Recent history is punctuated by the emergence of highly pathogenic coronaviruses such as SARS- and MERS-CoV into human circulation. Upon infecting host cells, coronaviruses assemble a multi-subunit ...RNA-synthesis complex of viral non-structural proteins (nsp) responsible for the replication and transcription of the viral genome. Here, we present the 3.1 Å resolution structure of the SARS-CoV nsp12 polymerase bound to its essential co-factors, nsp7 and nsp8, using single particle cryo-electron microscopy. nsp12 possesses an architecture common to all viral polymerases as well as a large N-terminal extension containing a kinase-like fold and is bound by two nsp8 co-factors. This structure illuminates the assembly of the coronavirus core RNA-synthesis machinery, provides key insights into nsp12 polymerase catalysis and fidelity and acts as a template for the design of novel antiviral therapeutics.
The envelope glycoprotein trimer (Env) on the surface of HIV-1 recognizes CD4⁺ T cells and mediates viral entry. During this process, Env undergoes substantial conformational rearrangements, making ...it difficult to study in its native state. Soluble stabilized trimers have provided valuable insights into the Env structure, but they lack the hydrophobic membrane proximal external region (MPER, an important target of broadly neutralizing antibodies), the transmembrane domain, and the cytoplasmic tail. Here we present (i) a cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of a clade B virus Env, which lacks only the cytoplasmic tail and is stabilized by the broadly neutralizing antibody PGT151, at a resolution of 4.2 angstroms and (ii) a reconstruction of this form of Env in complex with PGT151 and MPER-targeting antibody 10E8 at a resolution of 8.8 angstroms. These structures provide new insights into the wild-type Env structure.
Summary
Structure determination of the HIV‐1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) presented a number of challenges, but several high‐resolution structures have now become available. In 2013, cryo‐EM and x‐ray ...structures of soluble, cleaved SOSIP Env trimers from the clade A BG505 strain provided the first glimpses into the Env trimer fold as well as more the variable regions. A recent cryo‐EM structure of a native full‐length trimer without any stabilizing mutations had the same core structure, but revealed new insights and features. A more comprehensive and higher resolution understanding of the glycan shield has also emerged, enabling a more complete representation of the Env glycoprotein structure. Complexes of Env trimers with broadly neutralizing antibodies have surprisingly illustrated that most of the Env surface can be targeted in natural infection and that the neutralizing epitopes are almost all composed of both peptide and glycan components. These structures have also provided further evidence of the inherent plasticity of Env and how antibodies can exploit this flexibility by perturbing or even stabilizing the trimer to facilitate neutralization. These breakthroughs have stimulated further design and stabilization of Env trimers as well as other platforms to generate trimers that now span multiple subtypes. These Env trimers when used as immunogens, have led to the first vaccine‐induced neutralizing antibodies for structural and functional analyses.
Piezo1 and Piezo2 are mechanically activated ion channels that mediate touch perception, proprioception and vascular development. Piezo proteins are distinct from other ion channels and their ...structure remains poorly defined, which impedes detailed study of their gating and ion permeation properties. Here we report a high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of the mouse Piezo1 trimer. The detergent-solubilized complex adopts a three-bladed propeller shape with a curved transmembrane region containing at least 26 transmembrane helices per protomer. The flexible propeller blades can adopt distinct conformations, and consist of a series of four-transmembrane helical bundles that we term Piezo repeats. Carboxy-terminal domains line the central ion pore, and the channel is closed by constrictions in the cytosol. A kinked helical beam and anchor domain link the Piezo repeats to the pore, and are poised to control gating allosterically. The structure provides a foundation to dissect further how Piezo channels are regulated by mechanical force.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against the N332 supersite of the HIV envelope (Env) trimer are the most common bnAbs induced during infection, making them promising leads for vaccine design. ...Wild-type Env glycoproteins lack detectable affinity for supersite-bnAb germline precursors and are therefore unsuitable immunogens to prime supersite-bnAb responses. We employed mammalian cell surface display to design stabilized Env trimers with affinity for germline-reverted precursors of PGT121-class supersite bnAbs. The trimers maintained native-like antigenicity and structure, activated PGT121 inferred-germline B cells ex vivo when multimerized on liposomes, and primed PGT121-like responses in PGT121 inferred-germline knockin mice. Design intermediates have levels of epitope modification between wild-type and germline-targeting trimers; their mutation gradient suggests sequential immunization to induce bnAbs, in which the germline-targeting prime is followed by progressively less-mutated design intermediates and, lastly, with native trimers. The vaccine design strategies described could be utilized to target other epitopes on HIV or other pathogens.
•Developed mammalian cell display to design germline-targeting native-like trimers•Germline-targeting trimers retain native-like antigenicity and structure•Germline-targeting trimers prime glycan-dependent HIV bnAb responses in knockin mice•Designed boosting schemes intended to induce bnAbs
Elicitation of broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) is a critical HIV vaccine goal. Steichen et al. have developed immunogens that prime germline-precursor B cells for the bnAb PGT121 and can therefore initiate bnAb induction. The authors have also designed boosting immunogens to shepherd the antibody maturation to develop bnAbs.
All previously characterized broadly neutralizing antibodies to the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env) target one of four major sites of vulnerability. Here, we define and structurally characterize a ...unique epitope on Env that is recognized by a recently discovered family of human monoclonal antibodies (PGT151–PGT158). The PGT151 epitope is comprised of residues and glycans at the interface of gp41 and gp120 within a single protomer and glycans from both subunits of a second protomer and represents a neutralizing epitope that is dependent on both gp120 and gp41. Because PGT151 binds only to properly formed, cleaved trimers, this distinctive property, and its ability to stabilize Env trimers, has enabled the successful purification of mature, cleaved Env trimers from the cell surface as a complex with PGT151. Here we compare the structural and functional properties of membrane-extracted Env trimers from several clades with those of the soluble, cleaved SOSIP gp140 trimer.
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•PGT151 binds an interprotomer epitope formed by gp41 and gp120 on cleaved Env trimers•The PGT151 epitope does not overlap with any other epitope described so far•PGT151 enables isolation of functional cleaved Env from the cell membrane•Membrane-extracted and soluble SOSIP.664 Env trimers are structurally similar
Vaccine design efforts against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been greatly stimulated by the observation that many infected patients eventually develop highly potent broadly neutralizing ...antibodies (bnAbs). Importantly, these bnAbs have evolved to recognize not only the two protein components of the viral envelope protein (Env) but also the numerous glycans that form a protective barrier on the Env protein. Because Env is heavily glycosylated compared to host glycoproteins, the glycans have become targets for the antibody response. Therefore, considerable efforts have been made in developing and validating biophysical methods to elucidate the complex structure of the Env-spike glycoprotein, with its combination of glycan and protein epitopes. We illustrate here how the application of robust biophysical methods has transformed our understanding of the structure and function of the HIV Env spike and stimulated innovation in vaccine design strategies that takes into account the essential glycan components.
Recent studies have suggested that antibody-mediated protection against the Ebolaviruses may be achievable, but little is known about whether or not antibodies can confer cross-reactive protection ...against viruses belonging to diverse Ebolavirus species, such as Ebola virus (EBOV), Sudan virus (SUDV), and Bundibugyo virus (BDBV). We isolated a large panel of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against BDBV glycoprotein (GP) using peripheral blood B cells from survivors of the 2007 BDBV outbreak in Uganda. We determined that a large proportion of mAbs with potent neutralizing activity against BDBV bind to the glycan cap and recognize diverse epitopes within this major antigenic site. We identified several glycan cap-specific mAbs that neutralized multiple ebolaviruses, including SUDV, and a cross-reactive mAb that completely protected guinea pigs from the lethal challenge with heterologous EBOV. Our results provide a roadmap to develop a single antibody-based treatment effective against multiple Ebolavirus infections.
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•Natural Ebolavirus infection induced B cells encoding cross-reactive antibodies•Some cross-reactive human antibodies neutralized multiple Ebolavirus species•A large proportion of BDBV-neutralizing antibodies bound to the glycan cap•Glycan cap-specific antibodies exhibited very potent neutralizing activity
Natural Ebola virus infection causes the induction of B cells that encode potent neutralizing human antibodies, which possess, in some cases, a surprising level of cross-reactivity for multiple species of filoviruses. The neutralizing antibody repertoire recognizes diverse features on the surface glycoprotein, but most of the potent antibodies recognize the glycan cap region.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emerged in 2002 as a highly transmissible pathogenic human betacoronavirus. The viral spike glycoprotein (S) utilizes angiotensin-converting ...enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a host protein receptor and mediates fusion of the viral and host membranes, making S essential to viral entry into host cells and host species tropism. As SARS-CoV enters host cells, the viral S is believed to undergo a number of conformational transitions as it is cleaved by host proteases and binds to host receptors. We recently developed stabilizing mutations for coronavirus spikes that prevent the transition from the pre-fusion to post-fusion states. Here, we present cryo-EM analyses of a stabilized trimeric SARS-CoV S, as well as the trypsin-cleaved, stabilized S, and its interactions with ACE2. Neither binding to ACE2 nor cleavage by trypsin at the S1/S2 cleavage site impart large conformational changes within stabilized SARS-CoV S or expose the secondary cleavage site, S2'.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses (CoVs) are zoonotic pathogens with high fatality rates and pandemic potential. Vaccine development ...focuses on the principal target of the neutralizing humoral immune response, the spike (S) glycoprotein. Coronavirus S proteins are extensively glycosylated, encoding around 66-87 N-linked glycosylation sites per trimeric spike. Here, we reveal a specific area of high glycan density on MERS S that results in the formation of oligomannose-type glycan clusters, which were absent on SARS and HKU1 CoVs. We provide a comparison of the global glycan density of coronavirus spikes with other viral proteins including HIV-1 envelope, Lassa virus glycoprotein complex, and influenza hemagglutinin, where glycosylation plays a known role in shielding immunogenic epitopes. Overall, our data reveal how organisation of glycosylation across class I viral fusion proteins influence not only individual glycan compositions but also the immunological pressure across the protein surface.
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