Clustered localization of oligomeric Nef protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 on the cell surface

We studied human immunodeficieney virus type 1 (HIV-1) Nef protein biochemically and histologically. HIV-1 bacterial and eukaryotic systems form oligomers (11), but Nef, derived from baculosystem and from cells infected with there is no information about the oligomerization of Nef in HIV-I, formed homomeric monomers, dimers, trimers, and HIV-l-infected T cells. To clarify the mechanism of Nef-de- further polymers. These oligomers were non-covalently asso- pendent cell killing, we studied the biochemical and histologi- ciated. In cells infected with HIV-1, Nefmolecules were clustered cal properties of Nef. In this report we show that the Nef at the cell surface as well as cytoplasm. Our previous results have molecules form oligomers and cluster on the surface of indicated that the Nef on the surface of cells infected with HIV-1 HIV- 1-infected CD4+ cells.