title: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viral protein R (Vpr) interacts with Lys-tRNA synthetase: implications for priming of HIV-1 reverse transcription.
abstract: The vpr gene of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) encodes a 96-amino-acid 14-kDa protein (viral protein R [Vpr]), which is produced late in the viral life cycle and is incorporated into the virion. Although Vpr is not required for viral replication in transformed cell lines and primary T lymphocytes, it is essential for productive infection of macrophages and monocytes and appears to be important for pathogenesis in vivo. To establish the role of Vpr in HIV-1 replication and pathogenesis, we have isolated cellular proteins with which Vpr interacts. By using the yeast two-hybrid system, Lys-tRNA synthetase (LysRS) was identified as a Vpr-interacting protein. The interaction between Vpr and LysRS was characterized both in vitro and in vivo, and the domains of Vpr required for the interaction were defined. In the presence of Vpr, LysRS-mediated amino-acylation of tRNA(Lys) is inhibited. Since tRNA(Lys) is the primer for reverse transcription of the HIV-1 genome, this suggests that the interaction between Vpr and LysRS may influence the initiation of HIV-1 reverse transcription.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Irvine Building, University of St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hay
mesh_terms: D000215:Acylation; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002384:Catalysis; D006224:Cricetinae; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016336:Gene Products, vpr / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008250:Lysine-tRNA Ligase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012357:RNA, Transfer, Lys / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016336:Gene Products, vpr; D012357:RNA, Transfer, Lys; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D008250:Lysine-tRNA Ligase