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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Binding of the third variable region (V3) of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp120 to the cell-surface coreceptors CCR5 or CXCR4 during viral entry suggests that there are conserved structural elements in this sequence-variable region. These conserved elements could serve as epitopes to be targeted by a vaccine against HIV-1. Here we perform a systematic structural analysis of representative human anti-V3 monoclonal antibodies in complex with V3 peptides, revealing that the crown of V3 has four conserved structural elements: an arch, a band, a hydrophobic core and the peptide backbone. These are either unaffected by or are subject to minimal sequence variation. As these regions are targeted by cross-clade neutralizing human antibodies, they provide a blueprint for the design of vaccine immunogens that could elicit broadly cross-reactive protective antibodies.

Conserved structural elements in the V3 crown of HIV-1 gp120.,Jiang X, Burke V, Totrov M, Williams C, Cardozo T, Gorny MK, Zolla-Pazner S, Kong XP Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2010 Aug;17(8):955-61. Epub 2010 Jul 11. PMID:20622876^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.