title: Copy-choice recombination by reverse transcriptases: reshuffling of genetic markers mediated by RNA chaperones.
abstract: Copy-choice recombination efficiently reshuffles genetic markers in retroviruses. In vivo, the folding of the genomic RNA is controlled by the nucleocapsid protein (NC). We show that binding of NC onto the acceptor RNA molecule is sufficient to enhance recombination, providing evidence for a mechanism where the structure of the acceptor template determines the template switch. NC as well as another RNA chaperone (StpA) converts recombination into a widespread process no longer restricted to rare hot spots, an effect maximized when both the NC and the reverse transcriptase come from HIV-1. These data suggest that RNA chaperones confer a higher genetic flexibility to retroviruses.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Unité de Physicochimie des Macromolécules Biologiques, Unité de Recherche Associée 1773 du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75724 Paris cedex 15, France. matteo@pasteur.fr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negroni
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Buc
mesh_terms: D005819:Genetic Markers; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000502:physiology*; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000502:physiology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase