Comparative X-ray crystallographic evidence for a β-bend conformation as the active structure for peptide T in T4 receptor recognition

A sequence similarity has been found between two segments of endothiapepsin (acid proteinase, 2APE), bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A, and peptide T, a segment of the gp120 protein of human inmmune deficiency virus (HIV), which has been implicated in blocking viral attachment to the T4 receptor. The two similar sequences of the acid proteinase enzyme are Leu-Ile-Asp-Ser-Ser-Ala-Tyr-Thr (residues 169-176) and Tyr-Thr-Gly-Ser-Leu-Asn-Tyr-Thr (residues 175-182). Since the X-ray crystallographic structures of the acid proteinase and ribonuclease are known, it has been possible to determine whether the three-dimensional structures of the segments are similar. Portions of both of the segments of acid proteinase are directly superimposable on the structure of the RNase A 19-26 segment. The fact that the three similar sequences from two completely unrelated proteins give rise to almost identical structures raises the possibility that these segments may be involved in nucleating the folding of these proteins. In addition, this provides further support for the concept that the octapeptide sequence of peptide T of HIV, which is also similar in sequence to the 19-26 sequence of RNase A, is also structurally similar to these residues, which adopt a β-bend conformation. Furthermore, comparison of similarities and differences in the structure of these similar sequences provides an explanation for alterations in the biological activity of various truncated or substituted derivatives of peptide T and additional confirmation of the structural requirements for peptide T in T4-receptor recognition.