scholarly journals Structural Basis for Distinctions between Substrate and Inhibitor Specificities for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteases

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (12) ◽  
pp. 6589-6600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Chuan Lin ◽  
Zachary Beck ◽  
Garrett M. Morris ◽  
Arthur J. Olson ◽  
John H. Elder
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Inhibitor Specificity ◽  
Loop Region ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Substrate Inhibitor ◽  
Critical Regions ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT We used feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) protease (PR) as a mutational framework to define determinants for the observed substrate and inhibitor specificity distinctions between FIV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) PRs. Multiple-substitution mutants were constructed by replacing the residues in and around the active site of FIV PR with the structurally equivalent residues of HIV-1 PR. Mutants included combinations of three critical regions (FIV numbering, with equivalent HIV numbering in superscript): I3732V in the active core region; N5546M, M5647I, and V5950I in the flap region; and L9780T, I9881P, Q9982V, P10083N, and L10184I in the 90s loop region. Significant alterations in specificity were observed, consistent with the involvement of these residues in determining the substrate-inhibitor specificity distinctions between FIV and HIV PRs. Two previously identified residues, I35 and I57 of FIV PR, were intolerant to substitution and yielded inactive PRs. Therefore, we attempted to recover the activity by introducing secondary mutations. The addition of G6253F and K6354I, located at the top of the flap and outside the active site, compensated for the activity lost in the I5748G substitution mutants. An additional two substitutions, D10588N and N8874T, facilitated recovery of activity in mutants that included the I3530D substitution. Determination of Ki values of potent HIV-1 PR inhibitors against these mutants showed that inhibitor specificity paralleled that of HIV-1 PR. The findings indicate that maintenance of both substrate and inhibitor specificity is a function of interactions between residues both inside and outside the active site. Thus, mutations apparently peripheral to the active site can have a dramatic influence on inhibitor efficacy.

scholarly journals Altered Gag Polyprotein Cleavage Specificity of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Mutant Proteases as Demonstrated in a Cell-Based Expression System

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (16) ◽  
pp. 7832-7843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Chuan Lin ◽  
Ashraf Brik ◽  
Aymeric de Parseval ◽  
Karen Tam ◽  
Bruce E. Torbett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Virus Mutant ◽  
Substrate Inhibitor ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT We have used feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) protease (PR) as a mutational system to study the molecular basis of substrate-inhibitor specificity for lentivirus PRs, with a focus on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) PR. Our previous mutagenesis studies demonstrated that discrete substitutions in the active site of FIV PR with structurally equivalent residues of HIV-1 PR dramatically altered the specificity of the mutant PRs in in vitro analyses. Here, we have expanded these studies to analyze the specificity changes in each mutant FIV PR expressed in the context of the natural Gag-Pol polyprotein ex vivo. Expression mutants were prepared in which 4 to 12 HIV-1-equivalent substitutions were made in FIV PR, and cleavage of each Gag-Pol polyprotein was then assessed in pseudovirions from transduced cells. The findings demonstrated that, as with in vitro analyses, inhibitor specificities of the mutants showed increased HIV-1 PR character when analyzed against the natural substrate. In addition, all of the mutant PRs still processed the FIV polyprotein but the apparent order of processing was altered relative to that observed with wild-type FIV PR. Given the importance of the order in which Gag-Pol is processed, these findings likely explain the failure to produce infectious FIVs bearing these mutations.

scholarly journals Generation of Infectious Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Encoding FIV/Human Immunodeficiency Virus Chimeric Protease

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (13) ◽  
pp. 6799-6809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Chuan Lin ◽  
Bruce E. Torbett ◽  
John H. Elder
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Structural Parameters ◽  
Amino Acid Identity ◽  
Inhibitor Specificity ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) proteases (PRs) share only 23% amino acid identity and exhibit distinct specificities yet have very similar 3-dimensional structures. Chimeric PRs in which HIV residues were substituted in structurally equivalent positions in FIV PR were prepared in order to study the molecular basis of PR specificity. Previous in vitro analyses showed that such substitutions dramatically altered the inhibitor specificity of mutant PRs but changed the rate and specificity of Gag cleavage so that chimeric FIVs were not infectious. Chimeric PRs encoding combinations of the I37V, N55M, M56I, V59I, L97T, I98P, Q99V, and P100N mutations were cloned into FIV Gag-Pol, and those constructs that best approximated the temporal cleavage pattern generated by wild-type FIV PR, while maintaining HIV-like inhibitor specificity, were selected. Two mutations, M56I and L97T, were intolerant to change and caused inefficient cleavage at NC-p2. However, a mutant PR with six substitutions (I37V, N55M, V59I, I98P, Q99V, and P100N) was selected and placed in the context of full-length FIV-34TF10. This virus, termed YCL6, had low-level infectivity ex vivo, and after passage, progeny that exhibited a higher growth rate emerged. The residue at the position of one of the six mutations, I98P, further mutated on passage to either P98H or P98S. Both PRs were sensitive to the HIV-1 PR inhibitors lopinavir (LPV) and darunavir (DRV), as well as to the broad-based inhibitor TL-3, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 30 to 40 nM, consistent with ex vivo results obtained using mutant FIVs. The chimeras offer an infectivity system with which to screen compounds for potential as broad-based PR inhibitors, define structural parameters that dictate specificity, and investigate pathways for drug resistance development.

scholarly journals Crystal Structures of a Multidrug-Resistant Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Protease Reveal an Expanded Active-Site Cavity

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 3123-3132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley C. Logsdon ◽  
John F. Vickrey ◽  
Philip Martin ◽  
Gheorghe Proteasa ◽  
Jay I. Koepke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Surface Plasmon Resonance ◽  
Protease Inhibitors ◽  
Surface Plasmon ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Active Site Cavity ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The goal of this study was to use X-ray crystallography to investigate the structural basis of resistance to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitors. We overexpressed, purified, and crystallized a multidrug-resistant (MDR) HIV-1 protease enzyme derived from a patient failing on several protease inhibitor-containing regimens. This HIV-1 variant contained codon mutations at positions 10, 36, 46, 54, 63, 71, 82, 84, and 90 that confer drug resistance to protease inhibitors. The 1.8-angstrom (Å) crystal structure of this MDR patient isolate reveals an expanded active-site cavity. The active-site expansion includes position 82 and 84 mutations due to the alterations in the amino acid side chains from longer to shorter (e.g., V82A and I84V). The MDR isolate 769 protease “flaps” stay open wider, and the difference in the flap tip distances in the MDR 769 variant is 12 Å. The MDR 769 protease crystal complexes with lopinavir and DMP450 reveal completely different binding modes. The network of interactions between the ligands and the MDR 769 protease is completely different from that seen with the wild-type protease-ligand complexes. The water molecule-forming hydrogen bonds bridging between the two flaps and either the substrate or the peptide-based inhibitor are lacking in the MDR 769 clinical isolate. The S1, S1′, S3, and S3′ pockets show expansion and conformational change. Surface plasmon resonance measurements with the MDR 769 protease indicate higher k off rates, resulting in a change of binding affinity. Surface plasmon resonance measurements provide k on and k off data (Kd = k off/k on) to measure binding of the multidrug-resistant protease to various ligands. This MDR 769 protease represents a new antiviral target, presenting the possibility of designing novel inhibitors with activity against the open and expanded protease forms.

scholarly journals Contrasting Use of CCR5 Structural Determinants by R5 and R5X4 Variants within a Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Primary Isolate Quasispecies

2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (22) ◽  
pp. 12057-12066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanjie Yi ◽  
Anjali Singh ◽  
Farida Shaheen ◽  
Andrew Louden ◽  
ChuHee Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Terminal Region ◽  
Primary Isolate ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Macrophagetropic R5 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates often evolve into dualtropic R5X4 variants during disease progression. The structural basis for CCR5 coreceptor function has been studied in a limited number of prototype strains and suggests that R5 and R5X4 Envs interact differently with CCR5. However, differences between unrelated viruses may reflect strain-specific factors and do not necessarily represent changes resulting from R5 to R5X4 evolution of a virus in vivo. Here we addressed CCR5 domains involved in fusion for a large set of closely related yet functionally distinct variants within a primary isolate swarm, employing R5 and R5X4 Envs derived from the HIV-1 89.6PI quasispecies. R5 variants of 89.6PI could fuse using either N-terminal or extracellular loop CCR5 sequences in the context of CCR5/CXCR2 chimeras, similar to the unrelated R5 strain JRFL, but R5X4 variants of 89.6PI were highly dependent on the CCR5 N terminus. Similarly, R5 89.6PI variants and isolate JRFL tolerated N-terminal CCR5 deletions, but fusion by most R5X4 variants was markedly impaired. R5 89.6PI Envs also tolerated multiple extracellular domain substitutions, while R5X4 variants did not. In contrast to CCR5 use, fusion by R5X4 variants of 89.6PI was largely independent of the CXCR4 N-terminal region. Thus, R5 and R5X4 species from a single swarm differ in how they interact with CCR5. These results suggest that R5 Envs possess a highly plastic capacity to interact with multiple CCR5 regions and support the concept that viral evolution in vivo results from the emergence of R5X4 variants with the capacity to use the CXCR4 extracellular loops but demonstrate less-flexible interactions with CCR5 that are strongly dependent on the N-terminal region.

scholarly journals Sensitivity to a Nonpeptidic Compound (RPR103611) Blocking Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Env-Mediated Fusion Depends on Sequence and Accessibility of the gp41 Loop Region

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 2142-2150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Béatrice Labrosse ◽  
Carole Treboute ◽  
Marc Alizon
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Drug Resistance ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Loop Region ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The triterpene RPR103611 is an efficient inhibitor of membrane fusion mediated by the envelope proteins (Env, gp120-gp41) of CXCR4-dependent (X4) human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains, such as HIV-1LAI (LAI). Other X4 strains, such as HIV-1NDK (NDK), and CCR5-dependent (R5) HIV-1 strains, such as HIV-1ADA (ADA), were totally resistant to RPR103611. Analysis of chimeric LAI-NDK Env proteins identified a fragment of the NDK gp41 ectodomain determining drug resistance. A single difference at position 91, leucine in LAI and histidine in NDK, apparently accounted for their sensitivity or resistance to RPR103611. We had previously identified a mutation of isoleucine 84 to serine in a drug escape LAI variant. Both I84 and L91 are located in the “loop region” of gp41 separating the proximal and distal helix domains. Nonpolar residues in this region therefore appear to be important for the antiviral activity of RPR103611 and are possibly part of its target. However, another mechanism had to be envisaged to explain the drug resistance of ADA, since its gp41 loop region was almost identical to that of LAI. Fusion mediated by chimeric Env consisting of LAI gp120 and ADA gp41, or the reciprocal construct, was fully blocked by RPR103611. The gp120-gp41 complex of R5 strains is stable, relative to that of X4 strains, and this stability could play a role in their drug resistance. Indeed, when the postbinding steps of ADA infection were performed under mildly acidic conditions (pH 6.5 or 6.0), a treatment expected to favor dissociation of gp120, we achieved almost complete neutralization by RPR103611. The drug resistance of NDK was partially overcome by preincubating virus with soluble CD4, a gp120 ligand inducing conformational changes in the Env complex. The antiviral efficacy of RPR103611 therefore depends on the sequence of the gp41 loop and the stability of the gp120-gp41 complex, which could limit the accessibility of this target.

scholarly journals Crystal Structure and Structural Mechanism of a Novel Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus and d-Amino Acid-Containing Chemokine

2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (20) ◽  
pp. 11489-11498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongxiang Liu ◽  
Navid Madani ◽  
Ying Li ◽  
Rong Cao ◽  
Won-Tak Choi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Structural Biology ◽  
Chemokine Receptors ◽  
Structural Basis ◽  
Receptor Selectivity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Chemokines and their receptors play important roles in normal physiological functions and the pathogeneses of a wide range of human diseases, including the entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). However, the use of natural chemokines to probe receptor biology or to develop therapeutic drugs is limited by their lack of selectivity and the poor understanding of mechanisms in ligand-receptor recognition. We addressed these issues by combining chemical and structural biology in research into molecular recognition and inhibitor design. Specifically, the concepts of chemical biology were used to develop synthetically and modularly modified (SMM) chemokines that are unnatural and yet have properties improved over those of natural chemokines in terms of receptor selectivity, affinity, and the ability to explore receptor functions. This was followed by using structural biology to determine the structural basis for synthetically perturbed ligand-receptor selectivity. As a proof-of-principle for this combined chemical and structural-biology approach, we report a novel d-amino acid-containing SMM-chemokine designed based on the natural chemokine called viral macrophage inflammatory protein II (vMIP-II). The incorporation of unnatural d-amino acids enhanced the affinity of this molecule for CXCR4 but significantly diminished that for CCR5 or CCR2, thus yielding much more selective recognition of CXCR4 than wild-type vMIP-II. This d-amino acid-containing chemokine also showed more potent and specific inhibitory activity against HIV-1 entry via CXCR4 than natural chemokines. Furthermore, the high-resolution crystal structure of this d-amino acid-containing chemokine and a molecular-modeling study of its complex with CXCR4 provided the structure-based mechanism for the selective interaction between the ligand and chemokine receptors and the potent anti-HIV activity of d-amino acid-containing chemokines.

scholarly journals The Phenylmethylthiazolylthiourea Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase (RT) Inhibitor MSK-076 Selects for a Resistance Mutation in the Active Site of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 RT

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (14) ◽  
pp. 7427-7437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joeri Auwerx ◽  
Miguel Stevens ◽  
An R. Van Rompay ◽  
Louise E. Bird ◽  
Jingshan Ren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Reverse Transcriptase ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Resistance Mutation ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The phenylmethylthiazolylthiourea (PETT) derivative MSK-076 shows, besides high potency against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), marked activity against HIV-2 (50% effective concentration, 0.63 μM) in cell culture. Time-of-addition experiments pointed to HIV-2 reverse transcriptase (RT) as the target of action of MSK-076. Recombinant HIV-2 RT was inhibited by MSK-076 at 23 μM. As was also found for HIV-1 RT, MSK-076 inhibited HIV-2 RT in a noncompetitive manner with respect to dGTP and poly(rC)·oligo(dG) as the substrate and template-primer, respectively. MSK-076 selected for A101P and G112E mutations in HIV-2 RT and for K101E, Y181C, and G190R mutations in HIV-1 RT. The selected mutated strains of HIV-2 were fully resistant to MSK-076, and the mutant HIV-2 RT enzymes into which the A101P and/or G112E mutation was introduced by site-directed mutagenesis showed more than 50-fold resistance to MSK-076. Mapping of the resistance mutations to the HIV-2 RT structure ascertained that A101P is located at a position equivalent to the nonnucleoside RT inhibitor (NNRTI)-binding site of HIV-1 RT. G112E, however, is distal to the putative NNRTI-binding site in HIV-2 RT but close to the active site, implying a novel molecular mode of action and mechanism of resistance. Our findings have important implications for the development of new NNRTIs with pronounced activity against a wider range of lentiviruses.

scholarly journals Molecular Basis for the Relative Substrate Specificity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Proteases

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (19) ◽  
pp. 9458-9469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Q. Beck ◽  
Ying-Chuan Lin ◽  
John H. Elder
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Substrate Specificity ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT We have used a random hexamer phage library to delineate similarities and differences between the substrate specificities of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) proteases (PRs). Peptide sequences were identified that were specifically cleaved by each protease, as well as sequences cleaved equally well by both enzymes. Based on amino acid distinctions within the P3-P3′ region of substrates that appeared to correlate with these cleavage specificities, we prepared a series of synthetic peptides within the framework of a peptide sequence cleaved with essentially the same efficiency by both HIV-1 and FIV PRs, Ac-KSGVF↓VVNGLVK-NH2 (arrow denotes cleavage site). We used the resultant peptide set to assess the influence of specific amino acid substitutions on the cleavage characteristics of the two proteases. The findings show that when Asn is substituted for Val at the P2 position, HIV-1 PR cleaves the substrate at a much greater rate than does FIV PR. Likewise, Glu or Gln substituted for Val at the P2′ position also yields peptides specifically susceptible to HIV-1 PR. In contrast, when Ser is substituted for Val at P1′, FIV PR cleaves the substrate at a much higher rate than does HIV-1 PR. In addition, Asn or Gln at the P1 position, in combination with an appropriate P3 amino acid, Arg, also strongly favors cleavage by FIV PR over HIV PR. Structural analysis identified several protease residues likely to dictate the observed specificity differences. Interestingly, HIV PR Asp30 (Ile-35 in FIV PR), which influences specificity at the S2 and S2′ subsites, and HIV-1 PR Pro-81 and Val-82 (Ile-98 and Gln-99 in FIV PR), which influence specificity at the S1 and S1′ subsites, are residues which are often involved in development of drug resistance in HIV-1 protease. The peptide substrate KSGVF↓VVNGK, cleaved by both PRs, was used as a template for the design of a reduced amide inhibitor, Ac-GSGVFΨ(CH2NH)VVNGL-NH2. This compound inhibited both FIV and HIV-1 PRs with approximately equal efficiency. These findings establish a molecular basis for distinctions in substrate specificity between human and feline lentivirus PRs and offer a framework for development of efficient broad-based inhibitors.

scholarly journals Nonnucleoside Inhibitor Binding Affects the Interactions of the Fingers Subdomain of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase with DNA

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (7) ◽  
pp. 3387-3397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena N. Peletskaya ◽  
Alex A. Kogon ◽  
Steven Tuske ◽  
Edward Arnold ◽  
Stephen H. Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Reverse Transcriptase ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type ◽  
Virus Type ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Dntp Binding ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT Site-directed photoaffinity cross-linking experiments were performed by using human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) mutants with unique cysteine residues at several positions (i.e., positions 65, 67, 70, and 74) in the fingers subdomain of the p66 subunit. Since neither the introduction of the unique cysteine residues into the fingers nor the modification of the SH groups of these residues with photoaffinity cross-linking reagents caused a significant decrease in the enzymatic activities of RT, we were able to use this system to measure distances between specific positions in the fingers domain of RT and double-stranded DNA. HIV-1 RT is quite flexible. There are conformational changes associated with binding of the normal substrates and nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs). Cross-linking was used to monitor intramolecular movements associated with binding of an NNRTI either in the presence or in the absence of an incoming deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP). Binding an incoming dNTP at the polymerase active site decreased the efficiency of cross-linking but caused only modest changes in the preferred positions of cross-linking. This finding suggests that the fingers of p66 are closer to an extended template in the “open” configuration of the enzyme with the fingers away from the active site than in the closed configuration with the fingers in direct contact with the incoming dNTP. NNRTI binding caused increased cross-linking in experiments with diazirine reagents (especially with a diazirine reagent with a longer linker) and a moderate shift in the preferred sites of interaction with the template. Cross-linking occurred closer to the polymerase active site for RTs modified at positions 70 and 74. The effects of NNRTI binding were more pronounced in the absence of a bound dNTP; pretreatment of HIV-1 RT with an NNRTI reduced the effect of dNTP binding. These observations can be explained if the binding of NNRTI causes a decrease in the flexibility in the fingers subdomain of RT-NNRTI complex and a decrease in the distance from the fingers to the template extension.

scholarly journals Effects of Mutations in Residues near the Active Site of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Integrase on Specific Enzyme-Substrate Interactions

1998 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 5046-5055 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Gerton ◽  
Sharron Ohgi ◽  
Mari Olsen ◽  
Joseph DeRisi ◽  
Patrick O. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Active Site ◽  
Catalytic Core Domain ◽  
Viral Dna ◽  
Catalytic Core ◽  
Core Domain ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Hiv 1

ABSTRACT The phylogenetically conserved catalytic core domain of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase contains elements necessary for specific recognition of viral and target DNA features. In order to identify specific amino acids that determine substrate specificity, we mutagenized phylogenetically conserved residues that were located in close proximity to the active-site residues in the crystal structure of the isolated catalytic core domain of HIV-1 integrase. Residues composing the phylogenetically conserved DD(35)E active-site motif were also mutagenized. Purified mutant proteins were evaluated for their ability to recognize the phylogenetically conserved CA/TG base pairs near the viral DNA ends and the unpaired dinucleotide at the 5′ end of the viral DNA, using disintegration substrates. Our findings suggest that specificity for the conserved A/T base pair depends on the active-site residue E152. The phenotype of IN(Q148L) suggested that Q148 may be involved in interactions with the 5′ dinucleotide of the viral DNA end. The activities of some of the proteins with mutations in residues in close proximity to the active-site aspartic and glutamic acids were salt sensitive, suggesting that these mutations disrupted interactions with DNA.

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