In COS cells Vpu can both stabilize tetherin expression and counteract its antiviral activity

A Novel Vpu Adaptive Mutation of HIV-1 Degrades Tetherin in Northern Pig-Tailed Macaques (Macaca leonina) Mainly via the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway and Increases Viral Release

Tetherin prevents viral cross-species transmission by inhibiting the release of multiple enveloped viruses from infected cells. With the evolution of simian immunodeficiency virus of chimpanzees (SIVcpz), a pandemic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) precursor, its Vpu protein can antagonize human tetherin (hTetherin). Macaca leonina (northern pig-tailed macaque [NPM]) is susceptible to HIV-1, but host-specific restriction factors limit virus replication in vivo. In this study, we isolated the virus from NPMs infected with strain stHIV-1sv (with a macaque-adapted HIV-1 env gene from simian-human immunodeficiency virus SHIV-KB9, a vif gene replaced by SIVmac239, and other genes originating from HIV-1NL4.3) and found that a single acidic amino acid substitution (G53D) in Vpu could increase its ability to degrade the tetherin of macaques (mTetherin) mainly through the proteasome pathway, resulting in an enhanced release and resistance to interferon inhibition of the mutant stHIV-1sv strain, with no influence on the other functions of Vpu. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 has obvious host specificity, which has greatly hindered the construction of animal models and severely restricted the development of HIV-1 vaccines and drugs. To overcome this barrier, we attempted to isolate the virus from NPMs infected with stHIV-1sv, search for a strain with an adaptive mutation in NPMs, and develop a more appropriate nonhuman primate model of HIV-1. This is the first report identifying HIV-1 adaptations in NPMs. It suggests that while tetherin may limit HIV-1 cross-species transmission, the Vpu protein in HIV-1 can overcome this species barrier through adaptive mutation, increasing viral replication in the new host. This finding will be beneficial to building an appropriate animal model for HIV-1 infection and promoting the development of HIV-1 vaccines and drugs.

Rapid formation of human immunodeficiency virus-like particles

Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the assembly of viruses is essential for discerning how viruses transmit from cell to cell and host to host. Although molecular aspects of assembly have been studied for many viruses, we still have little information about these events in real time. Enveloped viruses such as HIV that assemble at, and bud from, the plasma membrane have been studied in some detail using live cell fluorescence imaging techniques; however, these approaches provide little information about the real-time morphological changes that take place as viral components come together to form individual virus particles. Here we used correlative scanning ion conductance microscopy and fluorescence confocal microscopy to measure the topological changes, together with the recruitment of fluorescently labeled viral proteins such as Gag and Vpr, during the assembly and release of individual HIV virus-like particles (VLPs) from the top, nonadherent surfaces of living cells. We show that 1) labeling of viral proteins with green fluorescent protein affects particle formation, 2) the kinetics of particle assembly on different plasma membrane domains can vary, possibly as a consequence of differences in membrane biophysical properties, and 3) VLPs budding from the top, unimpeded surface of cells can reach full size in 20 s and disappear from the budding site in 0.5 to 3 min from the moment curvature is initially detected, significantly faster than has been previously reported.

The viral protein U (Vpu)-interacting host protein ATP6V0C down-regulates cell-surface expression of tetherin and thereby contributes to HIV-1 release

Host proteins with antiviral activity have evolved as first-line defenses to suppress viral replication. The HIV-1 accessory protein viral protein U (Vpu) enhances release of the virus from host cells by down-regulating the cell-surface expression of the host restriction factor tetherin. However, the exact mechanism of Vpu-mediated suppression of antiviral host responses is unclear. To further understand the role of host proteins in Vpu's function, here we carried out yeast two-hybrid screening and identified the V0 subunit C of vacuolar ATPase (ATP6V0C) as a Vpu-binding protein. To examine the role of ATP6V0C in Vpu-mediated tetherin degradation and HIV-1 release, we knocked down ATP6V0C expression in HeLa cells and observed that ATP6V0C depletion impairs Vpu-mediated tetherin degradation, resulting in defective HIV-1 release. We also observed that ATP6V0C overexpression stabilizes tetherin expression. This stabilization effect was specific to ATP6V0C, as overexpression of another subunit of the vacuolar ATPase, ATP6V0C″, had no effect on tetherin expression. ATP6V0C overexpression did not stabilize CD4, another target of Vpu-mediated degradation. Immunofluorescence localization experiments revealed that the ATP6V0C-stabilized tetherin is sequestered in a CD63- and lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1)-positive intracellular compartment. These results indicate that the Vpu-interacting protein ATP6V0C plays a role in down-regulating cell-surface expression of tetherin and thereby contributes to HIV-1 assembly and release.

TIM-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 release is antagonized by Nef but potentiated by SERINC proteins

The T cell Ig and mucin domain (TIM) proteins inhibit release of HIV-1 and other enveloped viruses by interacting with cell- and virion-associated phosphatidylserine (PS). Here, we show that the Nef proteins of HIV-1 and other lentiviruses antagonize TIM-mediated restriction. TIM-1 more potently inhibits the release of Nef-deficient relative to Nef-expressing HIV-1, and ectopic expression of Nef relieves restriction. HIV-1 Nef does not down-regulate the overall level of TIM-1 expression, but promotes its internalization from the plasma membrane and sequesters its expression in intracellular compartments. Notably, Nef mutants defective in modulating membrane protein endocytic trafficking are incapable of antagonizing TIM-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 release. Intriguingly, depletion of SERINC3 or SERINC5 proteins in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) attenuates TIM-1 restriction of HIV-1 release, in particular that of Nef-deficient viruses. In contrast, coexpression of SERINC3 or SERINC5 increases the expression of TIM-1 on the plasma membrane and potentiates TIM-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 production. Pulse-chase metabolic labeling reveals that the half-life of TIM-1 is extended by SERINC5 from <2 to ∼6 hours, suggesting that SERINC5 stabilizes the expression of TIM-1. Consistent with a role for SERINC protein in potentiating TIM-1 restriction, we find that MLV glycoGag and EIAV S2 proteins, which, like Nef, antagonize SERINC-mediated diminishment of HIV-1 infectivity, also effectively counteract TIM-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 release. Collectively, our work reveals a role of Nef in antagonizing TIM-1 and highlights the complex interplay between Nef and HIV-1 restriction by TIMs and SERINCs.

βTrCP is Required for HIV-1 Vpu Modulation of CD4, GaLV Env, and BST-2/Tetherin

The Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) accessory protein Vpu modulates numerous proteins, including the host proteins CD4 and BST-2/tetherin. Vpu interacts with the Skp, Cullin, F-Box (SCF) ubiquitin ligase through interactions with the F-Box protein βTrCP (1 and/or 2). This interaction is dependent on phosphorylation of S^52,56 in Vpu. Mutation of S^52,56, or inhibition of the SCF, abolishes most Vpu activity against CD4 and partly reduces activity against BST-2/tetherin. Recently, Vpu has also been reported to interact with the clathrin adapter proteins AP-1 and AP-2, and these interactions were also found to be required for BST-2/tetherin antagonism in an S^52,56 -dependent manner. In assays where HIV-1 is pseudotyped with gibbon ape leukemia virus (GaLV Env), Vpu has also been found to prevent GaLV Env from being incorporated into viral particles, but the mechanism for this antagonism is not fully understood. To clarify the role of the βTrCPs in Vpu function we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate a clonal cell line lacking both βTrCP-1 and -2. Vpu activity against CD4 and GaLV Env was abolished in this cell line, and activity against BST-2/tetherin reduced significantly. Mutation of the S^52,56 residues no longer affected Vpu activity against BST-2/tetherin in this cell line. These data suggest that the primary role of the S^52,56 residues in antagonism of CD4, GaLV Env, and BST-2/tetherin is to recruit the SCF/βTrCP ubiquitin ligase.

High-Mannose But Not Complex-Type Glycosylation of Tetherin Is Required for Restriction of HIV-1 Release

Tetherin is an interferon-inducible antiviral protein that inhibits the release of a broad spectrum of enveloped viruses by retaining virions at the surface of infected cells. While the role of specific tetherin domains in antiviral activity is clearly established, the role of glycosylation in tetherin function is not clear. In this study, we carried out a detailed investigation of this question by using tetherin variants in which one or both sites of N-linked glycosylation were mutated (N65A, N92A, and N65,92A), and chemical inhibitors that prevent glycosylation at specific stages of oligosaccharide were added or modified. The single N-linked glycosylation mutants, N65A and N92A, efficiently inhibited the release of Vpu-defective human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In contrast, the non-glycosylated double mutant, N65,92A, lost its ability to block HIV-1 release. The inability of the N65,92A mutant to inhibit HIV-1 release is associated with a lack of cell-surface expression. A role for glycosylation in cell-surface tetherin expression is supported by tunicamycin treatment, which inhibits the first step of N-linked glycosylation and impairs both cell-surface expression and antiviral activity. Inhibition of complex-type glycosylation with kifunensine, an inhibitor of the oligosaccharide processing enzyme mannosidase 1, had no effect on either the cell-surface expression or antiviral activity of tetherin. These results demonstrate that high-mannose modification of a single asparagine residue is necessary and sufficient, while complex-type glycosylation is dispensable, for cell-surface tetherin expression and antiviral activity.

The Vpu-interacting Protein SGTA Regulates Expression of a Non-glycosylated Tetherin Species

The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu enhances virus release by counteracting the host restriction factor tetherin. To further understand the role of host cell proteins in Vpu function, we carried out yeast two-hybrid screening and identified a previously reported Vpu-interacting host factor, small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein (SGTA). While RNAi-mediated depletion of SGTA did not significantly affect levels of tetherin or virus release efficiency, we observed that overexpression of SGTA inhibited HIV-1 release in a Vpu- and tetherin-independent manner. Overexpression of SGTA in the presence of Vpu, but not in its absence, resulted in a marked stabilization and cytosolic relocalization of a 23-kDa, non-glycosylated tetherin species. Coimmunoprecipitation studies indicated that non-glycosylated tetherin is stabilized through the formation of a ternary SGTA/Vpu/tetherin complex. This accumulation of non-glycosylated tetherin is due to inhibition of its degradation, independent of the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. Because the SGTA-stabilized tetherin species is partially localized to the cytosol, we propose that overexpression of SGTA in the presence of Vpu blocks the translocation of tetherin across the ER membrane, resulting in cytosolic accumulation of a non-glycosylated tetherin species. Although our results do not provide support for a physiological function of SGTA in HIV-1 replication, they demonstrate that SGTA overexpression regulates tetherin expression and stability, thus providing insights into the function of SGTA in ER translocation and protein degradation.

Identification of BST-2/tetherin-induced hepatitis B virus restriction and hepatocyte-specific BST-2 inactivation

BST-2/tetherin is an interferon-inducible antiviral protein that blocks the release of various enveloped viruses, including HIV-1. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a major cause of liver disease, belongs to the Hepadnaviridae family of enveloped DNA viruses. Whether BST-2 regulates HBV production is largely unknown. In this report, we have demonstrated that HBV particle release is modulated by BST-2 in a cell type-dependent fashion. In HEK293T cells, ectopically expressed or interferon-induced BST-2 strongly inhibited HBV release. BST-2 co-localized with HBV surface protein at multivesicular bodies (MVBs) and physically interacted with HBV particles. However, exogenous BST-2-induced HBV restriction was weak in Huh-7 hepatoma cells, and the interferon-induced anti-HBV effect was independent of BST-2 induction in hepatic L02 cells. Notably, HBV could promote HIV-1 ΔVpu virus release from BST-2-positive HepG2 hepatoma cells but not HeLa cells, whereas Vpu failed to efficiently inhibit BST-2-induced HBV restriction. HBx exhibited an enhanced interaction and co-localization with BST-2 in hepatocytes. These observations indicate that BST-2 restricts HBV production at intracellular MVBs but is inactivated by HBV through a novel mechanism requiring hepatocyte-specific cellular co-factors or a hepatocyte-specific environment. Further understanding of BST-2-induced HBV restriction may provide new therapeutic targets for future HBV treatments.