title: Targeting of chrolamphenicol acetyltransferase to human immunodeficiency virus particles via Vpr and Vpx.
abstract: Vpr and Vpx are the auxiliary proteins of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIVs) selectively incorporated into mature viral particles. We showed that the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) fused to the N-terminus of HIV-1 Vpr, HIV-2 Vpr, or HIV-2 Vpx was incorporated into mature virions in a type-selective manner. By using chimeric proteins between HIV-1 Vpr and HIV-2 Vpx, we found that the N-terminal side of these proteins was mainly important for type-selective virion incorporation. The C-terminal arginine-rich region of HIV-1 Vpr was also found to transport CAT fusion proteins into virions but without any type selectivity. Furthermore, the corresponding regions of HIV-2 Vpr and HIV-2 Vpx had no such activity. This region of HIV-1 Vpr may interact nonspecifically with viral genomic RNA. Collectively, Vpr and Vpx may provide a means to introduce foreign proteins and other molecules into HIV virions for therapeutic purposes.
authors.affiliation: Shionogi Institute for Medical Science, Settsu, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Isaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawauchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayami
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yoshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016336:Gene Products, vpr / Q000235:genetics; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D016336:Gene Products, vpr; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C074286:VPX protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 2; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase