title: Extent of incorporation of HIV-1 Vpr into the virus particles is flexible and can be modulated by expression level in cells.
abstract: To examine the factors that control the extent of incorporation of Vpr into the virus particles, we utilized an epitope-tagging approach with Flag (FL) as the epitope for quantitation. We generated expression plasmids containing Vpr-FL and Vpr E21,24P-FL and also HIV-1 proviral DNA containing Vpr-FL (NL-Vpr-FL). Immunoblot analysis using Flag antibodies revealed that virus particles derived from co-transfection of NL-Vpr-FL and Vpr-FL showed an enhanced level of Vpr-FL in comparison to NL-Vpr-FL derived virus. These results suggest that the amount of incorporation of Vpr into the virus particles is flexible and may be modulated by its expression level in cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kimmel Cancer Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cartas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murali
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Kalyanaraman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D000939:Epitopes; D016336:Gene Products, vpr / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D016336:Gene Products, vpr; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D054325:vpr Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus