title: Deletions near the N-terminus of HIV-1 Rev reduce RNA binding affinity and dominantly interfere with Rev function irrespective of the RNA target.
abstract: The contributions of the near N-terminal residues of Rev protein of HIV were investigated by analyzing N-terminal deletions of Rev in the context of a Rev/MS-C fusion protein that can bind and activate both the Rev responsive element (RRE) and the MS2 phage translational operator RNAs. Rev/MS-C fusion proteins deleted for residues 3-19 of Rev retained trans-activation potential for both RRE and MS2 targets. Coincidentally, peptides spanning residues 17-87 or 22-85 were functionally competent for trans-activation of RRE containing HIV-1 gag mRNA. Deletion of residues 18-24 of Rev in the Rev/MS-C fusion protein abolished the activation potential for both RRE and MS2 targets, although this mutant was competent for specific RNA binding, protein multimerization, and nuclear and nucleolar localization. Four mutants dominantly interfering with Rev activation of RRE were mapped near the N-terminus of Rev; (i) between residues 18 and 24, (ii) 25-34, (iii) 43-50, and (iv) 51-60. Of these, the mutant lacking residues 18-24 was a novel trans-dominant inhibitor of Rev and Rev/MS-C for activation of RRE or MS2 RNA, while the oligomerization domain mutants mapping between residues 25-34 or 51-60 inhibited the activation of RRE rather than MS2 RNA.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1576, USA.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017353:Gene Deletion; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011485:Protein Binding; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D015694:Gene Products, rev; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014760:Viral Fusion Proteins; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus