Proteomic Investigation of the HIV receptors CD4 and DC-SIGN/CD209

Membrane proteins play important roles in cell-cell communication and infection of cells with pathogens such as HIV. Knowledge of the interactions of a membrane protein with other proteins in the plasma membrane or inside the cell is crucial for understanding its function. However the need for solubilization and the weakness of some of the interactions makes membrane proteins especially hard to study requiring specialized methods for identifying their protein associations. This book introduces the problem of membrane protein interactions of the HIV receptors CD4 and DC-SIGN/CD209 and provides detailed methods on how membrane protein interactions can be studied and how results from such experiments should be interpreted. The main focus of the book is affinity purification of proteins with their interacting molecules, cross-linking of cell surface molecules to preserve weak protein interactions, and their validation using a fluorescence techniques. The book is especially useful for researchers in the area of protein chemistry or virology who whish to study the interactions of a membrane protein or seek identification of novel protein associations.

Oliver K. Bernhard Diplom Chemiker (Universität Würzburg, Germany) PhD (Medicine, University of Sydney, Australia) Peter Doherty Fellow at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Melbourne, Australia