scholarly journals A simple, high-throughput stabilization assay to test HIV-1 uncoating inhibitors

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alžběta Dostálková ◽  
Romana Hadravová ◽  
Filip Kaufman ◽  
Ivana Křížová ◽  
Kryštof Škach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Fluorescence Signal ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Capsid Shell ◽  
Cell Genome ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Hiv 1

AbstractShortly after entering the cell, HIV-1 copies its genomic RNA into double-stranded DNA in a process known as reverse transcription. This process starts inside a core consisting of an enclosed lattice of capsid proteins that protect the viral RNA from cytosolic sensors and degradation pathways. To accomplish reverse transcription and integrate cDNA into the host cell genome, the capsid shell needs to be disassembled, or uncoated. Premature or delayed uncoating attenuates reverse transcription and blocks HIV-1 infectivity. Small molecules that bind to the capsid lattice of the HIV-1 core and either destabilize or stabilize its structure could thus function as effective HIV-1 inhibitors. To screen for such compounds, we modified our recently developed FAITH assay to allow direct assessment of the stability of in vitro preassembled HIV-1 capsid-nucleocapsid (CANC) tubular particles. This new assay is a high-throughput fluorescence method based on measuring the amount of nucleic acid released from CANC complexes under disassembly conditions. The amount of disassembled CANC particles and released nucleic acid is proportional to the fluorescence signal, from which the relative percentage of CANC stability can be calculated. We consider our assay a potentially powerful tool for in vitro screening for compounds that alter HIV disassembly.

scholarly journals HIV-1 uncoating occurs via a series of rapid biomechanical changes in the core related to individual stages of reverse transcription

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanela Rankovic ◽  
Akshay Deshpande ◽  
Shimon Harel ◽  
Christopher Aiken ◽  
Itay Rousso
Keyword(s):  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Viral Capsid ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Viral Core ◽  
Successful Infection ◽  
Capsid Shell ◽  
Hiv 1

AbstractThe HIV core consists of the viral genome and associated proteins encased by a cone-shaped protein shell termed the capsid. Successful infection requires reverse transcription of the viral genome and disassembly of the capsid shell within a cell in a process known as uncoating. The integrity of the viral capsid is critical for reverse transcription, yet the viral capsid must be breached to release the nascent viral DNA prior to integration. We employed atomic force microscopy to study the stiffness changes in HIV-1 cores during reverse transcription in vitro in reactions containing the capsid-stabilizing host metabolite IP6. Cores exhibited a series of stiffness spikes, with up to three spikes typically occurring between 10-30, 40-80, and 120-160 minutes after initiation of reverse transcription. Addition of the reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor efavirenz eliminated the appearance of these spikes and the subsequent disassembly of the capsid, thus establishing that both result from reverse transcription. Using timed addition of efavirenz, and analysis of an RNAseH-defective RT mutant, we established that the first stiffness spike requires minus-strand strong stop DNA synthesis, with subsequent spikes requiring later stages of reverse transcription. Additional rapid AFM imaging experiments revealed repeated morphological changes in cores that were temporally correlated with the observed stiffness spikes. Our study reveals discrete mechanical changes in the viral core that are likely related to specific stages of reverse transcription. Our results suggest that reverse-transcription-induced changes in the capsid progressively remodel the viral core to prime it for temporally accurate uncoating in target cells.

scholarly journals The Host Cell Metabolite Inositol Hexakisphosphate Promotes Efficient Endogenous HIV-1 Reverse Transcription by Stabilizing the Viral Capsid

mBio ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan Jennings ◽  
Jiong Shi ◽  
Janani Varadarajan ◽  
Parker J. Jamieson ◽  
Christopher Aiken
Keyword(s):  
Host Cell ◽  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Viral Capsid ◽  
Inositol Hexakisphosphate ◽  
Antiviral Compound ◽  
Viral Core ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT A defining activity of retroviruses is reverse transcription, the process by which the viral genomic RNA is converted into the double-stranded DNA required for virus replication. Reverse transcriptase (RT), the viral enzyme responsible for this process, was identified in 1970 by assaying permeabilized retrovirus particles for DNA synthesis in vitro. Such reactions are inefficient, with only a small fraction of viral genomes being converted to full-length double-stranded DNA molecules, possibly owing to disruption of the structure of the viral core. Here, we show that reverse transcription in purified HIV-1 cores is enhanced by the addition of the capsid-binding host cell metabolite inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6). IP6 potently enhanced full-length minus-strand synthesis, as did hexacarboxybenzene (HCB), which also stabilizes the HIV-1 capsid. Both IP6 and HCB stabilized the association of the viral CA and RT proteins with HIV-1 cores. In contrast to the wild type, cores isolated from mutant HIV-1 particles containing intrinsically hyperstable capsids exhibited relatively efficient reverse transcription in the absence of IP6, further indicating that the compound promotes reverse transcription by stabilizing the viral capsid. We also observed that the capsid-destabilizing antiviral compound PF74 inhibited endogenous reverse transcription with a potency that mirrors its ability to inhibit reverse transcription during infection. Our results show that the stabilization of the HIV-1 capsid permits efficient reverse transcription in HIV-1 cores, providing a sensitive experimental system for analyzing the functions of viral and host cell molecules and the role of capsid disassembly (uncoating) in the process. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 infection requires reverse transcription of the viral genome. While much is known about the biochemistry of reverse transcription from simplified biochemical reactions, reverse transcription during infection takes place within a viral core. However, endogenous reverse transcription reactions using permeabilized HIV-1 virions or purified viral cores have been inefficient. Using viral cores purified from infectious HIV-1 particles, we show that efficient reverse transcription is achieved in vitro by addition of the capsid-stabilizing metabolite inositol hexakisphosphate. The enhancement of reverse transcription was linked to the capsid-stabilizing effect of the compound, consistent with the known requirement for an intact or semi-intact viral capsid for HIV-1 infection. Our results establish a biologically relevant system for dissecting the function of the viral capsid and its disassembly during reverse transcription. The system should also prove useful for mechanistic studies of capsid-targeting antiviral drugs.

scholarly journals Extended Interactions between HIV-1 Viral RNA and tRNALys3 Are Important to Maintain Viral RNA Integrity

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Thomas Gremminger ◽  
Zhenwei Song ◽  
Juan Ji ◽  
Avery Foster ◽  
Kexin Weng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Potential Interaction ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Primer Binding Site ◽  
Rna Integrity ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Extended Interaction ◽  
Hiv 1

The reverse transcription of the human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) initiates upon annealing of the 3′-18-nt of tRNALys3 onto the primer binding site (PBS) in viral RNA (vRNA). Additional intermolecular interactions between tRNALys3 and vRNA have been reported, but their functions remain unclear. Here, we show that abolishing one potential interaction, the A-rich loop: tRNALys3 anticodon interaction in the HIV-1 MAL strain, led to a decrease in viral infectivity and reduced the synthesis of reverse transcription products in newly infected cells. In vitro biophysical and functional experiments revealed that disruption of the extended interaction resulted in an increased affinity for reverse transcriptase (RT) and enhanced primer extension efficiency. In the absence of deoxyribose nucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs), vRNA was degraded by the RNaseH activity of RT, and the degradation rate was slower in the complex with the extended interaction. Consistently, the loss of vRNA integrity was detected in virions containing A-rich loop mutations. Similar results were observed in the HIV-1 NL4.3 strain, and we show that the nucleocapsid (NC) protein is necessary to promote the extended vRNA: tRNALys3 interactions in vitro. In summary, our data revealed that the additional intermolecular interaction between tRNALys3 and vRNA is likely a conserved mechanism among various HIV-1 strains and protects the vRNA from RNaseH degradation in mature virions.

scholarly journals Mechanism of HIV-1 NC Protein-Induced Condensation of Double Stranded DNA as a Model for DNA Compaction during Reverse Transcription

2021 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 206a
Author(s):  
Helena Gien ◽  
Michael Morse ◽  
Jonathan Kitzrow ◽  
Ioulia F. Rouzina ◽  
Karin Musier-Forsyth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Dna Compaction ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Hiv 1

scholarly journals Nucleic-Acid-Binding Chromophores as Efficient Indicators of Aptamer-Target Interactions

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwabena Sarpong ◽  
Bhaskar Datta
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Covalent Modification ◽  
Fluorescence Signal ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding ◽  
Sensitivity And Selectivity ◽  
Target Molecules ◽  
Diagnostic Applications ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Simple Format

The binding affinity and specificity of nucleic acid aptamers have made them valuable candidates for use as sensors in diagnostic applications. In particular, chromophore-functionalized aptamers offer a relatively simple format for detection and quantification of target molecules. We describe the use of nucleic-acid-staining reagents as an effective tool for detecting and signaling aptamer-target interactions. Aptamers varying in size and structure and targeting a range of molecules have been used in conjunction with commercially available chromophores to indicate and quantify the presence of cognate targets with high sensitivity and selectivity. Our assay precludes the covalent modification of nucleic acids and relies on the differential fluorescence signal of chromophores when complexed with aptamers with or without their cognate target. We also evaluate factors that are critical for the stability of the complex between the aptamer and chromophore in presence or absence of target molecules. Our results indicate the possibility of controlling those factors to enhance the sensitivity of target detection by the aptamers used in such assays.

scholarly journals A Novel Leu92 Mutant of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase with a Selective Deficiency in Strand Transfer Causes a Loss of Viral Replication

2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (16) ◽  
pp. 8119-8129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eytan Herzig ◽  
Nickolay Voronin ◽  
Nataly Kucherenko ◽  
Amnon Hizi
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Viral Replication ◽  
Reverse Transcriptase ◽  
Dna Polymerase ◽  
Reverse Transcription ◽  
Polymerase Activity ◽  
Rnase H ◽  
Strand Transfer ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACTThe process of reverse transcription (RTN) in retroviruses is essential to the viral life cycle. This key process is catalyzed exclusively by the viral reverse transcriptase (RT) that copies the viral RNA into DNA by its DNA polymerase activity, while concomitantly removing the original RNA template by its RNase H activity. During RTN, the combination between DNA synthesis and RNA hydrolysis leads to strand transfers (or template switches) that are critical for the completion of RTN. The balance between these RT-driven activities was considered to be the sole reason for strand transfers. Nevertheless, we show here that a specific mutation in HIV-1 RT (L92P) that does not affect the DNA polymerase and RNase H activities abolishes strand transfer. There is also a good correlation between this complete loss of the RT's strand transfer to the loss of the DNA clamp activity of the RT, discovered recently by us. This finding indicates a mechanistic linkage between these two functions and that they are both direct and unique functions of the RT (apart from DNA synthesis and RNA degradation). Furthermore, when the RT's L92P mutant was introduced into an infectious HIV-1 clone, it lost viral replication, due to inefficient intracellular strand transfers during RTN, thus supporting thein vitrodata. As far as we know, this is the first report on RT mutants that specifically and directly impair RT-associated strand transfers. Therefore, targeting residue Leu92 may be helpful in selectively blocking this RT activity and consequently HIV-1 infectivity and pathogenesis.IMPORTANCEReverse transcription in retroviruses is essential for the viral life cycle. This multistep process is catalyzed by viral reverse transcriptase, which copies the viral RNA into DNA by its DNA polymerase activity (while concomitantly removing the RNA template by its RNase H activity). The combination and balance between synthesis and hydrolysis lead to strand transfers that are critical for reverse transcription completion. We show here for the first time that a single mutation in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (L92P) selectively abolishes strand transfers without affecting the enzyme's DNA polymerase and RNase H functions. When this mutation was introduced into an infectious HIV-1 clone, viral replication was lost due to an impaired intracellular strand transfer, thus supporting thein vitrodata. Therefore, finding novel drugs that target HIV-1 reverse transcriptase Leu92 may be beneficial for developing new potent and selective inhibitors of retroviral reverse transcription that will obstruct HIV-1 infectivity.

scholarly journals The stability of HIV-1 nucleic acid in whole blood and improved detection of HIV-1 in alternative specimen types when compared to Dried Blood Spot (DBS) specimens

2018 ◽  
Vol 261 ◽  
pp. 91-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Jennings ◽  
Brian Harty ◽  
Salvatore R. Scianna ◽  
Suzanne Granger ◽  
Amy Couzens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Dried Blood Spot ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Alternative Specimen ◽  
Hiv 1 ◽  
Blood Spot

scholarly journals Actinomycin D Inhibits Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Minus-Strand Transfer in In Vitro and Endogenous Reverse Transcriptase Assays

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (8) ◽  
pp. 6716-6724 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianhui Guo ◽  
Tiyun Wu ◽  
Julian Bess ◽  
Louis E. Henderson ◽  
Judith G. Levin
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Actinomycin D ◽  
Strand Transfer ◽  
Minus Strand ◽  
Nucleic Acid Chaperone ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT In this report we demonstrate that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) minus-strand transfer, assayed in vitro and in endogenous reactions, is greatly inhibited by actinomycin D. Previously we showed that HIV-1 nucleocapsid (NC) protein (a nucleic acid chaperone catalyzing nucleic acid rearrangements which lead to more thermodynamically stable conformations) dramatically stimulates HIV-1 minus-strand transfer by preventing TAR-dependent self-priming from minus-strand strong-stop DNA [(−) SSDNA]. Despite this potent activity, the addition of NC to in vitro reactions with actinomycin D results in only a modest increase in the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for the drug. PCR analysis of HIV-1 endogenous reactions indicates that minus-strand transfer is inhibited by the drug with an IC50 similar to that observed when NC is present in the in vitro system. Taken together, these results demonstrate that NC cannot overcome the inhibitory effect of actinomycin D on minus-strand transfer. Other experiments reveal that at actinomycin D concentrations which severely curtail minus-strand transfer, neither the synthesis of (−) SSDNA nor RNase H degradation of donor RNA is affected; however, the annealing of (−) SSDNA to acceptor RNA is significantly reduced. Thus, inhibition of the annealing reaction is responsible for actinomycin D-mediated inhibition of strand transfer. Since NC (but not reverse transcriptase) is required for efficient annealing, we conclude that actinomycin D inhibits minus-strand transfer by blocking the nucleic acid chaperone activity of NC. Our findings also suggest that actinomycin D, already approved for treatment of certain tumors, might be useful in combination therapy for AIDS.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document