The C-terminal proline-rich tail of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 Vpx is necessary for nuclear localization of the viral preintegration complex in nondividing cells.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2), like other lentiviruses, is capable of infecting nondividing T cells and macrophages. The present work shows that in HIV-2-infected cells, Vpx is necessary for efficient nuclear import of the preintegration complex. In agreement with this finding, the subcellular localization of a GFP-Vpx fusion protein was found to be predominantly nuclear. However, deletion of the proline-rich C-terminal 11 residues of Vpx resulted in a shift of the fusion protein to the cytoplasm. Furthermore, the same deletion in the context of the provirus resulted in a decrease in nuclear import of the preintegration complex and attenuated replication in macrophages.
Pancio
H A
HA
Departments of Medicine, Pathology, and Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
Vander Heyden
N
N
Ratner
L
L
D002455:Cell Division; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D011392:Proline / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D020298:U937 Cells; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016662:Virus Integration
D004279:DNA, Viral; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D019913:Nuclear Localization Signals; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C074286:VPX protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 2; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D011392:Proline