title: Rev proteins of human and simian immunodeficiency virus enhance RNA encapsidation.
abstract: The main function attributed to the Rev proteins of immunodeficiency viruses is the shuttling of viral RNAs containing the Rev responsive element (RRE) via the CRM-1 export pathway from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This restricts expression of structural proteins to the late phase of the lentiviral replication cycle. Using Rev-independent gag-pol expression plasmids of HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus and lentiviral vector constructs, we have observed that HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus Rev enhanced RNA encapsidation 20- to 70-fold, correlating well with the effect of Rev on vector titers. In contrast, cytoplasmic vector RNA levels were only marginally affected by Rev. Binding of Rev to the RRE or to a heterologous RNA element was required for Rev-mediated enhancement of RNA encapsidation. In addition to specific interactions of nucleocapsid with the packaging signal at the 5' end of the genome, the Rev/RRE system provides a second mechanism contributing to preferential encapsidation of genomic lentiviral RNA.
authors: Department of Molecular and Medical Virology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
authors: Sabine
authors: S
authors: Brandt
authors: Maik
authors: M
authors: Blissenbach
authors: Bastian
authors: B
authors: Grewe
authors: Rebecca
authors: R
authors: Konietzny
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Grunwald
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Uberla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000821:virology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000821:virology; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D022821:RNA Splice Sites / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D020218:Response Elements / Q000235:genetics; D015301:Retroviruses, Simian / Q000235:genetics*; D019065:Virus Assembly / Q000235:genetics*; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015694:Gene Products, rev; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D022821:RNA Splice Sites; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D054321:rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus