Overexpression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease increases intracellular cleavage of Gag and reduces virus infectivity.
Here we have investigated if human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease expressed in trans can interfere with production of infectious HIV-1 particles. Protease produced from a Tat and Rev inducible expression plasmid specifically cleaved HIV-1 p55Gag in a dose-dependent manner. Coexpression of protease and an infectious HIV-1 proviral clone resulted in increased intracellular cleavage of p55Gag. As a consequence, virus production and virus infectivity was significantly reduced. These results suggest that overexpression of HIV-1 protease in HIV-1-infected cells is a powerful way to inhibit production of infectious virions.
Luukkonen
B G
BG
Microbiology and Tumorbiology Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Fenyö
E M
EM
Schwartz
S
S
D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017931:DNA Primers; D015870:Gene Expression; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000378:metabolism*; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016333:HIV Protease / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D010957:Plasmids; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014779:Virus Replication
D017931:DNA Primers; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016333:HIV Protease