BBA - Biomembranes Viral Ion Channels
Edited by Wolfgang B. Fischer
Volume 1808, Issue 2, Pages 509-588 (February 2011)
This special issue aims to present a summary of the state of the art on viral channel proteins written by experts in the field. A general overview of how many channels exist is reported. Contributions cover (K+-channels) channels encoded by plant viruses, a newly discovered protein 8a from SARS-Co, which is found to exhibit channel activity, and two proteins encoded by HIV-1 and HCV, Vpu and p7, respectively, focusing on structural discoveries. In another contribution a link between sequence homology and structural features of Vpu with known and structurally resolved host channels is presented. The proton channel M2 from influenza A is discussed intensively in this special issue. This especially since the discovery of structural features within the lipid membrane on an atomic level by two groups using different techniques has sparked exciting discussions about the mechanism of function of this channel and its interaction with the known antiviral drugs amantadine and its derivatives. Novel antiviral drugs against M2 are reported and computer simulations of drug–protein interactions of M2 are presented.
Dr. Wolfgang B. Fischer obtained his doctorate in chemistry at the Heidelberg University, Germany. During his postdoctoral years at Bosoton University, MA, USA, and TU Dresden, Germany, he moved into the field of membrane proteins. He discovered structurally active water molecules in the light driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin and structural features in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor using FTIR spectroscopy. At Oxford University he developed into molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on viral channel forming proteins. He proposed the assembly state of Vpu from HIV-1 and generated the first computational model of p7 from HCV. Now at National Yang-Ming University (www.ym.edu.tw / wfischer) he has published the first computational model of 3a from SARS-CoV. The major areas of research are self-assembly, ion and substrate flux in constrained geometries and folding at the membrane surface. The techniques applied are docking approaches, classical and ab inito MD simulations.
