scholarly journals The 5′ and 3′ TAR Elements of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Exert Effects at Several Points in the Virus Life Cycle

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (11) ◽  
pp. 9217-9223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atze T. Das ◽  
Bep Klaver ◽  
Ben Berkhout

ABSTRACT The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA genome contains a terminal repeat (R) sequence that encodes the TAR hairpin motif, which has been implicated in Tat-mediated activation of transcription. More recently, a variety of other functions have been proposed for this structured RNA element. To determine the replicative roles of the 5′ and 3′ TAR hairpins, we analyzed multiple steps in the life cycle of wild-type and mutant viruses. A structure-destabilizing mutation was introduced in either the 5′, the 3′, or both TAR motifs of the proviral genome. As expected, opening of the 5′ TAR hairpin caused a transcription defect. Because the level of protein expression was not similarly reduced, the translation of this mRNA was improved. No effect of the 3′ hairpin on transcription and translation was measured. Mutations of the 5′ and 3′ hairpin structures reduced the efficiency of RNA packaging to similar extents, and RNA packaging was further reduced in the 5′ and 3′ TAR double mutant. Upon infection of cells with these virions, a reduced amount of reverse transcription products was synthesized by the TAR mutant. However, no net reverse transcription defect was observed after correction for the reduced level of virion RNA. This result was confirmed in in vitro reverse transcription assays. These data indicate that the 5′ and 3′ TAR motifs play important roles in several steps of the replication cycle, but these structures have no significant effect on the mechanism of reverse transcription.

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (22) ◽  
pp. 10796-10800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Cen ◽  
Ahmad Khorchid ◽  
Juliana Gabor ◽  
Liwei Rong ◽  
Mark A. Wainberg ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT To study in vivo tRNA3 Lys genomic placement and the initiation step of reverse transcription in human immunodeficiency virus type 1, total viral RNA isolated from either wild-type or protease-negative (PR−) virus was used as the source of primer tRNA3 Lys/genomic RNA templates in an in vitro reverse transcription assay. At low dCTP concentrations, both the rate and extent of the first nucleotide incorporated into tRNA3 Lys, dCTP, were lower with PR− than with wild-type total viral RNA. Transient in vitro exposure of either type of primer/template RNA to NCp7 increased PR− dCTP incorporation to wild-type levels but did not change the level of wild-type dCTP incorporation. Exposure of either primer/template to Pr55 gag had no effect on initiation. These results indicate that while Pr55 gag is sufficient for tRNA3 Lys placement onto the genome, exposure of this complex to mature NCp7 is required for optimum tRNA3 Lys placement and initiation of reverse transcription.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (10) ◽  
pp. 5045-5055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Zhu ◽  
Charles Dobard ◽  
Samson A. Chow

ABSTRACT Retroviral integrase catalyzes the essential step of integrating a double-stranded DNA copy of the viral genome into a host cell chromosome. Mutational studies have revealed that integrase is involved in additional steps of viral replication, but the mechanism for the pleiotropic effect is not well characterized. Since Cys residues generally play crucial roles in protein structure and function, we introduced Cys-to-Ser substitutions at positions 56, 65, and 130 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase to determine their effects on integration activity and viral replication. None of the substitutions significantly affected the enzymatic activities in vitro. When introduced into the NL4-3 molecular clone of HIV-1, mutant viruses encoding Cys mutations at positions 56 and 65 of integrase replicated similarly to the wild-type virus in CD4+-T-cell lines, whereas the C130S-containing virus was noninfectious. The entry and postintegration steps of the viral life cycle for all mutant viruses were normal, and all had particle-associated reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. However, early reverse-transcribed DNA products were absent in the lysate of cells infected with the C130S mutant virus, indicating that the mutation abolished the ability of the virus to initiate endogenous reverse transcription. Coimmunoprecipitation using purified integrase and RT showed that the C-terminal domain of wild-type HIV-1 integrase interacted with RT. The interaction between integrase and RT was not affected in the presence of a reducing or alkylating agent, suggesting that the interaction did not involve a disulfide linkage. The C130S substitution within the core region may disrupt the protein recognition interface of the C-terminal domain and abolish its ability to interact with RT. Our results indicate that integrase plays an important role during the reverse-transcription step of the viral life cycle, possibly through physical interactions with RT.


2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 3020-3030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebbe Sloth Andersen ◽  
Rienk E. Jeeninga ◽  
Christian Kroun Damgaard ◽  
Ben Berkhout ◽  
Jørgen Kjems

ABSTRACT The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particle contains two identical RNA strands, each corresponding to the entire genome. The 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of each RNA strand contains extensive secondary and tertiary structures that are instrumental in different steps of the viral replication cycle. We have characterized the 5′ UTRs of nine different HIV-1 isolates representing subtypes A through G and, by comparing their homodimerization and heterodimerization potentials, found that complementarity between the palindromic sequences in the dimerization initiation site (DIS) hairpins is necessary and sufficient for in vitro dimerization of two subtype RNAs. The 5′ UTR sequences were used to design donor and acceptor templates for a coupled in vitro dimerization-reverse transcription assay. We showed that template switching during reverse transcription is increased with a matching DIS palindrome and further stimulated proportional to the level of homology between the templates. The presence of the HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein NCp7 increased the template-switching efficiency for matching DIS palindromes twofold, whereas the recombination efficiency was increased sevenfold with a nonmatching palindrome. Since NCp7 did not effect the dimerization of nonmatching palindromes, we concluded that the protein most likely stimulates the strand transfer reaction. An analysis of the distribution of template-switching events revealed that it occurs throughout the 5′ UTR. Together, these results demonstrate that the template switching of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase occurs frequently in vitro and that this process is facilitated mainly by template proximity and the level of homology.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (16) ◽  
pp. 10356-10368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Lu ◽  
Hina Z. Ghory ◽  
Alan Engelman

ABSTRACT Results of in vitro assays identified residues in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) important for IN-IN and IN-DNA interactions, but the potential roles of these residues in virus replication were mostly unknown. Sixteen CTD residues were targeted here, generating 24 mutant viruses. Replication-defective mutants were typed as class I (blocked at integration) or class II (additional reverse transcription and/or assembly defects). Most defective viruses (15 of 17) displayed reverse transcription defects. In contrast, replication-defective HIV-1E246K synthesized near-normal cDNA levels but processing of Pr55 g ag was largely inhibited in virus-producing cells. Because single-round HIV-1E246K.Luc(R-) transduced cells at approximately 8% of the wild-type level, we concluded that the late-stage processing defect contributed significantly to the overall replication defect of HIV-1E246K. Results of complementation assays revealed that the CTD could function in trans to the catalytic core domain (CCD) in in vitro assays, and we since determined that certain class I and class II mutants defined a novel genetic complementation group that functioned in cells independently of IN domain boundaries. Seven of eight novel Vpr-IN mutant proteins efficiently trans-complemented class I active-site mutant virus, demonstrating catalytically active CTD mutant proteins during infection. Because most of these mutants inefficiently complemented a class II CCD mutant virus, the majority of CTD mutants were likely more defective for interactions with cellular and/or viral components that affected reverse transcription and/or preintegration trafficking than the catalytic activity of the IN enzyme.


2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (23) ◽  
pp. 12058-12069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shewit S. Tekeste ◽  
Thomas A. Wilkinson ◽  
Ethan M. Weiner ◽  
Xiaowen Xu ◽  
Jennifer T. Miller ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTHuman immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication requires reverse transcription of its RNA genome into a double-stranded cDNA copy, which is then integrated into the host cell chromosome. The essential steps of reverse transcription and integration are catalyzed by the viral enzymes reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN), respectively.In vitro, HIV-1 RT can bind with IN, and the C-terminal domain (CTD) of IN is necessary and sufficient for this binding. To better define the RT-IN interaction, we performed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experiments to map a binding surface on the IN CTD in the presence of RT prebound to a duplex DNA construct that mimics the primer-binding site in the HIV-1 genome. To determine the biological significance of the RT-IN interaction during viral replication, we used the NMR chemical shift mapping information as a guide to introduce single amino acid substitutions of nine different residues on the putative RT-binding surface in the IN CTD. We found that six viral clones bearing such IN substitutions (R231E, W243E, G247E, A248E, V250E, and I251E) were noninfectious. Further analyses of the replication-defective IN mutants indicated that the block in replication took place specifically during early reverse transcription. The recombinant INs purified from these mutants, though retaining enzymatic activities, had diminished ability to bind RT in a cosedimentation assay. The results indicate that the RT-IN interaction is functionally relevant during the reverse transcription step of the HIV-1 life cycle.IMPORTANCETo establish a productive infection, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) needs to reverse transcribe its RNA genome to create a double-stranded DNA copy and then integrate this viral DNA genome into the chromosome of the host cell. These two essential steps are catalyzed by the HIV-1 enzymes reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase (IN), respectively. We have shown previously that IN physically interacts with RT, but the importance of this interaction during HIV-1 replication has not been fully characterized. In this study, we have established the biological significance of the HIV-1 RT-IN interaction during the viral life cycle by demonstrating that altering the RT-binding surface on IN disrupts both reverse transcription and viral replication. These findings contribute to our understanding of the RT-IN binding mechanism, as well as indicate that the RT-IN interaction can be exploited as a new antiviral drug target.


2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (15) ◽  
pp. 7398-7406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael F. Maguire ◽  
Rosario Guinea ◽  
Philip Griffin ◽  
Sarah Macmanus ◽  
Robert C. Elston ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag protease cleavage sites (CS) undergo sequence changes during the development of resistance to several protease inhibitors (PIs). We have analyzed the association of sequence variation at the p7/p1 and p1/p6 CS in conjunction with amprenavir (APV)-specific protease mutations following PI combination therapy with APV. Querying a central resistance data repository resulted in the detection of significant associations (P < 0.001) between the presence of APV protease signature mutations and Gag L449F (p1/p6 LP1′F) and P453L (p1/p6 PP5′L) CS changes. In population-based sequence analyses the I50V mutant was invariably linked to either L449F or P453L. Clonal analysis revealed that both CS mutations were never present in the same genome. Sequential plasma samples from one patient revealed a transition from I50V M46L P453L viruses at early time points to I50V M46I L449F viruses in later samples. Various combinations of the protease and Gag mutations were introduced into the HXB2 laboratory strain of HIV-1. In both single- and multiple-cycle assay systems and in the context of I50V, the L449F and P453L changes consistently increased the 50% inhibitory concentration of APV, while the CS changes alone had no measurable effect on inhibitor sensitivity. The decreased in vitro fitness of the I50V mutant was only partially improved by addition of either CS change (I50V M46I L449F mutant replicative capacity ≈ 16% of that of wild-type virus). Western blot analysis of Pr55 Gag precursor cleavage products from infected-cell cultures indicated accumulation of uncleaved Gag p1-p6 in all I50V viruses without coexisting CS changes. Purified I50V protease catalyzed cleavage of decapeptides incorporating the L449F or P453L change 10-fold and 22-fold more efficiently than cleavage of the wild-type substrate, respectively. HIV-1 protease CS changes are selected during PI therapy and can have effects on both viral fitness and phenotypic resistance to PIs.


2005 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 1470-1479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Scholz ◽  
Brian Arvidson ◽  
Doug Huseby ◽  
Eric Barklis

ABSTRACT The N-terminal domains (NTDs) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) capsid (CA) protein have been modeled to form hexamer rings in the mature cores of virions. In vitro, hexamer ring units organize into either tubes or spheres, in a pH-dependent fashion. To probe factors which might govern hexamer assembly preferences in vivo, we examined the effects of mutations at CA histidine residue 84 (H84), modeled at the outer edges of NTD hexamers, as well as a nearby histidine (H87) in the cyclophilin A (CypA) binding loop. Although mutations at H87 yielded infectious virions, mutations at H84 produced assembly-competent but poorly infectious virions. The H84 mutant viruses incorporated wild-type levels of CypA and viral RNAs and showed nearly normal signals in virus entry assays. However, mutant CA proteins assembled aberrant virus cores, and mutant core fractions retained abnormally high levels of CA but reduced reverse transcriptase activities. Our results suggest that HIV-1 CA residue 84 contributes to a structure which helps control either NTD hexamer assembly or the organization of hexamers into higher-order structures.


2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (7) ◽  
pp. 4431-4434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahfuz Khan ◽  
Minerva Garcia-Barrio ◽  
Michael D. Powell

ABSTRACT We have previously shown that virions with nef deleted can be restored to wild-type infectivity by treatment to induce natural endogenous reverse transcription (NERT). Since Nef and cyclophilin A (CyPA) appear to act in similar ways on postentry events, we determined whether NERT treatment would restore infectivity to virions depleted of CyPA. Our results show that the infectivity of virions depleted of CyPA by treatment with cyclosporine A could be restored by NERT treatment, while mutants in the CyPA binding loop of capsid could only be partially restored. These results suggest that CyPA is involved in some aspect of the uncoating process.


2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (5) ◽  
pp. 2329-2339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Beerens ◽  
Ben Berkhout

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcription is primed by the cellular tRNA3 Lys molecule, which binds, with its 3"-terminal 18 nucleotides (nt), to a complementary sequence in the viral genome, the primer-binding site (PBS). Besides PBS-anti-PBS pairing, additional interactions between viral RNA sequences and the tRNA primer are thought to regulate the process of reverse transcription. We previously identified a novel 8-nt sequence motif in the U5 region of the HIV-1 RNA genome that is critical for tRNA3 Lys-mediated initiation of reverse transcription in vitro. This motif activates initiation from the natural tRNA3 Lys primer but is not involved in tRNA placement and was therefore termed primer activation signal (PAS). It was proposed that the PAS interacts with the anti-PAS motif in the TΨC arm of tRNA3 Lys. In this study, we analyzed several PAS-mutated viruses and performed reverse transcription assays with virion-extracted RNA-tRNA complexes. Mutation of the PAS reduced the efficiency of tRNA-primed reverse transcription. In contrast, mutations in the opposing leader sequence that trigger release of the PAS from base pairing stimulated reverse transcription. These results are similar to the reverse transcription effects observed in vitro. We also selected revertant viruses that partially overcome the reverse transcription defect of the PAS deletion mutant. Remarkably, all revertants acquired a single nucleotide substitution that does not restore the PAS sequence but that stimulates elongation of reverse transcription. These combined results indicate that the additional PAS-anti-PAS interaction is needed to assemble an initiation-competent and processive reverse transcription complex.


1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (10) ◽  
pp. 8831-8836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongmei Liu ◽  
Xiaoyun Wu ◽  
Hongling Xiao ◽  
John C. Kappes

ABSTRACT Integrase (IN) is the only retroviral enzyme necessary for the integration of retroviral cDNA into the host cell’s chromosomes. The structure and function of IN is highly conserved. The human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) IN has been shown to efficiently support 3′ processing and strand transfer of HIV-1 DNA substrate in vitro. To determine whether HIV-2 IN protein (IN2) could substitute for HIV-1 IN function in vivo, we used HIV-1 Vpr to deliver the IN2 into IN mutant HIV-1 virions by expression intrans as a Vpr-IN fusion protein.Trans-complementation with IN2 markedly increased the infectivity of IN-minus HIV-1. Compared with the homologous trans-IN protein, infectivity was increased to a level of 16%. Since IN has been found to play a role in reverse transcription (Wu et al., J. Virol. 73:2126–2135, 1999), cells infected with IN2-complemented HIV-1 were analyzed for DNA products of reverse transcription. DNA levels of approximately 18% of that of wild type were detected. The homologous trans-IN protein restored the synthesis of viral cDNA to approximately 86% of that of wild-type virus. By complementing integration-defective HIV-1 IN mutant viruses, which were not impaired in cDNA synthesis, thetrans-IN2 protein was shown to support integration up to a level of 55% compared with that of the homologoustrans-IN protein. The delivery of heterologous IN protein into HIV-1 particles in trans offers a novel approach to understand IN protein function in vivo.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document