Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Imaging of HIV-1 Envelope-induced Virological Synapse and Signaling on Synthetic Lipid Bilayers
Published on: March 8, 2012
Structural nature of the interaction between T lymphocyte surface molecule CD4 and the intracellular protein tyrosine
M A Vega1, M C Kuo, A C Carrera
1Division of Tumor Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Abstract:
The strong non-covalent interactions between T lymphocyte surface CD4 or CD8 molecules and the intracellular membrane-associated protein tyrosine kinase lck are likely to mediate the role of CD4 and CD8 molecules in the immune response. The delineation of the structural nature of the CD4/lck and CD8/lck complexes is important for the understanding of the biochemical and functional significance of the interactions. Complementary charged regions in the C-terminal intracytoplasmic portions of CD4 or CD8, and in the N-terminal region of protein tyrosine kinase lck were noted. Peptides spanning these regions, residues 417 to 429 of CD4 and 10 to 22 of lck, were found to specifically dissociate these two molecules in CD4/lck complexes. A structural model of the interaction that accounts for its high stability is proposed.
Related Concept Videos
Assembly of Signaling Complexes
Interaction domains in cell signaling
Interaction domains recognize exposed features of their binding partners containing post-translationally modified sequences,...
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
Transducer Mechanism: Enzyme-Linked Receptors
Major types that are helpful drug targets include:
T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...

