The human immunodeficiency virus type 1-specific protein vpu is required for efficient virus maturation and release.
A deletion mutation affecting vpu was introduced into an infectious molecular clone of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, and the resultant phenotype was examined after infection of human T lymphocytes. The absence of vpu resulted in an accumulation of cell-associated viral proteins and impaired the release of progeny virions. Both electron microscopic and biochemical analyses indicated that a large proportion of the mutant particles was attached to the surface of infected cells. Significant variation in the size and shape of these progeny virions was observed. In addition, intracytoplasmic particles, some of which formed aberrant budding structures, were visualized in T cells infected with the vpu mutant. Indirect immunofluorescence analyses of cultures inoculated with wild-type virus with use of a vpu-specific antiserum demonstrated that vpu is mainly localized to a perinuclear region in the cytoplasm of virus-producing cells.
Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
T
T
Klimkait
K
K
Strebel
M D
MD
Hoggan
M A
MA
Martin
J M
JM
Orenstein
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D005814:Genes, Viral; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D014162:Transfection; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; C514859:vpu protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins