Like other enveloped viruses, HIV-1 uses cellular machinery to bud from infected cells. We now show that Tsg101 protein, which functions in vacuolar protein sorting (Vps), is required for HIV-1 budding. The UEV domain of Tsg101 binds to an essential tetrapeptide (PTAP) motif within the p6 domain of the structural Gag protein and also to ubiquitin. Depletion of cellular Tsg101 by small interfering RNA arrests HIV-1 budding at a late stage, and budding is rescued by reintroduction of Tsg101. Dominant negative mutant Vps4 proteins that inhibit vacuolar protein sorting also arrest HIV-1 and MLV budding. These observations suggest that retroviruses bud by appropriating cellular machinery normally used in the Vps pathway to form multivesicular bodies.

TRAF6 mediates Lys63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination for NF-κB activation via its N-terminal RING and zinc finger domains. Here we report the crystal structures of TRAF6 and its complex with the ubiquitin conjugating enzyme (E2) Ubc13. The RING and zinc fingers of TRAF6 assume a rigid, strikingly elongated structure. Interaction of TRAF6 with Ubc13 involves direct contacts of the RING and the preceding residues while the first zinc finger plays a structural role. Surprisingly, this region of TRAF6 is dimeric both in the crystal and in solution, different from the trimeric C-terminal TRAF domain. Structure-based mutagenesis reveals that TRAF6 dimerization is critical for polyubiquitin synthesis and auto-ubiquitination. Fluorescence energy transfer analysis shows that TRAF6 dimerization induces higher order oligomerization of full-length TRAF6. The mismatch of dimeric and trimeric symmetry may provide a mode of infinite oligomerization that facilitates liganddependent signal transduction of many immune receptors.Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated factors (TRAFs) play important roles in intracellular signal transduction of many receptor families such as the TNF receptor superfamily, the IL-1 receptors (IL-1R), the Toll-like receptors (TLR), T-cell receptors (TCR) and B-cell receptors (BCR) 1,2 . Upon receptor activation, TRAFs are directly or indirectly recruited to the intracellular domains of these receptors. They subsequently engage other signaling proteins to activate the inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase (IKK) and MAP kinases, leading ultimately to activation of transcription factors such as NF-κB and AP-1 to induce immune and inflammatory responses and confer protection from apoptosis.Most TRAFs contain an N-terminal domain with RING (really interesting gene) and a variable number of zinc fingers and a C-terminal TRAF domain that comprises a coiled coil domain and a conserved TRAF-C domain (Fig. 1a) NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscriptrevealed that the TRAF domain forms a mushroom-shaped trimeric structure with the TRAF-C domain as the head for interaction with receptors and adaptor proteins and the coiled coil domain as the stalk for trimerization [3][4][5] . Remarkably, TRAF6 is uniquely pleiotropic in participating in the signal transduction of many receptor systems while TRAF2, TRAF3 and TRAF5 appear to signal only within the TNF receptor superfamily 5 .The downstream signaling mechanism of TRAFs was first revealed from biochemical and cellular studies of TRAF6 to show the involvement of K63-linked polyubiquitination [6][7][8] . Ubiquitination is one of the most prevalent post-translational modifications 9 . It is accomplished in three steps, 1) ATP-dependent attachment of ubiquitin (Ub) via a thioester bond to a Ub activating enzyme (E1), 2) transfer of Ub from E1 to the active site Cys of a Ub conjugating enzyme (E2), and 3) transfer of Ub from the E2 active site to Lys residues of substrates (including other molecules of Ub) with the aid of a Ub lig...

In addition to caspase inhibition, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) induces NF-kappaB and MAP kinase activation during TGF-b and BMP receptor signaling and upon overexpression. Here we show that the BIR1 domain of XIAP, which has no previously ascribed function, directly interacts with TAB1 to induce NF-kappaB activation. TAB1 is an upstream adaptor for the activation of the kinase TAK1, which in turn couples to the NF-kappaB pathway. We report the crystal structures of BIR1, TAB1, and the BIR1/TAB1 complex. The BIR1/TAB1 structure reveals a striking butterfly-shaped dimer and the detailed interaction between BIR1 and TAB1. Structure-based mutagenesis and knockdown of TAB1 show unambiguously that the BIR1/TAB1 interaction is crucial for XIAP-induced TAK1 and NF-kappaB activation. We show that although not interacting with BIR1, Smac, the antagonist for caspase inhibition by XIAP, also inhibits the XIAP/TAB1 interaction. Disruption of BIR1 dimerization abolishes XIAP-mediated NF-kappaB activation, implicating a proximity-induced mechanism for TAK1 activation.

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Collagen is a major component of the extracellular matrix of all mammalian connective tissues. In addition to providing structural support, collagen can also affect cell behavior and gene expression through interactions with other matrix proteins and cellular receptors. We currently recognize 19 genetically distinct collagen types, and numerous other proteins have been described that contain collagenous domains. The collagen triple helix is formed by repeating GXY sequences within each chain, where X is often proline and Y is often hydroxyproline. Such molecules then interact to form higher structures of varying organization, such as fibrils (types I, II,

The binding interactions of small molecules with carbonic anhydrase II were used as model systems to compare the reaction constants determined from surface-and solution-based biophysical methods. Interaction data were collected for two arylsulfonamide compounds, 4-carboxybenzenesulfonamide (CBS) and 5-dimethyl-amino-1-naphthalene-sulfonamide (DNSA), binding to the enzyme using surface plasmon resonance, isothermal titration calorimetry, and stopped-flow fluorescence. We demonstrate that when the surface plasmon resonance biosensor experiments are performed with care, the equilibrium, thermodynamic, and kinetic constants determined from this surface-based technique match those acquired in solution. These results validate the use of biosensor technology to collect reliable data on small molecules binding to immobilized macromolecular targets. Binding kinetics were shown to provide more detailed information about complex formation than equilibrium constants alone. For example, although carbonic anhydrase II bound DNSA with twofold higher affinity than CBS, kinetic analysis revealed that CBS had a fourfold slower dissociation rate. Analysis of the binding and transition state thermodynamics also revealed significant differences in the enthalpy and entropy of complex formation. The lack of labeling requirements, high information content, and high throughput of surface plasmon resonance biosensors will make this technology an important tool for characterizing the interactions of small molecules with enzymes and receptors.

. Biochemical analyses of recombinant Ace and Cna A domains supported the modeling data in that the secondary structures were similar as determined by CD spectroscopy and both proteins bound at multiple sites in type I collagen with micromolar affinities, but with different apparent kinetics. We conclude that Ace is a collagen-binding MSCRAMM on enterococci and is structurally and functionally related to the staphylococcal Cna protein.

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