In COS Cells Vpu Can Both Stabilize Tetherin Expression and Counteract Its Antiviral Activity

The interferon-inducible cellular protein tetherin (CD317/BST-2) inhibits the release of a broad range of enveloped viruses. The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu enhances virus particle release by counteracting this host restriction factor. While the antagonism of human tetherin by Vpu has been associated with both proteasomal and lysosomal degradation, the link between Vpu-mediated tetherin degradation and the ability of Vpu to counteract the antiviral activity of tetherin remains poorly understood. Here, we show that human tetherin is expressed at low levels in African green monkey kidney (COS) cells. However, Vpu markedly increases tetherin expression in this cell line, apparently by sequestering it in an internal compartment that bears lysosomal markers. This stabilization of tetherin by Vpu requires the transmembrane sequence of human tetherin. Although Vpu stabilizes human tetherin in COS cells, it still counteracts the ability of tetherin to suppress virus release. The enhancement of virus release by Vpu in COS cells is associated with a modest reduction in cell-surface tetherin expression, even though the overall expression of tetherin is higher in the presence of Vpu. This study demonstrates that COS cells provide a model system in which Vpu-mediated enhancement of HIV-1 release is uncoupled from Vpu-mediated tetherin degradation.     

Identification of amino acids in the human tetherin transmembrane domain responsible for HIV-1 Vpu interaction and susceptibility

Tetherin, also known as BST-2/CD317/HM1.24, is an antiviral cellular protein that inhibits the release of HIV-1 particles from infected cells. HIV-1 viral protein U (Vpu) is a specific antagonist of human tetherin that might contribute to the high virulence of HIV-1. In this study, we show that three amino acid residues (I34, L37, and L41) in the transmembrane (TM) domain of human tetherin are critical for the interaction with Vpu by using a live cell-based assay. We also found that the conservation of an additional amino acid at position 45 and two residues downstream of position 22, which are absent from monkey tetherins, are required for the antagonism by Vpu. Moreover, computer-assisted structural modeling and mutagenesis studies suggest that an alignment of these four amino acid residues (I34, L37, L41, and T45) on the same helical face in the TM domain is crucial for the Vpu-mediated antagonism of human tetherin. These results contribute to the molecular understanding of human tetherin-specific antagonism by HIV-1 Vpu.     

HIV-1 Vpu Neutralizes the Antiviral Factor Tetherin/BST-2 by Binding It and Directing Its Beta-TrCP2-Dependent Degradation

Host cells impose a broad range of obstacles to the replication of retroviruses. Tetherin (also known as CD317, BST-2 or HM1.24) impedes viral release by retaining newly budded HIV-1 virions on the surface of cells. HIV-1 Vpu efficiently counteracts this restriction. Here, we show that HIV-1 Vpu induces the depletion of tetherin from cells. We demonstrate that this phenomenon correlates with the ability of Vpu to counteract the antiviral activity of both overexpressed and interferon-induced endogenous tetherin. In addition, we show that Vpu co-immunoprecipitates with tetherin and β-TrCP in a tri-molecular complex. This interaction leads to Vpu-mediated proteasomal degradation of tetherin in a β-TrCP2-dependent manner. Accordingly, in conditions where Vpu-β-TrCP2-tetherin interplay was not operative, including cells stably knocked down for β-TrCP2 expression or cells expressing a dominant negative form of β-TrCP, the ability of Vpu to antagonize the antiviral activity of tetherin was severely impaired. Nevertheless, tetherin degradation did not account for the totality of Vpu-mediated counteraction against the antiviral factor, as binding of Vpu to tetherin was sufficient for a partial relief of the restriction. Finally, we show that the mechanism used by Vpu to induce tetherin depletion implicates the cellular ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway, which mediates the dislocation of ER membrane proteins into the cytosol for subsequent proteasomal degradation. In conclusion, we show that Vpu interacts with tetherin to direct its β-TrCP2-dependent proteasomal degradation, thereby alleviating the blockade to the release of infectious virions. Identification of tetherin binding to Vpu provides a potential novel target for the development of drugs aimed at inhibiting HIV-1 replication.     

Species-Specific Activity of HIV-1 Vpu and Positive Selection of Tetherin Transmembrane Domain Variants

Tetherin/BST-2/CD317 is a recently identified antiviral protein that blocks the release of nascent retrovirus, and other virus, particles from infected cells. An HIV-1 accessory protein, Vpu, acts as an antagonist of tetherin. Here, we show that positive selection is evident in primate tetherin sequences and that HIV-1 Vpu appears to have specifically adapted to antagonize variants of tetherin found in humans and chimpanzees. Tetherin variants found in rhesus macaques (rh), African green monkeys (agm) and mice were able to inhibit HIV-1 particle release, but were resistant to antagonism by HIV-1 Vpu. Notably, reciprocal exchange of transmembrane domains between human and monkey tetherins conferred sensitivity and resistance to Vpu, identifying this protein domain as a critical determinant of Vpu function. Indeed, differences between hu-tetherin and rh-tetherin at several positions in the transmembrane domain affected sensitivity to antagonism by Vpu. Two alterations in the hu-tetherin transmembrane domain, that correspond to differences found in rh- and agm-tetherin proteins, were sufficient to render hu-tetherin completely resistant to HIV-1 Vpu. Interestingly, transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain sequences in primate tetherins exhibit variation at numerous codons that is likely the result of positive selection, and some of these changes coincide with determinants of HIV-1 Vpu sensitivity. Overall, these data indicate that tetherin could impose a barrier to viral zoonosis as a consequence of positive selection that has been driven by ancient viral antagonists, and that the HIV-1 Vpu protein has specialized to target the transmembrane domains found in human/chimpanzee tetherin proteins.     

Influenza A Virus Does Not Encode a Tetherin Antagonist with Vpu-Like Activity and Induces IFN-Dependent Tetherin Expression in Infected Cells

The interferon-induced host cell factor tetherin inhibits release of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from the plasma membrane of infected cells and is counteracted by the HIV-1 protein Vpu. Influenza A virus (FLUAV) also buds from the plasma membrane and is not inhibited by tetherin. Here, we investigated if FLUAV encodes a functional equivalent of Vpu for tetherin antagonism. We found that expression of the FLUAV protein NS1, which antagonizes the interferon (IFN) response, did not block the tetherin-mediated restriction of HIV release, which was rescued by Vpu. Similarly, tetherin-mediated inhibition of HIV release was not rescued by FLUAV infection. In contrast, FLUAV infection induced tetherin expression on target cells in an IFN-dependent manner. These results suggest that FLUAV escapes the antiviral effects of tetherin without encoding a tetherin antagonist with Vpu-like activity.     

Serine-threonine ubiquitination mediates downregulation of BST-2/tetherin and relief of restricted virion release by HIV-1 Vpu

The HIV-1 protein Vpu counteracts the antiviral activity of the innate restriction factor BST-2/tetherin by a mechanism that partly depends on its interaction with β-TrCP, a substrate adaptor for an SCF (Skp-Cullin 1-F box) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. This suggests that Vpu stimulates the ubiquitination of BST-2 and that this underlies the relief of restriction. Here, we show that Vpu stimulates ubiquitination of BST-2. Mutation of all potential ubiquitination sites in the cytoplasmic domain of BST-2, including lysines, cysteines, serines, and threonines, abrogates Vpu-mediated ubiquitination. However, a serine-threonine-serine sequence specifically mediates the downregulation of BST-2 from the cell surface and the optimal relief of restricted virion release. Serine-threonine ubiquitination of BST-2 is likely part of the mechanism by which Vpu counteracts innate defenses.     

The RING-CH Ligase K5 Antagonizes Restriction of KSHV and HIV-1 Particle Release by Mediating Ubiquitin-Dependent Endosomal Degradation of Tetherin

Tetherin (CD317/BST2) is an interferon-induced membrane protein that inhibits the release of diverse enveloped viral particles. Several mammalian viruses have evolved countermeasures that inactivate tetherin, with the prototype being the HIV-1 Vpu protein. Here we show that the human herpesvirus Kaposi''s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is sensitive to tetherin restriction and its activity is counteracted by the KSHV encoded RING-CH E3 ubiquitin ligase K5. Tetherin expression in KSHV-infected cells inhibits viral particle release, as does depletion of K5 protein using RNA interference. K5 induces a species-specific downregulation of human tetherin from the cell surface followed by its endosomal degradation. We show that K5 targets a single lysine (K18) in the cytoplasmic tail of tetherin for ubiquitination, leading to relocalization of tetherin to CD63-positive endosomal compartments. Tetherin degradation is dependent on ESCRT-mediated endosomal sorting, but does not require a tyrosine-based sorting signal in the tetherin cytoplasmic tail. Importantly, we also show that the ability of K5 to substitute for Vpu in HIV-1 release is entirely dependent on K18 and the RING-CH domain of K5. By contrast, while Vpu induces ubiquitination of tetherin cytoplasmic tail lysine residues, mutation of these positions has no effect on its antagonism of tetherin function, and residual tetherin is associated with the trans-Golgi network (TGN) in Vpu-expressing cells. Taken together our results demonstrate that K5 is a mechanistically distinct viral countermeasure to tetherin-mediated restriction, and that herpesvirus particle release is sensitive to this mode of antiviral inhibition.     

Equine Tetherin Blocks Retrovirus Release and Its Activity Is Antagonized by Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Envelope Protein

Human tetherin is a host restriction factor that inhibits replication of enveloped viruses by blocking viral release. Tetherin has an unusual topology that includes an N-terminal cytoplasmic tail, a single transmembrane domain, an extracellular domain, and a C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor. Tetherin is not well conserved across species, so it inhibits viral replication in a species-specific manner. Thus, studies of tetherin activities from different species provide an important tool for understanding its antiviral mechanism. Here, we report cloning of equine tetherin and characterization of its antiviral activity. Equine tetherin shares 53%, 40%, 36%, and 34% amino acid sequence identity with feline, human, simian, and murine tetherins, respectively. Like the feline tetherin, equine tetherin has a shorter N-terminal domain than human tetherin. Equine tetherin is localized on the cell surface and strongly blocks human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) release from virus-producing cells. The antiviral activity of equine tetherin is neutralized by EIAV envelope protein, but not by the HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu, which is a human tetherin antagonist, and EIAV envelope protein does not counteract human tetherin. These results shed new light on our understanding of the species-specific tetherin antiviral mechanism.     

Biophysical analysis of HTLV-1 particles reveals novel insights into particle morphology and Gag stoichiometry

Background

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpu protein degrades CD4 and counteracts a restriction factor termed tetherin (CD317; Bst-2) to enhance virion release. It has been suggested that both functions can be genetically separated by mutation of a serine residue at position 52. However, recent data suggest that the S52 phosphorylation site is also important for the ability of Vpu to counteract tetherin. To clarify this issue, we performed a comprehensive analysis of HIV-1 with a mutated casein kinase-II phosphorylation site in Vpu in various cell lines, primary blood lymphocytes (PBL), monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) and ex vivo human lymphoid tissue (HLT).

Results

We show that mutation of serine 52 to alanine (S52A) entirely disrupts Vpu-mediated degradation of CD4 and strongly impairs its ability to antagonize tetherin. Furthermore, casein-kinase II inhibitors blocked the ability of Vpu to degrade tetherin. Overall, Vpu S52A could only overcome low levels of tetherin, and its activity decreased in a manner dependent on the amount of transiently or endogenously expressed tetherin. As a consequence, the S52A Vpu mutant virus was unable to replicate in macrophages, which express high levels of this restriction factor. In contrast, HIV-1 Vpu S52A caused CD4+ T-cell depletion and spread efficiently in ex vivo human lymphoid tissue and PBL, most likely because these cells express comparably low levels of tetherin.

Conclusion

Our data explain why the effect of the S52A mutation in Vpu on virus release is cell-type dependent and suggest that a reduced ability of Vpu to counteract tetherin impairs HIV-1 replication in macrophages, but not in tissue CD4+ T cells.     

Functional Antagonism of Rhesus Macaque and Chimpanzee BST-2 by HIV-1 Vpu Is Mediated by Cytoplasmic Domain Interactions

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Vpu enhances the release of viral particles from infected cells by interfering with the function of BST-2/tetherin, a cellular protein inhibiting virus release. The Vpu protein encoded by NL4-3, a widely used HIV-1 laboratory strain, antagonizes human BST-2 but not monkey or murine BST-2, leading to the conclusion that BST-2 antagonism by Vpu is species specific. In contrast, we recently identified several primary Vpu isolates, such as Vpu of HIV-1_DH12, capable of antagonizing both human and rhesus BST-2. Here we report that while Vpu interacts with human BST-2 primarily through their respective transmembrane domains, antagonism of rhesus BST-2 by Vpu involved an interaction of their cytoplasmic domains. Importantly, a Vpu mutant carrying two mutations in its transmembrane domain (A₁₄L and W₂₂A), rendering it incompetent for interaction with human BST-2, was able to interact with human BST-2 carrying the rhesus BST-2 cytoplasmic domain and partially neutralized the ability of this BST-2 variant to inhibit viral release. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis to detect Vpu–BST-2 interactions suggested that the physical interaction of Vpu with rhesus or chimpanzee BST-2 involves a 5-residue motif in the cytoplasmic domain of BST-2 previously identified as important for the antagonism of monkey and great ape BST-2 by simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Nef. Thus, our study identifies a novel mechanism of antagonism of monkey and great ape BST-2 by Vpu that targets the same motif in BST-2 used by SIV Nef and might explain the expanded host range observed for Vpu isolates in our previous study.     

The ESCRT-0 component HRS is required for HIV-1 Vpu-mediated BST-2/tetherin down-regulation

The Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport (ESCRT) machinery, a highly conserved set of four hetero-oligomeric protein complexes, is required for multivesicular body formation, sorting ubiquitinylated membrane proteins for lysosomal degradation, cytokinesis and the final stages of assembly of a number of enveloped viruses, including the human immunodeficiency viruses. Here, we show an additional role for the ESCRT machinery in HIV-1 release. BST-2/tetherin is a restriction factor that impedes HIV release by tethering mature virus particles to the plasma membrane. We found that HRS, a key component of the ESCRT-0 complex, promotes efficient release of HIV-1 and that siRNA-mediated HRS depletion induces a BST-2/tetherin phenotype. This activity is related to the ability of the HIV-1 Vpu protein to down-regulate BST-2/tetherin. We found that BST-2/tetherin undergoes constitutive ESCRT-dependent sorting for lysosomal degradation and that this degradation is enhanced by Vpu expression. We demonstrate that Vpu-mediated BST-2/tetherin down-modulation and degradation require HRS (ESCRT-0) function and that knock down of HRS increases cellular levels of BST-2/tetherin and restricts virus release. Furthermore, HRS co-precipitates with Vpu and BST-2. Our results provide further insight into the mechanism by which Vpu counteracts BST-2/tetherin and promotes HIV-1 dissemination, and they highlight an additional role for the ESCRT machinery in virus release.     

A Cytoplasmic Tail Determinant in HIV-1 Vpu Mediates Targeting of Tetherin for Endosomal Degradation and Counteracts Interferon-Induced Restriction

The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu counteracts tetherin (BST-2/CD317) by preventing its incorporation into virions, reducing its surface expression, and ultimately promoting its degradation. Here we characterize a putative trafficking motif, EXXXLV, in the second alpha helix of the subtype-B Vpu cytoplasmic tail as being required for efficient tetherin antagonism. Mutation of this motif prevents ESCRT-dependent degradation of tetherin/Vpu complexes, tetherin cell surface downregulation, but not its physical interaction with Vpu. Importantly, this motif is required for efficient cell-free virion release from CD4+ T cells, particularly after their exposure to type-1 interferon, indicating that the ability to reduce surface tetherin levels and promote its degradation is important to counteract restriction under conditions that the virus likely encounters in vivo. Vpu EXXXLV mutants accumulate with tetherin at the cell surface and in endosomal compartments, but retain the ability to bind both β-TrCP2 and HRS, indicating that this motif is required for a post-binding trafficking event that commits tetherin for ESCRT-dependent degradation and prevents its transit to the plasma membrane and viral budding zones. We further found that while Vpu function is dependent on clathrin, and the entire second alpha helix of the Vpu tail can be functionally complemented by a clathrin adaptor binding peptide derived from HIV-1 Nef, none of the canonical clathrin adaptors nor retromer are required for this process. Finally we show that residual activity of Vpu EXXXLV mutants requires an intact endocytic motif in tetherin, suggesting that physical association of Vpu with tetherin during its recycling may be sufficient to compromise tetherin activity to some degree.     

HIV-1 Accessory Protein Vpu Internalizes Cell-surface BST-2/Tetherin through Transmembrane Interactions Leading to Lysosomes

Bone marrow stromal antigen 2 (BST-2, also known as tetherin) is a recently identified interferon-inducible host restriction factor that can block the production of enveloped viruses by trapping virus particles at the cell surface. This antiviral effect is counteracted by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) accessory protein viral protein U (Vpu). Here we show that HIV-1 Vpu physically interacts with BST-2 through their mutual transmembrane domains and leads to the degradation of this host factor via a lysosomal, not proteasomal, pathway. The degradation is partially controlled by a cellular protein, β-transducin repeat-containing protein (βTrCP), which is known to be required for the Vpu-induced degradation of CD4. Importantly, targeting of BST-2 by Vpu occurs at the plasma membrane followed by the active internalization of this host protein by Vpu independently of constitutive endocytosis. Thus, the primary site of action of Vpu is the plasma membrane, where Vpu targets and internalizes cell-surface BST-2 through transmembrane interactions, leading to lysosomal degradation, partially in a βTrCP-dependent manner. Also, we propose the following configuration of BST-2 in tethering virions to the cell surface; each of the dimerized BST-2 molecules acts as a bridge between viral and cell membranes.     

Preservation of Tetherin and CD4 Counter-Activities in Circulating Vpu Alleles despite Extensive Sequence Variation within HIV-1 Infected Individuals

The HIV-1 Vpu protein is expressed from a bi-cistronic message late in the viral life cycle. It functions during viral assembly to maximise infectious virus release by targeting CD4 for proteosomal degradation and counteracting the antiviral protein tetherin (BST2/CD317). Single genome analysis of vpu repertoires throughout infection in 14 individuals infected with HIV-1 clade B revealed extensive amino acid diversity of the Vpu protein. For the most part, this variation in Vpu increases over the course of infection and is associated with predicted epitopes of the individual''s MHC class I haplotype, suggesting CD8+ T cell pressure is the major driver of Vpu sequence diversity within the host. Despite this variability, the Vpu functions of targeting CD4 and counteracting both physical virus restriction and NF-κB activation by tetherin are rigorously maintained throughout HIV-1 infection. Only a minority of circulating alleles bear lesions in either of these activities at any given time, suggesting functional Vpu mutants are heavily selected against even at later stages of infection. Comparison of Vpu proteins defective for one or several functions reveals novel determinants of CD4 downregulation, counteraction of tetherin restriction, and inhibition of NF-κB signalling. These data affirm the importance of Vpu functions for in vivo persistence of HIV-1 within infected individuals, not simply for transmission, and highlight its potential as a target for antiviral therapy.     

Mutation of a Single Residue Renders Human Tetherin Resistant to HIV-1 Vpu-Mediated Depletion

The recently identified restriction factor tetherin/BST-2/CD317 is an interferon-inducible trans-membrane protein that restricts HIV-1 particle release in the absence of the HIV-1 countermeasure viral protein U (Vpu). It is known that Tantalus monkey CV1 cells can be rendered non-permissive to HIV-1 release upon stimulation with type 1 interferon, despite the presence of Vpu, suggesting species-specific sensitivity of tetherin proteins to viral countermeasures such as Vpu. Here we demonstrate that Tantalus monkey tetherin restricts HIV-1 by nearly two orders of magnitude, but in contrast to human tetherin the Tantalus protein is insensitive to HIV-1 Vpu. We have investigated tetherin''s sensitivity to Vpu using positive selection analyses, seeking evidence for evolutionary conflict between tetherin and viral countermeasures. We provide evidence that tetherin has undergone positive selection during primate evolution. Mutation of a single amino acid (showing evidence of positive selection) in the trans-membrane cap of human tetherin to that in Tantalus monkey (T45I) substantially impacts on sensitivity to HIV-1 Vpu, but not on antiviral activity. Finally, we provide evidence that cellular steady state levels of tetherin are substantially reduced by Vpu, and that the T45I mutation abrogates this effect. This study provides evidence that tetherin is important in protecting mammals against viral infection, and that the HIV-1 Vpu–mediated countermeasure is specifically adapted to act against human tetherin. It also emphasizes the power of selection analyses to illuminate the molecular details of host–virus interactions. This work suggests that tetherin binding agents might protect it from viral encoded countermeasures and thus make powerful antivirals.     

Serine Phosphorylation of HIV-1 Vpu and Its Binding to Tetherin Regulates Interaction with Clathrin Adaptors

HIV-1 Vpu prevents incorporation of tetherin (BST2/ CD317) into budding virions and targets it for ESCRT-dependent endosomal degradation via a clathrin-dependent process. This requires a variant acidic dileucine-sorting motif (ExxxLV) in Vpu. Structural studies demonstrate that recombinant Vpu/tetherin fusions can form a ternary complex with the clathrin adaptor AP-1. However, open questions still exist about Vpu’s mechanism of action. Particularly, whether endosomal degradation and the recruitment of the E3 ubiquitin ligase SCF^βTRCP1/2 to a conserved phosphorylated binding site, DSGNES, are required for antagonism. Re-evaluation of the phenotype of Vpu phosphorylation mutants and naturally occurring allelic variants reveals that the requirement for the Vpu phosphoserine motif in tetherin antagonism is dissociable from SCF^βTRCP1/2 and ESCRT-dependent tetherin degradation. Vpu phospho-mutants phenocopy ExxxLV mutants, and can be rescued by direct clathrin interaction in the absence of SCF^βTRCP1/2 recruitment. Moreover, we demonstrate physical interaction between Vpu and AP-1 or AP-2 in cells. This requires Vpu/tetherin transmembrane domain interactions as well as the ExxxLV motif. Importantly, it also requires the Vpu phosphoserine motif and adjacent acidic residues. Taken together these data explain the discordance between the role of SCF^βTRCP1/2 and Vpu phosphorylation in tetherin antagonism, and indicate that phosphorylation of Vpu in Vpu/tetherin complexes regulates promiscuous recruitment of adaptors, implicating clathrin-dependent sorting as an essential first step in tetherin antagonism.     

Tetherin/BST-2 Antagonism by Nef Depends on a Direct Physical Interaction between Nef and Tetherin,and on Clathrin-mediated Endocytosis

Nef is the viral gene product employed by the majority of primate lentiviruses to overcome restriction by tetherin (BST-2 or CD317), an interferon-inducible transmembrane protein that inhibits the detachment of enveloped viruses from infected cells. Although the mechanisms of tetherin antagonism by HIV-1 Vpu and HIV-2 Env have been investigated in detail, comparatively little is known about tetherin antagonism by SIV Nef. Here we demonstrate a direct physical interaction between SIV Nef and rhesus macaque tetherin, define the residues in Nef required for tetherin antagonism, and show that the anti-tetherin activity of Nef is dependent on clathrin-mediated endocytosis. SIV Nef co-immunoprecipitated with rhesus macaque tetherin and the Nef core domain bound directly to a peptide corresponding to the cytoplasmic domain of rhesus tetherin by surface plasmon resonance. An analysis of alanine-scanning substitutions identified residues throughout the N-terminal, globular core and flexible loop regions of Nef that were required for tetherin antagonism. Although there was significant overlap with sequences required for CD4 downregulation, tetherin antagonism was genetically separable from this activity, as well as from other Nef functions, including MHC class I-downregulation and infectivity enhancement. Consistent with a role for clathrin and dynamin 2 in the endocytosis of tetherin, dominant-negative mutants of AP180 and dynamin 2 impaired the ability of Nef to downmodulate tetherin and to counteract restriction. Taken together, these results reveal that the mechanism of tetherin antagonism by Nef depends on a physical interaction between Nef and tetherin, requires sequences throughout Nef, but is genetically separable from other Nef functions, and leads to the removal of tetherin from sites of virus release at the plasma membrane by clathrin-mediated endocytosis.     

Polarity changes in the transmembrane domain core of HIV-1 Vpu inhibits its anti-tetherin activity

Tetherin (BST-2/CD317) is an interferon-inducible antiviral protein that restricts the release of enveloped viruses from infected cells. The HIV-1 accessory protein Vpu can efficiently antagonize this restriction. In this study, we analyzed mutations of the transmembrane (TM) domain of Vpu, including deletions and substitutions, to delineate amino acids important for HIV-1 viral particle release and in interactions with tetherin. The mutants had similar subcellular localization patterns with that of wild-type Vpu and were functional with respect to CD4 downregulation. We showed that the hydrophobic binding surface for tetherin lies in the core of the Vpu TM domain. Three consecutive hydrophobic isoleucine residues in the middle region of the Vpu TM domain, I15, I16 and I17, were important for stabilizing the tetherin binding interface and determining its sensitivity to tetherin. Changing the polarity of the amino acids at these positions resulted in severe impairment of Vpu-induced tetherin targeting and antagonism. Taken together, these data reveal a model of specific hydrophobic interactions between Vpu and tetherin, which can be potentially targeted in the development of novel anti-HIV-1 drugs.     

Anti-tetherin activities of HIV-1 Vpu and Ebola virus glycoprotein do not involve removal of tetherin from lipid rafts

BST-2/tetherin is an interferon-inducible host restriction factor that blocks the release of newly formed enveloped viruses. It is enriched in lipid raft membrane microdomains, which are also the sites of assembly of several enveloped viruses. Viral anti-tetherin factors, such as the HIV-1 Vpu protein, typically act by removing tetherin from the cell surface. In contrast, the Ebola virus glycoprotein (GP) is unusual in that it blocks tetherin restriction without apparently altering its cell surface localization. We explored the possibility that GP acts to exclude tetherin from the specific sites of virus assembly without overtly removing it from the cell surface and that lipid raft exclusion is the mechanism involved. However, we found that neither GP nor Vpu had any effect on tetherin's distribution within lipid raft domains. Furthermore, GP did not prevent the colocalization of tetherin and budding viral particles. Contrary to previous reports, we also found no evidence that GP is itself a raft protein. Together, our data indicate that the exclusion of tetherin from lipid rafts is not the mechanism used by either HIV-1 Vpu or Ebola virus GP to counteract tetherin restriction.     

Vpu Downmodulates Two Distinct Targets,Tetherin and Gibbon Ape Leukemia Virus Envelope,through Shared Features in the Vpu Cytoplasmic Tail

During human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) assembly, the host proteins CD4 (the HIV-1 receptor) and tetherin (an interferon stimulated anti-viral protein) both reduce viral fitness. The HIV-1 accessory gene Vpu counteracts both of these proteins, but it is thought to do so through two distinct mechanisms. Modulation of CD4 likely occurs through proteasomal degradation from the endoplasmic reticulum. The exact mechanism of tetherin modulation is less clear, with possible roles for degradation and alteration of protein transport to the plasma membrane. Most investigations of Vpu function have used different assays for CD4 and tetherin. In addition, many of these investigations used exogenously expressed Vpu, which could result in variable expression levels. Thus, few studies have investigated these two Vpu functions in parallel assays, making direct comparisons difficult. Here, we present results from a rapid assay used to simultaneously investigate Vpu-targeting of both tetherin and a viral glycoprotein, gibbon ape leukemia virus envelope (GaLV Env). We previously reported that Vpu modulates GaLV Env and prevents its incorporation into HIV-1 particles through a recognition motif similar to that found in CD4. Using this assay, we performed a comprehensive mutagenic scan of Vpu in its native proviral context to identify features required for both types of activity. We observed considerable overlap in the Vpu sequences required to modulate tetherin and GaLV Env. We found that features in the cytoplasmic tail of Vpu, specifically within the cytoplasmic tail hinge region, were required for modulation of both tetherin and GaLV Env. Interestingly, these same regions features have been determined to be critical for CD4 downmodulation. We also observed a role for the transmembrane domain in the restriction of tetherin, as previously reported, but not of GaLV Env. We propose that Vpu may target both proteins in a mechanistically similar manner, albeit in different cellular locations.