound to neutralizing gp41 antibodies. Remarkably, HIV-1 p24 release by KR13 was inhibited by enfuvirtide, which blocks formation of the gp41 6-helix bundle during membrane fusion, while no inhibition of p24 release occurred for enfuvirtide-resistant virus. KR13 thus appears to induce structural changes in gp41 normally associated with membrane fusion and cell entry. The HIV-1 p24 release induced by KR13 was observed in several clades of HIV-1 as well as in fully infectious HIV-1 virions. Conclusions The antiviral activity of KR13 and its ability to inactivate virions prior to target cell engagement suggest that peptide triazole thiols could be highly effective in inhibiting HIV transmission across mucosal barriers and provide a novel probe to understand biochemical signals within envelope that are involved in membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Irwin Chaiken
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University College of Medicine, 245N 15th Street, New College Building, Room No, 11102, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA.
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