HIV Viral Infectivity Factor (Vif)
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that results in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in humans, which can lead to normally harmless infections becoming life threatening if left untreated. HIV is estimated to affect over 11 million individuals worldwide and over 1 million in the United States. It replicates by reverse transcribing its viral RNA into viral DNA and integrating it into the host genome, which will transcribe new viral RNA and proteins that go on to form new HIV virus. However, many cells have an innate defense, a DNA editing enzyme called APOBEC3G, which enters progeny virions and lethally hypermutates new viral DNA, preventing viral replication. Viral Infectivity Factor (Vif) is HIV’s defense against APOBEC3G. Vif is an HIV protein which forms a protein complex with APOBEC3G and ultimately degrades it through a polyubiquitination pathway allowing for effective HIV replication. This project aims to prevent APOBEC3G degradation using Qvina computational docking, AMBER molecular dynamics and analysis tools, and energy decomposition analysis to find potential inhibitors of Vif binding and complex formation to help prevent HIV replication.
Current Members:
Peyton Williams, Ainsley LaMore
Past Members: