Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
13:47
Development of Cell-type specific anti-HIV gp120 aptamers for siRNA delivery
Published on: June 23, 2011
Single-round selection yields a unique retroviral envelope utilizing GPR172A as its host receptor
Peter M Mazari1, Daniela Linder-Basso, Anindita Sarangi
1University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Biochemistry, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
Summary
Researchers identified a novel retroviral envelope and its host cell receptor, human GPR172A. This discovery advances gene-therapy vector development by enabling targeted viral entry into specific tissues.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Viral host tropism and tissue specificity are determined by the interaction between viral envelopes and host cell receptors.
- Identifying novel viral envelope-receptor pairs is crucial for understanding viral pathogenesis and developing targeted therapeutics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify a novel retroviral envelope and its cognate host cell receptor.
- To explore the potential of this pair for developing advanced gene-therapy vectors.
Main Methods:
- A single-round selection of a random retroviral envelope library was performed.
- A parallel cDNA screen was used to identify the functional receptor.
- Structural and functional analysis of the modified feline leukemia virus envelope and its interaction with the receptor.
Main Results:
- A distinct retroviral envelope/receptor pair was identified.
- The modified feline leukemia virus envelope utilizes the human GPR172A protein, a G-protein-coupled receptor, as its host cell receptor.
- A constrained 11-amino acid targeting domain within the envelope, featuring internal cysteines and a tryptophan residue, is critical for binding and maintaining high viral titers.
Conclusions:
- The identification of the feline leukemia virus envelope and human GPR172A receptor pair represents a significant advancement.
- This finding enables the development of gene-therapy vectors with enhanced tissue- or disease-specific targeting capabilities.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
02:33Retroviruses
Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...