Effect of various glycosidase treatments on the resistance of the HIV‐1 envelope to degradation

Using a CD4-binding assay to assess the conformation of the human immunodeficiency virus envelope glycoprotein (CHO+ Env), we studied the effect of treatment with various glycosidases on the stability of Env in denaturing environments and in biological media: cleavage from Env of either high-mannose-type glycans (HMT- Env) by endoglycosidase H or sialic acid residues (Sial- Env) by sialidase did not alter Env stability whereas its complete deglycosylation (CHO- Env) by N-glycanase had a large effect. The influence of glycan removal on Env sensitivity to proteases was also studied. Thrombin cleavage within V3 was affected by N-glycanase treatment; both HMT- Env and CHO- Env displayed an increased sensitivity to other endoproteases. Thus, partial deglycosylation increases Env sensitivity to proteases but only its total deglycosylation alters its stability.