SummaryThe HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimer is covered by an array of N-linked glycans that shield it from immune surveillance. The high density of glycans on the trimer surface imposes steric constraints limiting the actions of glycan-processing enzymes, so that multiple under-processed structures remain on specific areas. These oligomannose glycans are recognized by broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) that are not thwarted by the glycan shield but, paradoxically, target it. Our site-specific glycosylation analysis of a soluble, recombinant trimer (BG505 SOSIP.664) maps the extremes of simplicity and diversity of glycan processing at individual sites and reveals a mosaic of dense clusters of oligomannose glycans on the outer domain. Although individual sites usually minimally affect the global integrity of the glycan shield, we identify examples of how deleting some glycans can subtly influence neutralization by bNAbs that bind at distant sites. The network of bNAb-targeted glycans should be preserved on vaccine antigens.

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 oligomannosetype 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.

A highly glycosylated, trimeric envelope glycoprotein (Env) mediates HIV-1 cell entry. The high density and heterogeneity of the glycans shield Env from recognition by the immune system but, paradoxically, many potent broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) recognize epitopes involving this glycan shield. To better understand Env glycosylation and its role in bNAb recognition, we characterized a soluble, cleaved recombinant trimer (BG505 SOSIP.664) that is a close structural and antigenic mimic of native Env. Large, unprocessed oligomannose-type structures (Man8-9GlcNAc2) are notably prevalent on the gp120 components of the trimer, irrespective of the mammalian cell expression system or the bNAb used for affinity-purification. In contrast, gp41 subunits carry more highly processed glycans. The glycans on uncleaved, non-native oligomeric gp140 proteins are also highly processed. A homogeneous, oligomannose-dominated glycan profile is therefore a hallmark of a native Env conformation and a potential Achilles’ heel that can be exploited for bNAb recognition and vaccine design.

SummaryMany broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) against HIV-1 recognize and/or penetrate the glycan shield on native, virion-associated envelope glycoprotein (Env) spikes. The same bnAbs also bind to recombinant, soluble trimeric immunogens based on the SOSIP design. While SOSIP trimers are close structural and antigenic mimics of virion Env, the extent to which their glycan structures resemble ones on infectious viruses is undefined. Here, we compare the overall glycosylation of gp120 and gp41 subunits from BG505 (clade A) virions produced in a lymphoid cell line with those from recombinant BG505 SOSIP trimers, including CHO-derived clinical grade material. We also performed detailed site-specific analyses of gp120. Glycans relevant to key bnAb epitopes are generally similar on the recombinant SOSIP and virion-derived Env proteins, although the latter do contain hotspots of elevated glycan processing. Knowledge of native versus recombinant Env glycosylation will guide vaccine design and manufacturing programs.