Co-expression of a trans-dominant negative mutant of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Rev protein affects the Rev-dependent splicing pattern and expression of HIV-1 RNAs.
Trans-dominant negative mutants of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) regulatory protein Rev inhibit the function of wild-type Rev in a dose-dependent manner. This was previously shown to be caused by nuclear retention of the wild-type protein. In the present work, further analysis of the trans-dominant negative effect was performed using cotransfection experiments with different constructs encoding HIV-1 Rev and viral structural proteins together with a plasmid encoding a trans-dominant negative Rev mutant. Thus, one species of pre-mRNA was transcribed from the reporter plasmids. This pre-mRNA was then either spliced or exported by Rev as unspliced RNA for translation of the HIV structural proteins. An immunofluorescence assay and Western blot analysis were used for analysis of protein expression. In situ hybridization was applied for labelling of unspliced mRNA in transfected cells, and RNase protection analysis was used to determine the relative amount of unspliced versus spliced mRNAs. The experiments confirmed that the transdominant negative mutant inhibited nuclear export of unspliced mRNA. It was, in addition, demonstrated for the first time that the trans-dominant negative mutant also affected a Rev-dependent regulatory step connected with viral pre-mRNA splicing. As a consequence, proteins expressed from unspliced and singly spliced HIV mRNAs decreased while there was an increase in protein products encoded by spliced and alternatively spliced mRNAs.
Szilvay
Anne Marie
AM
Department of Molecular Biology1 and Centre for Research in Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology2, The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, HIB, Post-box 7800, N-5020 Bergen, Norway.
Bøe
Stig-Ove
SO
Department of Molecular Biology1 and Centre for Research in Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology2, The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, HIB, Post-box 7800, N-5020 Bergen, Norway.
Kalland
Karl-Henning
KH
Department of Molecular Biology1 and Centre for Research in Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology2, The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, HIB, Post-box 7800, N-5020 Bergen, Norway.
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D015870:Gene Expression; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015694:Gene Products, rev; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus