Felipe Diaz-Griffero

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA

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Publications (31)145.78 Total impact

  • Source
    Article: TNPO3 is required for HIV-1 replication after nuclear import but prior to integration and binds the HIV-1 core.
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    ABSTRACT: TNPO3 is a nuclear importer required for HIV-1 infection. Here, we show that depletion of TNPO3 leads to an HIV-1 block after nuclear import but prior to integration. To investigate the mechanistic requirement of TNPO3 in HIV-1 infection, we tested the binding of TNPO3 to the HIV-1 core and found that TNPO3 binds to the HIV-1 core. Overall, this work suggests that TNPO3 interacts with the incoming HIV-1 core in the cytoplasm to assist a process that is important for HIV-1 infection after nuclear import.
    Journal of Virology 03/2012; 86(10):5931-6. · 5.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: RING domain mutations uncouple TRIM5α restriction of HIV-1 from inhibition of reverse transcription and acceleration of uncoating.
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    ABSTRACT: Rhesus TRIM5α (TRIM5α(rh)) is a cytosolic protein that potently restricts HIV-1 at an early postentry stage, prior to reverse transcription. The ability of TRIM5α(rh) to block HIV-1 infection has been correlated with a decrease of pelletable HIV-1 capsid during infection. To genetically dissect the ability of TRIM5α to block reverse transcription, we studied a set of TRIM5α(rh) RING domain mutants that potently restrict HIV-1 but allow the occurrence of reverse transcription. These TRIM5α(rh) RING variants blocked HIV-1 infection after reverse transcription but prior to integration, as suggested by the routing of nuclear viral DNA to circularization in the form of 2-long terminal repeat (2-LTR) circles. The folding of RING domain variants was similar to that of the wild type, as evaluated by nuclear magnetic resonance. RING domain changes that allowed the occurrence of reverse transcription were impaired in their ability to decrease the amount of pelletable capsid compared with wild-type TRIM5α. Similar effects of this particular group of mutations were observed with human TRIM5α inhibition of N-tropic murine leukemia virus (N-MLV). Interestingly, TRIM5α(rh) RING domain variants also prevented the degradation of TRIM5α(rh) that occurs following cell entry of HIV-1. These data correlated the block of reverse transcription with the ability of TRIM5α to accelerate uncoating. Collectively, these results suggest that TRIM5α(rh) blocks HIV-1 reverse transcription by inducing premature viral uncoating in target cells.
    Journal of Virology 11/2011; 86(3):1717-27. · 5.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: Contribution of E3-ubiquitin ligase activity to HIV-1 restriction by TRIM5alpha(rh): structure of the RING domain of TRIM5alpha.
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    ABSTRACT: TRIM5α(rh) is a cytosolic protein that potently restricts HIV-1 before reverse transcription. TRIM5α(rh) is composed of four different domains: RING, B-box 2, coiled coil, and B30.2(SPRY). The contribution of each of these domains to restriction has been extensively studied, with the exception of the RING domain. The RING domain of TRIM5α exhibits E3-ubiquitin ligase activity, but the contribution of this activity to the restriction of HIV-1 is not known. To test the hypothesis that the E3-ubiquitin ligase activity of the RING domain modulates TRIM5α(rh) restriction of HIV-1, we correlated the E3-ubiquitin ligase activity of a panel of TRIM5α(rh) RING domain variants with the ability of these mutant proteins to restrict HIV-1. For this purpose, we first solved the nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the RING domain of TRIM5α and defined potential functional regions of the RING domain by homology to other RING domains. With this structural information, we performed a systematic mutagenesis of the RING domain regions and tested the TRIM5α RING domain variants for the ability to undergo self-ubiquitylation. Several residues, particularly the ones on the E2-binding region of the RING domain, were defective in their self-ubiquitylation ability. To correlate HIV-1 restriction to self-ubiquitylation, we used RING domain mutant proteins that were defective in self-ubiquitylation but preserve important properties required for potent restriction by TRIM5α(rh), such as capsid binding and higher-order self-association. From these investigations, we found a set of residues that when mutated results in TRIM5α molecules that lost both the ability to potently restrict HIV-1 and their self-ubiquitylation activity. Remarkably, all of these changes were in residues located in the E2-binding region of the RING domain. Overall, these results demonstrate a role for TRIM5α self-ubiquitylation in the ability of TRIM5α to restrict HIV-1.
    Journal of Virology 09/2011; 85(17):8725-37. · 5.40 Impact Factor
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    Article: Caging the beast: TRIM5α binding to the HIV-1 core.
    Felipe Diaz-Griffero
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    ABSTRACT: The potent HIV-1 inhibitor TRIM5α blocks HIV-1 infection by accelerating the uncoating of HIV-1. TRIM5α is known to form higher-order self-association complexes that contribute to the avidity of TRIM5α for the HIV-1 capsid, and are essential to inhibit infection; these higher-order self-association complexes are dependent upon an intact B-box 2 domain. Even though the ability to form higher-order self-association complexes resembles the clathrin triskelion that forms a protein array, or cage, around the endocytic vesicle, evidence for the ability of TRIM5α to assemble a similar type of structure surrounding the HIV-1 core has been lacking. Recent work by Ganser-Pornillos, Chandrasekaran and colleagues has now demonstrated the ability of the restriction factor TRIM5α to "cage" or "net" the HIV-1 core by forming an hexagonal array on the surface of the viral capsid. This hexagonal array is strikingly similar in design to the array formed by the clathrin triskelion on the surface of the clathrin-coated endocytic vesicle. This remarkable finding represents an important advance on our understanding of the restriction factor TRIM5α, and suggests that TRIM5α cages the HIV-1 core in order to terminate infection. The present note discusses the implications of this discovery.
    Viruses 05/2011; 3(5):423-8. · 1.50 Impact Factor
  • Article: RING Domain Mutations Uncouple TRIM5α Restriction of HIV-1 From Inhibition of Reverse Transcription and Acceleration of Uncoating
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    ABSTRACT: Rhesus TRIM5α(TRIM5αrh) is a cytosolic protein that potently restricts HIV-1 at an early post-entry stage, prior to reverse transcription. The ability of TRIM5αrh to block HIV-1 infection has been correlated with a decrease of pelletable HIV-1 capsid during infection. To genetically dissect the ability of TRIM5α to block reverse transcription, we studied a set of TRIM5αrh RING domain mutants that potently restrict HIV-1 but allow the occurrence of reverse transcription. These TRIM5αrh RING variants blocked HIV-1 infection after reverse transcription but prior to integration, as suggested by routing of nuclear viral DNA to circularization in the form of 2-LTR circles. The folding of RING domain variants was similar to the wild type, as evaluated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. RING domain changes that allowed the occurrence of reverse transcription were impaired in their ability to decrease the amount of pelletable capsid when compared with wild-type TRIM5α. Similar effects of this particular group of mutations were observed with human TRIM5α inhibition of N-MLV. Interestingly, TRIM5αrh RING domain variants also prevented the degradation of TRIM5αrh that occurs following cell entry of HIV-1. These data correlated the block of reverse transcription with the ability of TRIM5αto accelerate uncoating. Collectively, these results suggest that TRIM5αrh blocks HIV-1 reverse transcription by inducing premature viral uncoating in target cells.
    Journal of Virology 01/2011; · 5.40 Impact Factor
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    Article: Trafficking of some old world primate TRIM5α proteins through the nucleus.
    Felipe Diaz-Griffero, Daniel E Gallo, Thomas J Hope, Joseph Sodroski
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    ABSTRACT: TRIM5α and TRIMCyp are cytoplasmic proteins that bind incoming retroviral capsids and mediate early blocks to viral infection. TRIM5 proteins form cytoplasmic bodies, which are highly dynamic structures. So far, TRIM5 proteins have been found only in the cytoplasm of cells. Interestingly, other proteins from the TRIM family localize to the nucleus. Therefore, we tested the possibility that TRIM5 proteins traffic to the nucleus and the impact of this trafficking on retroviral restriction. Here we report that the TRIM5α proteins of two Old World primates, humans and rhesus monkeys, are transported into the nucleus and are shuttled back to the cytoplasm by a leptomycin B-sensitive mechanism. In leptomycin B-treated cells, these TRIM5α proteins formed nuclear bodies that also contained TRIM19 (PML). Deletion of the amino terminus, including the linker 1 (L1) region, resulted in TRIM5α proteins that accumulated in nuclear bodies. Leptomycin B treatment of TRIM5α-expressing target cells only minimally affected the restriction of retrovirus infection. We discovered the ability of human and rhesus TRIM5α to shuttle into and out of the nucleus. This novel trafficking ability of TRIM5α proteins could be important for an as-yet-unknown function of TRIM5α.
    Retrovirology 01/2011; 8:38. · 6.47 Impact Factor
  • Article: PD-1 on immature and PD-1 ligands on migratory human Langerhans cells regulate antigen-presenting cell activity.
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    ABSTRACT: Langerhans cells (LCs) are known as "sentinels" of the immune system that function as professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) after migration to draining lymph node. LCs are proposed to have a role in tolerance and the resolution of cutaneous immune responses. The Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) receptor and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, are a co-inhibitory pathway that contributes to the negative regulation of T-lymphocyte activation and peripheral tolerance. Surprisingly, we found PD-1 to be expressed on immature LCs (iLCs) in situ. PD-1 engagement on iLCs reduced IL-6 and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha cytokine production in response to TLR2 signals but had no effect on LC maturation. PD-L1 and PD-L2 were expressed at very low levels on iLCs. Maturation of LCs upon migration from epidermis led to loss of PD-l expression and gain of high expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 as well as co-stimulatory molecules. Blockade of PD-L1 and/or PD-L2 on migratory LCs (mLCs) and DDCs enhanced T-cell activation, as has been reported for other APCs. Thus the PD-1 pathway is active in iLCs and inhibits iLC activities, but expression of receptor and ligands reverses upon maturation and PD-L1 and PD-L2 on mLC function to inhibit T-cell responses.
    Journal of Investigative Dermatology 05/2010; 130(9):2222-30. · 6.31 Impact Factor
  • Article: BCL9 promotes tumor progression by conferring enhanced proliferative, metastatic, and angiogenic properties to cancer cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Several components of the Wnt signaling cascade have been shown to function either as tumor suppressor proteins or as oncogenes in multiple human cancers, underscoring the relevance of this pathway in oncogenesis and the need for further investigation of Wnt signaling components as potential targets for cancer therapy. Here, using expression profiling analysis as well as in vitro and in vivo functional studies, we show that the Wnt pathway component BCL9 is a novel oncogene that is aberrantly expressed in human multiple myeloma as well as colon carcinoma. We show that BCL9 enhances beta-catenin-mediated transcriptional activity regardless of the mutational status of the Wnt signaling components and increases cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and the metastatic potential of tumor cells by promoting loss of epithelial and gain of mesenchymal-like phenotype. Most importantly, BCL9 knockdown significantly increased the survival of xenograft mouse models of cancer by reducing tumor load, metastasis, and host angiogenesis through down-regulation of c-Myc, cyclin D1, CD44, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression by tumor cells. Together, these findings suggest that deregulation of BCL9 is an important contributing factor to tumor progression. The pleiotropic roles of BCL9 reported in this study underscore its value as a drug target for therapeutic intervention in several malignancies associated with aberrant Wnt signaling.
    Cancer Research 10/2009; 69(19):7577-86. · 7.86 Impact Factor
  • Article: A rare null allele potentially encoding a dominant-negative TRIM5alpha protein in Baka pygmies.
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    ABSTRACT: The global acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic is thought to have arisen by the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)-like viruses from chimpanzees in southeastern Cameroon to humans. TRIM5alpha is a restriction factor that can decrease the susceptibility of cells of particular mammalian species to retrovirus infection. A survey of TRIM5 genes in 127 indigenous individuals from southeastern Cameroon revealed that approximately 4% of the Baka pygmies studied were heterozygous for a rare variant with a stop codon in exon 8. The predicted product of this allele, TRIM5 R332X, is truncated in the functionally important B30.2(SPRY) domain, does not restrict retrovirus infection, and acts as a dominant-negative inhibitor of wild-type human TRIM5alpha. Thus, some indigenous African forest dwellers potentially exhibit diminished TRIM5alpha function; such genetic factors, along with the high frequency of exposure to chimpanzee body fluids, may have predisposed to the initial cross-species transmission of HIV-1-like viruses.
    Virology 09/2009; 391(1):140-7. · 3.35 Impact Factor
  • Article: A B-box 2 surface patch important for TRIM5alpha self-association, capsid binding avidity, and retrovirus restriction.
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    ABSTRACT: TRIM5alpha is a tripartite motif (TRIM) protein that consists of RING, B-box 2, coiled-coil, and B30.2(SPRY) domains. The TRIM5alpha(rh) protein from rhesus monkeys recognizes the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) capsid as it enters the host cell and blocks virus infection prior to reverse transcription. HIV-1-restricting ability can be eliminated by disruption of the B-box 2 domain. Changes in the TRIM5alpha(rh) B-box 2 domain have been associated with alterations in TRIM5alpha(rh) turnover, the formation of cytoplasmic bodies and higher-order oligomerization. We present here the nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the TRIM5 B-box 2 domain and identify an unusual hydrophobic patch (cluster 1) on the domain surface. Alteration of cluster 1 or the flanking arginine 121 resulted in various degrees of inactivation of HIV-1 restriction, in some cases depending on compensatory changes in other nearby charged residues. For this panel of TRIM5alpha(rh) B-box 2 mutants, inhibition of HIV-1 infection was strongly correlated with higher-order self-association and binding affinity for capsid complexes but not with TRIM5alpha(rh) half-life or the formation of cytoplasmic bodies. Thus, promoting cooperative TRIM5alpha(rh) interactions with the HIV-1 capsid represents a major mechanism whereby the B-box 2 domain potentiates HIV-1 restriction.
    Journal of Virology 09/2009; 83(20):10737-51. · 5.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: Biochemical and biophysical characterization of a chimeric TRIM21-TRIM5alpha protein.
    Alak Kanti Kar, Felipe Diaz-Griffero, Yuan Li, Xing Li, Joseph Sodroski
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    ABSTRACT: The tripartite motif (TRIM) protein, TRIM5alpha, is an endogenous factor in primates that recognizes the capsids of certain retroviruses after virus entry into the host cell. TRIM5alpha promotes premature uncoating of the capsid, thus blocking virus infection. Low levels of expression and tendencies to aggregate have hindered the biochemical, biophysical, and structural characterization of TRIM proteins. Here, a chimeric TRIM5alpha protein (TRIM5(Rh)-21R) with a RING domain derived from TRIM21 was expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells and purified. Although a fraction of the TRIM5(Rh)-21R protein formed large aggregates, soluble fractions of the protein formed oligomers (mainly dimers), exhibited a protease-resistant core, and contained a high percentage of helical secondary structure. Cross-linking followed by negative staining and electron microscopy suggested a globular structure. The purified TRIM5(Rh)-21R protein displayed E3-ligase activity in vitro and also self-ubiquitylated in the presence of ubiquitin-activating and -conjugating enzymes. The purified TRIM5(Rh)-21R protein specifically associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 capsid-like complexes; a deletion within the V1 variable region of the B30.2(SPRY) domain decreased capsid binding. Thus, the TRIM5(Rh)-21R restriction factor can directly recognize retroviral capsid-like complexes in the absence of other mammalian proteins.
    Journal of Virology 10/2008; 82(23):11669-81. · 5.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: A human TRIM5alpha B30.2/SPRY domain mutant gains the ability to restrict and prematurely uncoat B-tropic murine leukemia virus.
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    ABSTRACT: Human TRIM5alpha restricts N-tropic murine leukemia virus (N-MLV) but not B-tropic MLV (B-MLV) infection. Here we study B30.2/SPRY domain mutants of human TRIM5alpha that acquire the ability to inhibit B-MLV infection prior to reverse transcription without losing the ability to restrict N-MLV infection. Remarkably, these mutants gain the ability to decrease the amount of particulate B-MLV capsids in the cytosol of infected cells. In addition, these mutants gain the ability to restrict SIV(mac) and HIV-2 infection. B-MLV and SIV(mac) infections were blocked by the mutant TRIM5alpha proteins prior to reverse transcription. Thus, the range of retroviruses restricted by human TRIM5alpha can be increased by changes in the B30.2/SPRY domain, which also result in the ability to cause premature uncoating of the restricted retroviral capsid.
    Virology 07/2008; 378(2):233-42. · 3.35 Impact Factor
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    Article: Efficient production of HIV-1 viral-like particles in mouse cells.
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    ABSTRACT: Previous efforts to develop a mouse model for HIV/AIDS have been impaired by multiple blocks to HIV replication, including barriers to viral entry, proviral transcription, and assembly. Expression of human cofactors in murine cells overcomes early restrictions, but does not lead to the production of infectious HIV particles. Here we show that stable expression of a codon-optimized synthetic HIV-1 Gag-Pol construct (sGP) in murine cell lines results in efficient Gag production and viral-like particle (VLP) release. Stable expression of the sGP construct in murine cells such as NIH3T3 and A9 improved Gag processing resulting in efficient VLP release comparable to that found in human cells. Using highly efficient transient transfection procedures, we increased Gag expression, and were able to produce infectious HIV particles in NIH3T3 cells. However, the infectivity of VLPs produced in murine cells was significantly below that generated in 293T cells. Reduced infectivity of VLPs produced in murine cells correlated with lower HIV reporter RNA levels in these cells. Taken together, improving the expression of HIV-1 Gag-Pol by using the sGP construct overcomes, at least in part, late restrictions in murine cells.
    Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 05/2008; 368(3):463-9. · 2.48 Impact Factor
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    Article: Lentivirus display: stable expression of human antibodies on the surface of human cells and virus particles.
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    ABSTRACT: Isolation of human antibodies using current display technologies can be limited by constraints on protein expression, folding and post-translational modifications. Here we describe a discovery platform that utilizes self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral vectors for the surface display of high-affinity single-chain variable region (scFv) antibody fragments on human cells and lentivirus particles. Bivalent scFvFc human antibodies were fused in frame with different transmembrane (TM) anchoring moieties to allow efficient high-level expression on human cells and the optimal TM was identified. The addition of an eight amino acid HIV-1 gp41 envelope incorporation motif further increased scFvFc expression on human cells and incorporation into lentiviral particles. Both antibody-displaying human cells and virus particles bound antigen specifically. Sulfation of CDR tyrosine residues, a property recently shown to broaden antibody binding affinity and antigen recognition was also demonstrated. High level scFvFc expression and stable integration was achieved in human cells following transduction with IRES containing bicistronic SIN lentivectors encoding ZsGreen when scFvFc fusion proteins were expressed from the first cassette. Up to 10(6)-fold enrichment of antibody expressing cells was achieved with one round of antigen coupled magnetic bead pre-selection followed by FACS sorting. Finally, the scFvFc displaying human cells could be used directly in functional biological screens with remarkable sensitivity. This antibody display platform will complement existing technologies by virtue of providing properties unique to lentiviruses and antibody expression in human cells, which, in turn, may aid the discovery of novel therapeutic human mAbs.
    PLoS ONE 02/2008; 3(9):e3181. · 4.09 Impact Factor
  • Article: Comparative requirements for the restriction of retrovirus infection by TRIM5alpha and TRIMCyp.
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    ABSTRACT: The restriction factors, TRIM5alpha in most primates and TRIMCyp in owl monkeys, block infection of various retroviruses soon after virus entry into the host cell. Rhesus monkey TRIM5alpha (TRIM5alpha rh) inhibits human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) more potently than human TRIM5alpha (TRIM5alpha hu). TRIMCyp restricts infection of HIV-1, simian immunodeficiency virus of African green monkeys (SIV agm) and FIV. Early after infection, TRIMCyp, like TRIM5alpha rh and TRIM5alpha hu, decreased the amount of particulate viral capsid in the cytosol of infected cells. The requirements for the TRIMCyp and TRIM5alpha domains in restricting different retroviruses were investigated. Potent restriction of FIV by TRIMCyp occurred in the complete absence of RING and B-box 2 domains; by contrast, efficient FIV restriction by TRIM5alpha rh required these domains. Variable region 1 of the TRIM5alpha rh B30.2 domain contributed to the potency of HIV-1, FIV and equine infectious anemia virus restriction. Thus, although differences exist in the requirements of TRIMCyp and TRIM5alpha for RING/B-box 2 domains, both restriction factors exhibit mechanistic similarities.
    Virology 01/2008; 369(2):400-10. · 3.35 Impact Factor
  • Article: Modulation of retroviral restriction and proteasome inhibitor-resistant turnover by changes in the TRIM5alpha B-box 2 domain.
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    ABSTRACT: An intact B-box 2 domain is essential for the antiretroviral activity of TRIM5alpha. We modeled the structure of the B-box 2 domain of TRIM5alpha based on the existing three-dimensional structure of the B-box 2 domain of human TRIM29. Using this model, we altered the residues predicted to be exposed on the surface of this globular structure. Most of the alanine substitutions in these residues exerted little effect on the antiretroviral activity of human TRIM5alphahu or rhesus monkey TRIM5alpharh. However, alteration of arginine 119 of TRIM5alphahu or the corresponding arginine 121 of TRIM5alpharh diminished the abilities of the proteins to restrict retroviral infection without affecting trimerization or recognition of the viral capsid. The abilities of these functionally defective TRIM5alpha proteins to accelerate the uncoating of the targeted retroviral capsid were abolished. Removal of the positively charged side chain from B-box 2 arginines 119/120/121 resulted in diminished proteasome-independent turnover of TRIM5alpha and the related restriction factor TRIMCyp. However, testing of an array of mutants revealed that the rapid turnover and retroviral restriction functions of this B-box 2 region are separable.
    Journal of Virology 11/2007; 81(19):10362-78. · 5.40 Impact Factor
  • Article: The ability of multimerized cyclophilin A to restrict retrovirus infection.
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    ABSTRACT: In owl monkeys, the typical retroviral restriction factor of primates, TRIM5alpha, is replaced by TRIMCyp. TRIMCyp consists of the TRIM5 RING, B-box 2 and coiled-coil domains, as well as the intervening linker regions, fused with cyclophilin A. TRIMCyp restricts infection of retroviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), with capsids that can bind cyclophilin A. The TRIM5 coiled coil promotes the trimerization of TRIMCyp. Here we show that cyclophilin A that is oligomeric as a result of fusion with a heterologous multimer exhibits substantial antiretroviral activity. The addition of the TRIM5 RING, B-box 2 and Linker 2 to oligomeric cyclophilin A generated a protein with antiretroviral activity approaching that of wild-type TRIMCyp. Multimerization increased the binding of cyclophilin A to the HIV-1 capsid, promoting accelerated uncoating of the capsid and restriction of infection.
    Virology 11/2007; 367(1):19-29. · 3.35 Impact Factor
  • Article: Unique features of TRIM5alpha among closely related human TRIM family members.
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    ABSTRACT: The tripartite motif (TRIM) protein, TRIM5alpha, restricts some retroviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), from infecting the cells of particular species. TRIM proteins contain RING, B-box, coiled-coil and, in some cases, B30.2(SPRY) domains. We investigated the properties of human TRIM family members closely related to TRIM5. These TRIM proteins, like TRIM5alpha, assembled into homotrimers and co-localized in the cytoplasm with TRIM5alpha. TRIM5alpha turned over more rapidly than related TRIM proteins. TRIM5alpha, TRIM34 and TRIM6 associated with HIV-1 capsid-nucleocapsid complexes assembled in vitro; the TRIM5alpha and TRIM34 interactions with these complexes were dependent on their B30.2(SPRY) domains. Only TRIM5alpha potently restricted infection by the retroviruses studied; overexpression of TRIM34 resulted in modest inhibition of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV(mac)) infection. In contrast to the other TRIM genes examined, TRIM5 exhibited evidence of positive selection. The unique features of TRIM5alpha among its TRIM relatives underscore its special status as an antiviral factor.
    Virology 05/2007; 360(2):419-33. · 3.35 Impact Factor
  • Article: Characterization of TRIM5alpha trimerization and its contribution to human immunodeficiency virus capsid binding.
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    ABSTRACT: The coiled-coil domain of the tripartite motif (TRIM) family protein TRIM5alpha is required for trimerization and function as an antiretroviral restriction factor. Unlike the coiled-coil regions of other related TRIM proteins, the coiled coil of TRIM5alpha is not sufficient for multimerization. The linker region between the coiled-coil and B30.2 domains is necessary for efficient TRIM5alpha trimerization. Most of the hydrophilic residues predicted to be located on the surface-exposed face of the coiled coil can be altered without compromising TRIM5alpha antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). However, changes that disrupt TRIM5alpha trimerization proportionately affect the ability of TRIM5alpha to bind HIV-1 capsid complexes. Therefore, TRIM5alpha trimerization makes a major contribution to its avidity for the retroviral capsid, and to the ability to restrict virus infection.
    Virology 10/2006; 353(1):234-46. · 3.35 Impact Factor
  • Article: Requirements for capsid-binding and an effector function in TRIMCyp-mediated restriction of HIV-1.
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    ABSTRACT: In owl monkeys, a retrotransposition event replaced the gene encoding the retroviral restriction factor TRIM5alpha with one encoding TRIMCyp, a fusion between the RING, B-box 2 and coiled-coil domains of TRIM5 and cyclophilin A. TRIMCyp restricts human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection by a mechanism dependent on the interaction of the cyclophilin A moiety and the HIV-1 capsid protein. Here, we show that infection by retroviruses other than HIV-1 can be restricted by TRIMCyp, providing an explanation for the evolutionary retention of the TRIMCyp gene in owl monkey lineages. The TRIMCyp-mediated block to HIV-1 infection occurs before the earliest step of reverse transcription. TRIMCyp-mediated restriction involves at least two functions: (1) capsid binding, which occurs most efficiently for trimeric TRIMCyp proteins that retain the coiled-coil and cyclophilin A domains, and (2) an effector function that depends upon the B-box 2 domain.
    Virology 09/2006; 351(2):404-19. · 3.35 Impact Factor

Institutions

  • 2002–2012
    • Albert Einstein College of Medicine
      • Department of Microbiology & Immunology
      New York City, NY, USA
  • 2009
    • University of Yaounde I
      • Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
      Yaoundé, Centre Province, Cameroon
  • 2005–2008
    • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
      • Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS
      Boston, MA, USA