High Resolution Imagery Furthers HIV Research
Recent HIV related-research may enhance the understanding of the complex structure of HIV and help scientist understand the virus more intimately.
During infection, HIV is dependent on the Env protein, which reassembles itself in order to infect antibodies located in the human immune system. As published in October 2013, research on the structural biology of the Env protein has provided additional information on the protein’s structure. Scientists have used cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography to better characterize the arrangement and assembly of the Envy protein. Research into this protein is a building block toward the development of the otherwise elusive HIV vaccines. Weill Cornell scientist Dr. John P. Moore, senior author of one recent Env structure study, commented, “Now we all need to harness this new knowledge to design and test next-generation trimmers and see if we can induce the broadly active neutralizing antibodies that an effective vaccine is going to need.”
Earlier in 2013, imaging breakthroughs of HIV’s inner capsid were also realized. This capsule-like part of the virus transports the HIV genome and is integral to the process whereby HIV injects copies of its RNA into a host cell. Scientists utilized a novel combination of imaging methods including cyro-electron microscopy and cyro-electron tomography to create this new model of HIV’s capsid. A more complex understanding of this process will open new opportunities for drug development to target the HIV capsid and potentially stop the virus before it enters the host cell.
This wave of imaging work on both Env proteins and the HIV capsid open new possibilities for targeted drug development.
Source - http://www.nih.gov/researchmatters/november2013/11252013HIV.htm