Guillaume Blot

Tail-interacting protein TIP47 is a connector between Gag and Env and is required for Env incorporation into HIV-1 virions

The presence of the envelope glycoprotein Env in HIV-1 virions is essential for infectivity. To date, the molecular mechanism by which Env is packaged into virions has been largely unknown. Here, we show that TIP47 (tail-interacting protein of 47 kDa), which has been shown to interact with Env, also binds the MA (matrix) domain of HIV-1 Gag protein and that these three proteins form a ternary complex. Mutations in Gag that abrogate interaction with TIP47 inhibit Env incorporation and virion infectivity as well as colocalization between Gag and Env. We also show that TIP47 silencing impairs Env incorporation and infectivity and abolishes coimmunoprecipitation of Gag with Env. In contrast, overexpression of TIP47 increases Env packaging. Last, we demonstrate that TIP47 can interact simultaneously with Env and Gag. Taken together, our results show that TIP47 is a cellular cofactor that plays an essential role in Env incorporation, allowing the encounter and the physical association between HIV-1 Gag and Env proteins during the viral assembly process.

Targeting of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope to the trans-Golgi Network through Binding to TIP47 Is Required for Env Incorporation into Virions and Infectivity

ABSTRACT Here, we report that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Env glycoprotein is located mainly in the trans-Golgi network (TGN) due to determinants present in the cytoplasmic domain of the transmembrane gp41 glycoprotein (TMgp41). Internalization assays demonstrated that Env present at the cell surface returns to the TGN. We found that the cytoplasmic domain of TMgp41 binds to TIP47, a protein required for the transport of mannose-6-phosphate receptors from endosomes to the TGN. Overexpression of a mutant of TIP47 affected the transport of Env from endosomes to the TGN. Retrograde transport of Env to the TGN requires a Y802W803 diaromatic motif present in the TMgp41 cytoplasmic domain. Mutation of this motif abolished both targeting to the TGN as well as interaction with TIP47. These data support the view that binding of TIP47 to HIV-1 Env facilitates its delivery to the TGN. Lastly, we show that virus mutated in the Y802W803 motif is poorly infectious and presents a defect in Env incorporation, supporting a model in which retrograde transport of Env is implicated in the optimization of fully infectious HIV-1 production.

The Highly Conserved C-Terminal Dileucine Motif in the Cytosolic Domain of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope Glycoprotein Is Critical for Its Association with the AP-1 Clathrin Adapter

ABSTRACT Short amino acid sequences in the cytosolic domains of transmembrane proteins are recognized by specialized adapter proteins which are part of coated vesicles utilized to transport membrane proteins between the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and the plasma membrane (forward and backward). Previously, we and others reported that the membrane-proximal tyrosine residues Y712 (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) and Y721 (simian immunodeficiency virus [SIV]) in the envelope glycoprotein (Env) of the primate lentiviruses are crucial for the association of Env with clathrin-associated adapter complex AP-2. The same tyrosine-based endocytosis motifs in the cytosolic domains (EnvCD) of transmembrane gp41 of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) and SIV, respectively, were also shown to modulate the interaction with TGN- and endosome-based clathrin-associated complex AP-1. Our findings suggested that EnvCD binding to AP-1, unlike the association of EnvCD with AP-2, is dependent largely on residues other than Y712 and Y721. Here, we tested if motifs downstream of Y712 affect HIV-1 EnvCD–AP-1 binding and Env trafficking. Mutational analysis revealed that the C-terminal leucine-based motif in Env was crucial for the recruitment of AP-1 in vitro and in Env-expressing cells. In addition to affecting Env–AP-1 association, mutations at the C terminus of Env also altered the subcellular localization of Env, suggesting that proper post-Golgi routing of Env depends on its recruitment of AP-1. Finally, the C-terminal dileucine was shown to assist the membrane-proximal Y712 motif in restricting the cell surface expression of Env.

RASSF1C, an Isoform of the Tumor Suppressor RASSF1A, Promotes the Accumulation of β-Catenin by Interacting with βTrCP

The Ras-association domain family 1 ( RASSF1 ) gene has seven different isoforms; isoform A is a tumor-suppressor gene ( RASSF1A ). The promoter of RASSF1A is inactivated in many cancers, whereas the expression of another major isoform, RASSF1C , is not affected. Here, we show that RASSF1C, but not RASSF1A, interacts with βTrCP. Binding of RASSF1C to βTrCP involves serine 18 and serine 19 of the SS 18 GYXS 19 motif present in RASSF1C but not in RASSF1A. This motif is reminiscent of the canonical phosphorylation motif recognized by βTrCP; however, surprisingly, the association between RASSF1C and βTrCP does not occur via the βTrCP substrate binding domain, the WD40 repeats. Overexpression of RASSF1C, but not of RASSF1A, resulted in accumulation and transcriptional activation of the β-catenin oncogene, due to inhibition of its βTrCP-mediated degradation. Silencing of RASSF1A by small interfering RNA was sufficient for β-catenin to accumulate, whereas silencing of both RASSF1A and RASSF1C had no effect. Thus, RASSF1A and RASSF1C have opposite effects on β-catenin degradation. Our results suggest that RASSF1C expression in the absence of RASSF1A could play a role in tumorigenesis. [Cancer Res 2007;67(3):1054–61]