A structured retroviral RNA element that mediates nucleocytoplasmic export of intron-containing RNA.
A common feature of gene expression in all retroviruses is that unspliced, intron-containing RNA is exported to the cytoplasm despite the fact that cellular RNAs which contain introns are usually restricted to the nucleus. In complex retroviruses, the export of intron-containing RNA is mediated by specific viral regulatory proteins (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [HIV-1] Rev) that bind to elements in the viral RNA. However, simpler retroviruses do not encode such regulatory proteins. Here we show that the genome of the simpler retrovirus Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) contains an element that serves as an autonomous nuclear export signal for intron-containing RNA. This element is essential for MPMV replication; however, its function can be complemented by HIV-1 Rev and the Rev-responsive element. The element can also facilitate the export of cellular intron-containing RNA. These results suggest that the MPMV element mimics cellular RNA transport signals and mediates RNA export through interaction with endogenous cellular factors.
Ernst
R K
RK
Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22908, USA.
Bray
M
M
Rekosh
D
D
Hammarskjöld
M L
ML
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport; D019556:COS Cells; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000821:virology; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000821:virology; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D016093:Mason-Pfizer monkey virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015694:Gene Products, rev; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus