Reversal by dithiothreitol treatment of the block in murine leukemia virus maturation induced by disulfide cross-linking.
We previously reported that if murine leukemia virus particles are produced in the presence of the mild oxidizing agent disulfide-substituted benzamide-2, they fail to undergo the normal process of virus maturation. We now show that treatment of these immature particles with a reducing agent (dithiothreitol) induces their maturation in vitro, as evidenced by proteolytic cleavage of Gag, Gag-Pol, and Env proteins and by their morphology. The identification of partial cleavage products in these particles suggests the sequence with which the cleavages occur under these conditions. This may be a useful experimental system for further analysis of retroviral maturation under controlled conditions in vitro.
Campbell
Stephen
S
HIV Drug Resistance Program, SAIC Frederick, National Cancer Institute-Frederick, Natipnal Institutes of Health, Frederick, Maryland 21702, USA.
Oshima
Masamichi
M
Mirro
Jane
J
Nagashima
Kunio
K
Rein
Alan
A
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D004220:Disulfides; D004229:Dithiothreitol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000502:physiology; D015685:Fusion Proteins, gag-pol / Q000378:metabolism; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000378:metabolism; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000502:physiology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D014771:Virion / Q000502:physiology
D004220:Disulfides; D015685:Fusion Proteins, gag-pol; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015683:Gene Products, gag; D012367:RNA, Viral; D010450:Endopeptidases; D004229:Dithiothreitol