title: HIV-2 viral protein X association with the GAG p27 capsid protein.
abstract: VPX is a 16 kDa accessory protein expressed in cells infected with HIV-2 and most SIV strains and is packaged into virus particles. In order to define the requirements for incorporation of VPX into virions, VPX and HIV-2 GAG-POL were expressed independently from a vaccinia virus-based transient expression system. Under these conditions, VPX was exported from transfected cells only when coexpressed with the HIV-2 GAG-POL plasmid. A 27 kDa protein coprecipitating with VPX was found to have an identical electrophoretic mobility as the GAG capsid protein, and reacted with an anti-GAG antiserum. Coexpression of VPX and GAG-POL resulted in virus-like particles containing both proteins, as determined by sucrose gradient analyses. Expression of VPX and HIV-2 GAG without POL gave similar results. VPX association with HIV-2 GAG p27 capsid protein was specific, since no association was found with the HIV-1 GAG p25/p24 capsid protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Spearman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ratner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002213:Capsid / Q000378:metabolism*; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D015685:Fusion Proteins, gag-pol / Q000378:metabolism; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000378:metabolism*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D036022:Capsid Proteins; D015685:Fusion Proteins, gag-pol; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; C074286:VPX protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 2; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C074737:p27 gag protein, Human immunodeficiency virus