HIV F/3' orf encodes a phosphorylated GTP-binding protein resembling an oncogene product.
Apart from the retroviral gag, pol and env the HIV genome contains the F (3' orf) gene which encodes a polypeptide of 206 amino acids which is myristylated at the N-terminal and whose function is unknown. We have expressed the F gene in Escherichia coli and from a recombinant vaccinia virus, VVTGfHIV. The F-protein produced in VVTGfHIV-infected mammalian cells is myristilated, and is phosphorylated by protein kinase C at a residue close to the N-terminus like pp60-src (ref. 5). Purified bacterial F-protein also shows the GTPase, autophosphorylation and GTP-binding activities reported for the ras gene product. Furthermore, we show that expression of F in a CD4+ cell line down-regulates the CD4(T4) antigen. These results suggest that F is important in the pathophysiology of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015693:Gene Products, nef; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics*; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015693:Gene Products, nef; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054311:nef Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D020558:GTP Phosphohydrolases; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins