Structural basis for recruitment of host CypA and E3 ubiquitin ligase by maedi-visna virus Vif.

Lentiviral Vif molecules target the host antiviral APOBEC3 proteins for destruction in cellular ubiquitin-proteasome pathways. Different lentiviral Vifs have evolved to use the same canonical E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes, along with distinct noncanonical host cofactors for their activities. Unlike primate lentiviral Vif, which recruits CBFβ as the noncanonical cofactor, nonprimate lentiviral Vif proteins have developed different cofactor recruitment mechanisms.