scholarly journals In Vitro Analysis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Minus-Strand Strong-Stop DNA Synthesis and Genomic RNA Processing

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 672-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Driscoll ◽  
Marie-Pierre Golinelli ◽  
Stephen H. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Dna Synthesis ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Rnase H ◽  
Minus Strand ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1 ◽  
Strong Stop

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT), nucleocapsid protein (NC), genomic RNA, and the growing DNA strand all influence the copying of the HIV-1 RNA genome into DNA. A detailed understanding of these activities is required to understand the process of reverse transcription. HIV-1 viral DNA is initiated from a tRNA3 Lys primer bound to the viral genome at the primer binding site. The U3 and R regions of the RNA genome are the first sequences to be copied. The TAR hairpin, a structure found within the R region of the viral genome, is the site of increased RT pausing, RNase H activity, and RT dissociation. Template RNA was digested approximately 17 bases behind the site where polymerase paused at the base of TAR. In most template RNAs, this was the only cleavage made by the RT responsible for initiating polymerization. If the RT that initiated DNA synthesis dissociated from the base of the TAR hairpin and an RT rebound at the end of the primer, there was competition between the polymerase and RNase H activities. After the complete heteroduplex was formed, there were additional RNase H cleavages that did not involve polymerization. Levels of NC that prevented TAR DNA self-priming did not protect genomic RNA from RNase H digestion. RNase H digestion of the 100-bp heteroduplex produced a 14-base RNA from the 5′ end of the RNA that remained annealed to the 3′ end of the minus-strand strong-stop DNA only if NC was present in the reaction.

scholarly journals Mutations in the 5′ End of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Polypurine Tract Affect RNase H Cleavage Specificity and Virus Titer

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (20) ◽  
pp. 11150-11157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Jane McWilliams ◽  
John G. Julias ◽  
Stefan G. Sarafianos ◽  
W. Gregory Alvord ◽  
Edward Arnold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Dna Synthesis ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Virus Titer ◽  
Rnase H ◽  
Cleavage Specificity ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The RNase H activity of retroviral reverse transcriptases (RTs) degrades viral genomic RNA after it has been copied into DNA, removes the tRNA used to initiate negative-strand DNA synthesis, and generates and removes the polypurine tract (PPT) primer used to initiate positive-strand DNA synthesis. The cleavages that remove the tRNA and that generate and remove the PPT primer must be specific to generate linear viral DNAs with ends that are appropriate for integration into the host cell genome. The crystal structure of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RT in a complex with an RNA/DNA duplex derived from the PPT revealed that the 5′ end of the PPT deviates from traditional Watson-Crick base pairing. This unusual structure may play a role in the proper recognition of the PPT by HIV-1 RT. We made substitution mutations in the 5′ end of the PPT and determined their effects on virus titer. The results indicated that single and double mutations in the 5′ end of the PPT had modest effects on virus replication in a single-cycle assay. More complex mutations had stronger effects on virus titer. Analysis of the two-long-terminal-repeat circle junctions derived from infecting cells with the mutant viruses indicated that the mutations affected RNase H activity, resulting in the retention of PPT sequences on viral DNA. The mutants tested preferentially retained specific segments of the PPT, suggesting an effect on cleavage specificity. These results suggest that structural features of the PPT are important for its recognition and cleavage in vivo.

scholarly journals Sequence Requirements for Removal of tRNA by an Isolated Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNase H Domain

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (8) ◽  
pp. 6805-6812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine M. Smith ◽  
Oscar Leon ◽  
Jeffrey S. Smith ◽  
Monica J. Roth
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Leukemia Virus ◽  
Rnase H ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Trna Primer ◽  
Hiv 1 ◽  
Strong Stop

ABSTRACT Retroviral reverse transcriptase-associated RNase H enzymes are responsible for degradation of viral RNA, including removal of the tRNA primer after plus-strand strong-stop synthesis and cleavage of the polypurine tract primer. These activities are required for the complex viral replication and result in generation of the long terminal repeats. The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNase H domain has been expressed independently of the polymerase domain and possesses Mn2+-dependent activity with a hexahistidine tag. The isolated domain maintains the ability to specifically remove a tRNA primer mimic. In this study, the substrate determinants for recognition of the cognate tRNA3 Lys are defined. Model substrates were constructed which mimic the RNA-DNA hybrid obtained from plus-strand strong-stop synthesis. Deletion substrates containing only 12, 9, or 6 positions of the tRNA primer were capable of being cleaved by the isolated RNase H domain. Mismatch and bromodeoxyuridine mutagenesis analysis indicated that positions 2, 3, 4, and 6, when mutated, affected the specificity of RNase H activity. Substitution substrates indicated that positions 4 and 6 within the RNA primer were important for recognition and cleavage by the HIV-1 isolated RNase H domain. Moloney murine leukemia virus-HIV-1 hybrid substrates were constructed which demonstrated that changes to HIV-1 sequences at positions 4 and 6 were sufficient but not optimal for regaining cleavage by the isolated HIV-1 RNase H domain. Optimal site-specific cleavage between the terminal ribonucleotide A and ribonucleotide C requires additional sequences beyond the first six positions but less than nine.

scholarly journals Molecular Requirements for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Plus-Strand Transfer: Analysis in Reconstituted and Endogenous Reverse Transcription Systems

1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
pp. 4794-4805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiyun Wu ◽  
Jianhui Guo ◽  
Julian Bess ◽  
Louis E. Henderson ◽  
Judith G. Levin
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Rnase H ◽  
Primer Binding Site ◽  
Strand Transfer ◽  
Minus Strand ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT We have developed a reconstituted system which models the events associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) plus-strand transfer. These events include synthesis of plus-strand strong-stop DNA [(+) SSDNA] from a minus-strand DNA donor template covalently attached to human tRNA3 Lys, tRNA primer removal, and annealing of (+) SSDNA to the minus-strand DNA acceptor template. Termination of (+) SSDNA synthesis at the methyl A (nucleotide 58) near the 3′ end of tRNA3 Lys reconstitutes the 18-nucleotide primer binding site (PBS). Analysis of (+) SSDNA synthesis in vitro and in HIV-1 endogenous reactions indicated another major termination site: the pseudouridine at nucleotide 55. In certain HIV-1 strains, complementarity between nucleotides 56 to 58 and the first three bases downstream of the PBS could allow all of the (+) SSDNA products to be productively transferred. Undermodification of the tRNA may be responsible for termination beyond the methyl A. In studies of tRNA removal, we find that initial cleavage of the 3′ rA by RNase H is not sufficient to achieve successful strand transfer. The RNA-DNA hybrid formed by the penultimate 17 bases of tRNA still annealed to (+) SSDNA must also be destabilized. This can occur by removal of additional 3′-terminal bases by RNase H (added either in cis ortrans). Alternatively, the nucleic acid chaperone activity of nucleocapsid protein (NC) can catalyze this destabilization. NC stimulates annealing of the complementary PBS sequences in (+) SSDNA and the acceptor DNA template. Reverse transcriptase also promotes annealing but to a lesser extent than NC.

scholarly journals RNase H Cleavage of the 5′ End of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Genome

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (23) ◽  
pp. 11874-11880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong-Qiang Gao ◽  
Stefan G. Sarafianos ◽  
Edward Arnold ◽  
Stephen H. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Dna Synthesis ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Rnase H ◽  
Strand Transfer ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The synthesis of retroviral DNA is initiated near the 5′ end of the RNA. DNA synthesis is transferred from the 5′ end to the 3′ end of viral RNA in an RNase H-dependent step. In the case of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) (and certain other retroviruses that have complex secondary structures at the ends of the viral RNA), there is the possibility that DNA synthesis can lead to a self-priming event that would block viral replication. The extent of RNase H cleavage must be sufficient to allow the strand transfer reaction to occur, but not so extensive that self-priming occurs. We have used a series of model RNA substrates, with and without a 5′ cap, to investigate the rules governing RNase H cleavage at the 5′ end of the HIV-1 genome. These in vitro RNase H cleavage reactions produce an RNA fragment of the size needed to block self-priming but still allow strand transfer. The cleavages seen in vitro can be understood in light of the structure of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase in a complex with an RNA/DNA substrate.

scholarly journals Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Nucleocapsid Protein Nuclear Localization Mediates Early Viral mRNA Expression

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (20) ◽  
pp. 10444-10454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jielin Zhang ◽  
Clyde S. Crumpacker
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Nucleocapsid Protein ◽  
Viral Mrna ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT An important aspect of the pathophysiology of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is the ability of the virus to replicate in the host vigorously without a latent phase and to kill cells with a dynamic turnover of 1.8 × 109 cells/day and 10.3 × 109 virions/24 h. The transcription of HIV-1 RNA in acute infection occurs at two stages; the transcription of viral spliced mRNA occurs early, and the transcription of viral genomic RNA occurs later. The HIV-1 Tat protein is translated from the early spliced mRNA and is critical for HIV-1 genomic RNA expression. The cellular transcription factors are important for HIV-1 early spliced mRNA expression. In this study we show that virion nucleocapsid protein (NC) has a role in expression of HIV-1 early spliced mRNA. The HIV-1 NC migrates from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and accumulates in the nucleus at 18 h postinfection. Mutations on HIV-1 NC zinc fingers change the pattern of early viral spliced mRNA expression and result in a delayed expression of early viral mRNA in HIV-infected cells. This delayed HIV-1 early spliced mRNA expression occurs after proviral DNA has been integrated into the cellular genome, as shown by a quantitative integration assay. These results show that virion NC plays an important role in inducing HIV-1 early mRNA expression and contributes to the rapid viral replication that occurs during HIV-1 infection.

scholarly journals Mutations in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Integrase D,D(35)E Motif Do Not Eliminate Provirus Formation

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 4678-4685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meenakshi Gaur ◽  
Andrew D. Leavitt
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Viral Genome ◽  
Viral Dna ◽  
Infectious Titer ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Acidic Residues ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The core domain of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase (IN) contains a D,D(35)E motif, named for the phylogenetically conserved glutamic acid and aspartic acid residues and the invariant 35 amino acid spacing between the second and third acidic residues. Each acidic residue of the D,D(35)E motif is independently essential for the 3′-processing and strand transfer activities of purified HIV-1 IN protein. Using a replication-defective viral genome with a hygromycin selectable marker, we recently reported that a mutation at any of the three residues of the D,D(35)E motif produces a 103- to 104-fold reduction in infectious titer compared with virus encoding wild-type IN (A. D. Leavitt et al., J. Virol. 70:721–728. 1996). The infectious titer, as measured by the number of hygromycin-resistant colonies formed following infection of cells in culture, was less than a few hundred colonies per μg of p24. To understand the mechanism by which the mutant virions conferred hygromycin resistance, we characterized the integrated viral DNA in cells infected with virus encoding mutations at each of the three residues of the D,D(35)E motif. We found the integrated viral DNA to be colinear with the incoming viral genome. DNA sequencing of the junctions between integrated viral DNA and host DNA showed that (i) the characteristic 5-bp direct repeat of host DNA flanking the HIV-1 provirus was not maintained, (ii) integration often produced a deletion of host DNA, (iii) integration sometimes occurred without the viral DNA first undergoing 3′-processing, (iv) integration sites showed a strong bias for a G residue immediately adjacent to the conserved viral CA dinucleotide, and (v) mutations at each of the residues of the D,D(35)E motif produced essentially identical phenotypes. We conclude that mutations at any of the three acidic residues of the conserved D,D(35)E motif so severely impair IN activity that most, if not all, integration events by virus encoding such mutations are not IN mediated. IN-independent provirus formation may have implications for anti-IN therapeutic agents that target the IN active site.

scholarly journals Role of Vif in Stability of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Core

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (23) ◽  
pp. 11055-11066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Åsa Öhagen ◽  
Dana Gabuzda
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Dna Synthesis ◽  
Virus Entry ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The Vif protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is important for virion infectivity. Previous studies have shown thatvif-defective virions exhibit structural abnormalities in the virus core and are defective in the ability to complete proviral DNA synthesis in acutely infected cells. We developed novel assays to assess the relative stability of the core in HIV-1 virions. Using these assays, we examined the role of Vif in the stability of the HIV-1 core. The integrity of the core was examined following virion permeabilization or removal of the lipid envelope and treatment with various triggers, including S100 cytosol, deoxynucleoside triphosphates, detergents, NaCl, and buffers of different pH to mimic aspects of the uncoating and disassembly process which occurs after virus entry but preceding or during reverse transcription.vif mutant cores were more sensitive to disruption by all triggers tested than wild-type cores, as determined by endogenous reverse transcriptase (RT) assays, biochemical analyses, and electron microscopy. RT and the p7 nucleocapsid protein were released more readily from vif mutant virions than from wild-type virions, suggesting that the internal nucleocapsid is less stably packaged in the absence of Vif. Purified cores could be isolated from wild-type but not vif mutant virions by sedimentation through detergent-treated gradients. These results demonstrate that Vif increases the stability of virion cores. This may permit efficient viral DNA synthesis by preventing premature degradation or disassembly of viral nucleoprotein complexes during early events after virus entry.

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.

scholarly journals A Human Nuclear Shuttling Protein That Interacts with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Matrix Is Packaged into Virions

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (24) ◽  
pp. 11811-11824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalpana Gupta ◽  
David Ott ◽  
Thomas J. Hope ◽  
Robert F. Siliciano ◽  
Jef D. Boeke
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Nuclear Import ◽  
Productive Infection ◽  
Genomic Rna ◽  
Virion Production ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Active nuclear import of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) preintegration complex (PIC) is essential for the productive infection of nondividing cells. Nuclear import of the PIC is mediated by the HIV-1 matrix protein, which also plays several critical roles during viral entry and possibly during virion production facilitating the export of Pr55Gag and genomic RNA. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified a novel human virion-associated matrix-interacting protein (VAN) that is highly conserved in vertebrates and expressed in most human tissues. Its expression is upregulated upon activation of CD4+ T cells. VAN is efficiently incorporated into HIV-1 virions and, like matrix, shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Furthermore, overexpression of VAN significantly inhibits HIV-1 replication in tissue culture. We propose that VAN regulates matrix nuclear localization and, by extension, both nuclear import of the PIC and export of Pr55Gag and viral genomic RNA during virion production. Our data suggest that this regulatory mechanism reflects a more global process for regulation of nucleocytoplasmic transport.

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