HIV-1 Tat: coping with negative elongation factors.
The intrinsic processivity of RNA polymerase II complexes arises from a complex interplay between the recently identified positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) and negative transcription elongation factors, DSIF (5, 6-dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole [DRB]-sensitivity-inducing factor) and the negative elongation factor complex (NELF). Elements in nascent HIV-1 RNA function in concert with these factors and the HIV-1 Tat protein to ensure that viral transcription is induced strongly in activated T cells. Studies in the past year have elucidated key aspects of the Tat trans-activation mechanism that help to define this important paradigm for RNA-mediated control of transcription elongation.
Garber
M E
ME
Regulatory Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037-1099, USA.
Jones
K A
KA
D000818:Animals; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000502:physiology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010445:Peptide Elongation Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D042925:Positive Transcriptional Elongation Factor B; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015696:Gene Products, tat; D010445:Peptide Elongation Factors; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D042925:Positive Transcriptional Elongation Factor B; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases