title: Dimerization of human immunodeficiency virus (type 1) RNA: stimulation by cations and possible mechanism.
abstract: The retroviral genome consists of two identical RNA molecules joined close to their 5' ends by the dimer linkage structure. Recent findings indicated that retroviral RNA dimerization and encapsidation are probably related events during virion assembly. We studied the cation-induced dimerization of HIV-1 RNA and results indicate that all in vitro generated HIV-1 RNAs containing a 100 nucleotide domain downstream from the 5' splice site are able to dimerize. RNA dimerization depends on the concentration of RNA, mono- and multivalent cations, the size of the monovalent cation, temperature, and pH. Up to 75% of HIV-1 RNA is dimeric in the presence of spermidine. HIV-1 RNA dimer is fairly resistant to denaturing agents and unaffected by intercalating drugs. Antisense HIV-1 RNA does not dimerize but heterodimers can be formed between HIV-1 RNA and either MoMuLV or RSV RNA. Therefore retroviral RNA dimerization probably does not simply proceed through mechanisms involving Watson-Crick base-pairing. Neither adenine and cytosine protonation, nor quartets containing only guanines appear to determine the stability of the HIV-1 RNA dimer, while quartets involving both adenine(s) and guanine(s) could account for our results. A consensus sequence PuGGAPuA found in the putative dimerization-encapsidation region of all retroviral genomes examined may participate in the dimerization process.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biochimie, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marquet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baudin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gabus
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Darlix
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mougel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ehresmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ehresmann
mesh_terms: D001358:Avian Sarcoma Viruses / Q000235:genetics; D002213:Capsid / Q000378:metabolism; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D005559:Formamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000235:genetics; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry*; D013095:Spermidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature; D014508:Urea / Q000494:pharmacology; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005559:Formamides; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D015636:Magnesium Chloride; C031066:formamide; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D014508:Urea; D013095:Spermidine