The plus strand is discontinuous in a subpopulation of unintegrated HIV-1 DNA.
During reverse transcription the synthesis of plus strand viral DNA is initiated from an RNA polypurine primer immediately upstream of the U 3 region. The polypurine tract (PPT) sequence at this site is in HIV-1 also present in the middle of the genome. Here we demonstrate that a subpopulation of linear unintegrated HIV-1 DNA has a discontinuity in the plus strand within less than 50 bp from this central PPT, consistent with its utilization as a plus strand initiation site.
Hungnes
O
O
Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Tjotta
E
E
Grinde
B
B
D004261:DNA Replication / Q000235:genetics*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D015151:Immunoblotting; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
D004279:DNA, Viral