Structure dynamics of HIV-1 Env trimers on native virions engaged with living T cells

TY - JOUR

T1 - Structure dynamics of HIV-1 Env trimers on native virions engaged with living T cells

AU - Carlon-Andres, Irene

AU - Malinauskas, Tomas

AU - Padilla-Parra, Sergi

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Zene Matsuda for the kind gift of HIV-1 Env labeled plasmids. We thank Leica Microsystems for technological support. We also thank Dr Chris Lagerholm and the WIMM imaging facilities for technical support in STED imaging. We thank the Padilla-Parra lab for valuable discussions and criticism of the paper. This work has been supported by the European Research Council (ERC-2019-CoG-863869 FUSION to S.P.-P.) and the Wellcome Trust Core Award (203141). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) mediates viral entry into the host cell. Although the highly dynamic nature of Env intramolecular conformations has been shown with single molecule spectroscopy in vitro, the bona fide Env intra- and intermolecular mechanics when engaged with live T cells remains unknown. We used two photon fast fluorescence lifetime imaging detection of single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer occurring between fluorescent labels on HIV-1 Env on native virions. Our observations reveal Env dynamics at two levels: transitions between different intramolecular conformations and intermolecular interactions between Env within the viral membrane. Furthermore, we show that three broad neutralizing anti-Env antibodies directed to different epitopes restrict Env intramolecular dynamics and interactions between adjacent Env molecules when engaged with living T cells. Importantly, our results show that Env-Env interactions depend on efficient virus maturation, and that is disrupted upon binding of Env to CD4 or by neutralizing antibodies. Thus, this study illuminates how different intramolecular conformations and distribution of Env molecules mediate HIV-1 Env–T cell interactions in real time and therefore might control immune evasion.

AB - The HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) mediates viral entry into the host cell. Although the highly dynamic nature of Env intramolecular conformations has been shown with single molecule spectroscopy in vitro, the bona fide Env intra- and intermolecular mechanics when engaged with live T cells remains unknown. We used two photon fast fluorescence lifetime imaging detection of single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer occurring between fluorescent labels on HIV-1 Env on native virions. Our observations reveal Env dynamics at two levels: transitions between different intramolecular conformations and intermolecular interactions between Env within the viral membrane. Furthermore, we show that three broad neutralizing anti-Env antibodies directed to different epitopes restrict Env intramolecular dynamics and interactions between adjacent Env molecules when engaged with living T cells. Importantly, our results show that Env-Env interactions depend on efficient virus maturation, and that is disrupted upon binding of Env to CD4 or by neutralizing antibodies. Thus, this study illuminates how different intramolecular conformations and distribution of Env molecules mediate HIV-1 Env–T cell interactions in real time and therefore might control immune evasion.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117897389&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s42003-021-02658-1

DO - 10.1038/s42003-021-02658-1

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85117897389

SN - 2399-3642

VL - 4

JO - Communications Biology

JF - Communications Biology

IS - 1

M1 - 1228

ER -