Intragenic HIV-1 env sequences that enhance gag expression.
Expression of HIV-1 genes is regulated at multiple levels including the complex RNA splicing and transport mechanisms. Multiple cis-acting elements involved in these regulations have been previously identified in various regions of HIV-1 genome. Here we show that another cis-acting element was present in HIV-1 env region. This element enhanced the expression of Gag when inserted together with Rev response element (RRE) into a truncated HIV-1 genome in the presence of Rev. The enhancing activity was mapped to a 263-bp fragment in the gp41 region downstream to RRE. RNA analysis showed that it might function by promoting RNA stability and Rev-dependent RNA export. The enhancement was specific to Rev-dependent expression, since it did not enhance Gag expression driven by Sam68, a cellular protein that has been shown to be able to substitute for Rev in RNA export function.
Suptawiwat
Ornpreya
O
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.
Sutthent
Ruengpung
R
Lee
Tun-Hou
TH
Auewarakul
Prasert
P
D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015752:Genes, env; D015750:Genes, gag / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015183:Restriction Mapping
D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012367:RNA, Viral