Conformational transition of membrane-associated terminally acylated HIV-1 Nef

Many proteins are posttranslationally modified by acylation targeting them to lipid membranes. While methods such as X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance are available to determine the structure of folded proteins in solution, the precise position of folded domains relative to a membrane remains largely unknown. We used neutron and X-ray reflection methods to measure the displacement of the core domain of HIV Nef from lipid membranes upon insertion of the N-terminal myristate group. Nef is one of several HIV-1 accessory proteins and an essential factor in AIDS progression. Upon insertion of the myristate and residues from the N-terminal arm, Nef transitions from a closed-to-open conformation that positions the core domain 70 Å from the lipid headgroups. This work rules out previous speculation that the Nef core remains closely associated with the membrane to optimize interactions with the cytoplasmic domain of MHC-1.