Exploring binding sites of anti-MPER.

<p>(A) Schematic representation of peptides used for scanning the binding sites of anti-MPER. (B) Results of anti-MPER binding to peptides in ELISA. MAbs 2F5 and 4E10 were used as control. The concentration of each antibody was 0.2 µg/ml.</p

Inhibitory activity of antibodies on cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1.

<p>Anti-MPER IgGs and ani-6HB IgGs were tested for inhibition of HIV-1 IIIB and Bal transmission from PBMCs to CEMx174 5.25M7 cells.</p

Binding of antisera to MPER or MPER(IV) peptide.

<p>Two-fold serially diluted rabbit sera were added to peptide MPER- (A) or MPER(IV) (B) -coated 96-well plates. Each datum is the average of A490 value of three rabbits in the same group.</p

Immunogen design and protein purification.

<p>(A) Schematic representation of gp41 and NCMs. The gp41 molecule consists of fusion peptide (FP), N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR), loop (immunodominant) region, C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR), membrane-proximal external region (MPER), and cytoplasm tail (CT). (B) The amino acid sequences of NCMs. The sequence of N36 and C34 are in brown and blue, respectively. The epitopes for 2F5 (ELDKWA) and 4E10 (NWFDIT) are highlighted in red and green, respectively. The mutations of T569A and I675V are in boldface. (C) NCMs may form 6HB with exposed MPER tails. The epitopes for 2F5 and 4E10 are in red and green, respectively. (D) SDS-PAGE analysis of purified NCMs. The estimated molecular weight of NCMs is 11.8 kD. (E) Chemical cross-linking assay of NCM. NCM(IV), NCM(TA) and NCM(TAIV) showed similar results (data not shown).</p

Neutralizing activity of anti-MPER antibodies against Env-mediated syncytium-formation and infection by HIV-1 pseudoviruses, laboratory-adapted and primary strains.

<p>Neutralizing activity of anti-MPER antibodies against Env-mediated syncytium-formation and infection by HIV-1 pseudoviruses, laboratory-adapted and primary strains.</p

Immunoinformatic analysis of physicochemical properties of MPER.

<p>(A) Hydrophilicity, (B) Flexibility, (C) Turn propensity and (D) Antigenic propensity. All analyses were performed by BcePred server.</p