Conformational gating of dimannose binding to the antiviral protein cyanovirin revealed from the crystal structure at 1.35 A resolution

Protein Sci. 2008 May;17(5):939-44. doi: 10.1110/ps.083472808.

Abstract

Cyanovirin (CV-N) is a small lectin with potent HIV neutralization activity, which could be exploited for a mucosal defense against HIV infection. The wild-type (wt) protein binds with high affinity to mannose-rich oligosaccharides on the surface of gp120 through two quasi-symmetric sites, located in domains A and B. We recently reported on a mutant of CV-N that contained a single functional mannose-binding site, domain B, showing that multivalent binding to oligomannosides is necessary for antiviral activity. The structure of the complex with dimannose determined at 1.8 A resolution revealed a different conformation of the binding site than previously observed in the NMR structure of wt CV-N. Here, we present the 1.35 A resolution structure of the complex, which traps three different binding conformations of the site and provides experimental support for a locking and gating mechanism in the nanoscale time regime observed by molecular dynamics simulations.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-HIV Agents / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Binding Sites
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Mannose / chemistry*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Protein Conformation

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • cyanovirin N
  • Mannose