title: DNA elements target of transcriptional factors are not restricted to long terminal repeat of human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: In this report we show that signals for transcriptional factors are not restricted to the HIV-1 LTR, but are present throughout the HIV-1 genome. Furthermore, we identified a sequence, AGAACAGATG, highly homologous to the X-box of class II MHC genes and located within the tat-IVS/env region of HIV-1. Double stranded oligonucleotides mimicking the HIV-1 region containing AGAACAGATG were synthesized and band shift experiments were performed demonstrating that this HIV-1 genomic region binds nuclear proteins. We further demonstrate that the binding of nuclear factors to this tat-IVS/env HIV-1 sequence is competed for, in the band-shift assay, by the highly homologous X-box of the promoter of the human HLA-DR alpha gene. The presence in the HIV-1 genome of DNA sequences homologous or identical to regulatory sequences of cellular genes represents a potential mechanism of predation of DNA elements recognized by DNA binding proteins.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Chimica Biologica, Università di Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feriotto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Volinia
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giacomini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gambari
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA