Hijacking of endocytosis by HIV-1 Nef is becoming crystal clear.

The cell surface protein CD4 acts as a coreceptor for incoming HIV particles. However, the expression of CD4 in HIV-producing cells is detrimental to virus propagation and pathogenicity. To solve this issue, the viral accessory protein Nef forces CD4 endocytosis and targets it for lysosomal degradation. Structural elucidation of the AP-2–Nef–CD4 complex shows how Nef connects CD4 to the clathrin endocytic machinery, revealing a potential new target for anti-HIV therapy.