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Vpu from HIV‐1 on an atomic scale: experiments and computer simulations
Author(s) -
Fischer W.B
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(03)00782-8
Subject(s) - human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , scale (ratio) , atomic units , statistical physics , virology , environmental science , chemistry , biology , computer science , computational biology , physics , quantum mechanics
Vpu is an 81 amino acid protein encoded by HIV‐1. Its role is to amplify viral release by two mechanisms: (i) docking to CD4 with the consequence of targeting CD4 for ubiquitine‐mediated degradation, and (ii) formation of ion channels to enhance particle release. The intensive research on its in vivo function, combined with structural investigations, makes this viral membrane protein one of the better characterised membrane proteins. The wealth of structural information enables the use of computational methods to elucidate the mechanisms of function on an atomic scale. The discovery of Vpu and the development of structural models in a chronological order is summarised and first efforts on investigating the mechanics are outlined.