title: The Vpr protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 binds to nucleocapsid protein p7 in vitro.
abstract: The Vpr protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is incorporated into the virion by the Gag polyprotein precursor Pr55gag. The importance of the p6gag sequence at the C-terminal end of Pr55gag has a crucial role in Vpr incorporation. To identify the Gag sequences directly involved in Vpr binding, we compared the Vpr binding affinities of the 71 amino acid nucleocapsid protein p7, the C-terminal peptide (35-71) p7C and p6gag by affinity chromatography. p7 and p7C have the strongest Vpr binding activities compared to p6gag. These results suggest that the nucleocapsid protein and its C-terminal domain may be important for the incorporation of Vpr into the mature HIV-1 virion and the subsequent localisation of viral nucleic acid to the cell nucleus by Vpr.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, U.K.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garcia-Asua
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bhattacharyya
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mascagni
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Austen
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002213:Capsid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D016336:Gene Products, vpr / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D014771:Virion / Q000378:metabolism; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag; D016336:Gene Products, vpr; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus