Discovery of cyanovirin-N, a novel human immunodeficiency virus-inactivating protein that binds viral surface envelope glycoprotein gp120: potential applications to microbicide development.

Article Details

Citation

Boyd MR, Gustafson KR, McMahon JB, Shoemaker RH, O'Keefe BR, Mori T, Gulakowski RJ, Wu L, Rivera MI, Laurencot CM, Currens MJ, Cardellina JH 2nd, Buckheit RW Jr, Nara PL, Pannell LK, Sowder RC 2nd, Henderson LE

Discovery of cyanovirin-N, a novel human immunodeficiency virus-inactivating protein that binds viral surface envelope glycoprotein gp120: potential applications to microbicide development.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1997 Jul;41(7):1521-30.

PubMed ID
9210678 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

We have isolated and sequenced a novel 11-kDa virucidal protein, named cyanovirin-N (CV-N), from cultures of the cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) Nostoc ellipsosporum. We also have produced CV-N recombinantly by expression of a corresponding DNA sequence in Escherichia coli. Low nanomolar concentrations of either natural or recombinant CV-N irreversibly inactivate diverse laboratory strains and primary isolates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 as well as strains of HIV type 2 and simian immunodeficiency virus. In addition, CV-N aborts cell-to-cell fusion and transmission of HIV-1 infection. Continuous, 2-day exposures of uninfected CEM-SS cells or peripheral blood lymphocytes to high concentrations (e.g., 9,000 nM) of CV-N were not lethal to these representative host cell types. The antiviral activity of CV-N is due, at least in part, to unique, high-affinity interactions of CV-N with the viral surface envelope glycoprotein gp120. The biological activity of CV-N is highly resistant to physicochemical denaturation, further enhancing its potential as an anti-HIV microbicide.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Polypeptides
NameUniProt ID
Cyanovirin-NP81180Details