title: Identification of a minimal HIV-1 gag domain sufficient for self-association.
abstract: Gag polyprotein precursors play an essential role in the assembly of the HIV particle by polymerizing into a spherical shell at the plasma membrane. In order to define the domains within Gag responsible for this homotypic interaction, we have coupled the technology of the yeast two-hybrid system with the technology of a gene-based, semirandom library. By this method, we have identified a minimal region of Gag capable of efficient self-interaction. This region consists of the N-terminal portion of the nucleocapsid protein (NC), including the first zinc finger and the previously described interaction, or I, domain. In parallel with this randomized approach, individual HIV Gag domains, and combinations of these domains, were tested for potential homotypic and heterotypic interactions in the yeast two-hybrid system. Consistent with the results from the semirandom library screen, only combinations of species containing NC were strongly interacting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, USA.
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zábranský
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakalian
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015723:Gene Library; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag