A diacidic motif in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Nef is a novel determinant of binding to AP-2

J Virol. 2008 Feb;82(3):1166-74. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01874-07. Epub 2007 Nov 21.

Abstract

A key function of the Nef protein of immunodeficiency viruses is the downregulation of the T-cell and macrophage coreceptor, CD4, from the surfaces of infected cells. CD4 downregulation depends on a conserved (D/E)XXXL(L/I)-type dileucine motif in the C-terminal, flexible loop of Nef, which mediates binding to the clathrin adaptor complexes AP-1, AP-2, and AP-3. We now report the identification of a consensus (D/E)D motif within this loop as a second, conserved determinant of interaction of Nef with AP-2, though not with AP-1 and AP-3. Mutations in this diacidic motif abrogate both AP-2 binding and CD4 downregulation. We also show that a dileucine motif from tyrosinase, both in its native context and in the context of Nef, can bind to AP-2 independently of a diacidic motif. These results thus identify a novel type of AP-2 interaction determinant, support the notion that AP-2 is the key clathrin adaptor for the downregulation of CD4 by Nef, and reveal a previously unrecognized diversity among dileucine sorting signals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Protein Complex 1 / metabolism
  • Adaptor Protein Complex 2 / metabolism*
  • Adaptor Protein Complex 3 / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Mutant Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs*
  • nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / chemistry
  • nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics*
  • nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / metabolism*

Substances

  • Adaptor Protein Complex 1
  • Adaptor Protein Complex 2
  • Adaptor Protein Complex 3
  • Mutant Proteins
  • nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • nef protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1