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Here's how early humans evaded immunodeficiency viruses: CryoEM reveals structural effect of mutation that made humans, but not apes, immune to SIV
- August 24, 2019
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The cryoEM structure of a simian immunodeficiency virus protein bound to primate proteins shows how a mutation in early humans allowed our ancestors to escape infection while monkeys and apes did not. SIV's Nef protein forms a solid link between two primate proteins, tetherin and AP-2, forcing the destruction of tetherin, which normally prevents new SIV virions from budding off. A mutation in human tetherin disrupted binding, thwarting SIV budding -- until HIV evolved a work-around.
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"Here's how early humans evaded immunodeficiency viruses: CryoEM reveals structural effect of mutation that made humans, but not apes, immune to SIV", MachPrinciple, August 24, 2019, https://machprinciple.com/post/Here-s-how-early-humans-evaded-immunodeficiency-viruses-CryoEM-reveals-structural-effect-of-mutation-that-made-humans-but-not-apes-immune-to-SIV
