Interaction of human immunodeficiency virus gp120 with the voltage-gated potassium channel BEC1

Herrmann, Madeleine; Ruprecht, Klemens; Sauter, Marlies; Martinez, Javier P.; van Heteren, Pearl; Glas, Michael; Best, Barbara; Meyerhans, Andreas; Roemer, Klaus; Mueller-Lantzsch, Nikolaus

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.febslet.2010.07.016

Interaction of human immunodeficiency virus gp120 with the voltage-gated potassium channel BEC1

Citation

Herrmann M, Ruprecht K, Sauter M, Martinez J, van Heteren P, Glas M et al. Interaction of human immunodeficiency virus gp120 with the voltage-gated potassium channel BEC1. FEBS Letters. 2010;584(16):3513-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2010.07.016

Abstract

Retrovirus replication critically depends on a dynamic interplay between retroviral and host proteins. We report on the binding of the surface subunit (glycoprotein 120 (gp120)) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope protein (Env) to the cytoplasmic C-terminus of the voltage-gated potassium channel BEC1 (brain-specific ether-a-go-go-like channel 1), an interaction that can result in the repression of BEC's activity and the inhibition of HIV-1 particle-release. BEC1 protein was found to be expressed in T cells and macrophages, the major target cells of HIV-1. Thus, gp120/BEC1 interaction may be involved in HIV-1 life cycle and/or pathogenesis.