HIV Tat, its TARgets and the control of viral gene expression.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) (transactivator of transcription (Tat)) protein is a pleiotropic factor that induces a broad range of biological effects in numerous cell types. At the HIV promoter, Tat is a powerful transactivator of gene expression, which acts by both inducing chromatin remodeling and by recruiting elongation-competent transcriptional complexes onto the viral LTR. Besides these transcriptional activities, Tat is released outside the cells and interacts with different cell membrane-associated receptors. Finally, extracellular Tat can be internalized by cells through an active endocytosis process. Here we discuss some of the molecular mechanisms involved in intracellular and extracellular Tat function.
Brigati
Claudio
C
Molecular Oncology Laboratory, National Cancer Research Institute, c/o Centro di Biotecnologie Avanzante, Largo Rosanna Benzi 10, 16132 Genova, Italy.
Giacca
Mauro
M
Noonan
Douglas M
DM
Albini
Adriana
A
D000107:Acetylation; D000123:Acetyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D010582:Bacteriophage lambda / Q000235:genetics; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004705:Endocytosis; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000502:physiology*; D015756:Genes, tat; D016325:HIV Long Terminal Repeat; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D042925:Positive Transcriptional Elongation Factor B; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000502:physiology; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D002843:Chromatin; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D006657:Histones; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011991:Receptors, Virus; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D000123:Acetyltransferases; D051548:Histone Acetyltransferases; D042925:Positive Transcriptional Elongation Factor B; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012319:RNA Polymerase II