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Modulating the activity of the channel-forming segment of Vpr protein from HIV-1

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Abstract

Viral protein of regulation (Vpr) encoded by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a short auxiliary protein that is 96 amino acids in length. During the viral life cycle, Vpr is released into the blood serum and is able to enter cellular membranes of noninfected cells. In this study a short peptide, Vpr55–83, was shown to exhibit ion-channel-like activity when reconstituted into (1) planar lipid bilayers and (2) lipid bilayers held at the tip of a glass pipette. The two set-ups led to differences in the oligomerization state of the peptide, which was reflected in differences in the conductance levels. Experiments under applied hydrostatic pressure affect the dynamics of the protein within the membrane.

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Acknowledgments

WBF thanks the NYMU and the government of Taiwan for financial support (Aim of Excellence Program). This work was supported by the National Science Council of Taiwan (NSC) and a Taiwanese–German scholarship to C.C. C.C. also acknowledges a DAAD fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biophotonics, School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, 112, Taiwan

    Chin-Pei Chen & Wolfgang B. Fischer

  2. Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Clemens Kremer & Rainer H. A. Fink

  3. Institute of Biochemistry, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Peter Henklein

  4. Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Ulrich Schubert

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  1. Chin-Pei Chen
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  2. Clemens Kremer
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  3. Peter Henklein
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  4. Ulrich Schubert
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  5. Rainer H. A. Fink
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  6. Wolfgang B. Fischer
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Correspondence to Wolfgang B. Fischer.

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Chen, CP., Kremer, C., Henklein, P. et al. Modulating the activity of the channel-forming segment of Vpr protein from HIV-1. Eur Biophys J 39, 1089–1095 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-009-0518-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-009-0518-x

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