title: Mutation of the Rev-binding loop in the human immunodeficiency virus 1 leader causes a replication defect characterized by altered RNA trafficking and packaging.
abstract: An internal RNA loop, located within the packaging signal of human immunodeficiency virus 1, that resembles the Rev-responsive element (RRE) closely was identified previously. Subsequent in vitro studies confirmed that the loop, termed loop A, could bind Rev protein specifically. Its proximity to the major splice donor has suggested a role for Rev-loop A interaction supplementary to or preceding that of the Rev-RRE interaction. To investigate this further in a replication-competent provirus, loop A was mutated to decrease its affinity for Rev. Impairing the Rev-loop A interaction led to reduced nuclear export of viral genomic RNA. RNA packaging decreased by approximately 30%. Viral protein production and export of virus particles appeared normal; however, the virus was severely replication-deficient. The loop A sequence, which is 98% conserved amongst viral isolates, is implicated in several cis-acting functions critical to virus viability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Jane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Greatorex
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Virology, Division of Infectious Diseases, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107-5587, USA.
authors.forename: Roger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Pomerantz
authors.affiliation: Christian Doppler Laboratory for Gene Therapeutic Vectors, Research Institute of Virology and Biomedicine, University for Veterinary Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dangerfield
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew M L
authors.initials: AML
authors.lastname: Lever
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015757:Genes, rev / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D011485:Protein Binding; D034443:RNA Transport; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019065:Virus Assembly / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral