title: Nucleocapsid protein function in early infection processes.
abstract: The role of nucleocapsid protein (NC) in the early steps of retroviral replication appears largely that of a facilitator for reverse transcription and integration. Using a wide variety of cell-free assay systems, the properties of mature NC proteins (e.g. HIV-1 p7(NC) or MLV p10(NC)) as nucleic acid chaperones have been extensively investigated. The effect of NC on tRNA annealing, reverse transcription initiation, minus-strand-transfer, processivity of reverse transcription, plus-strand-transfer, strand-displacement synthesis, 3' processing of viral DNA by integrase, and integrase-mediated strand-transfer has been determined by a large number of laboratories. Interestingly, these reactions can all be accomplished to varying degrees in the absence of NC; some are facilitated by both viral and non-viral proteins and peptides that may or may not be involved in vivo. What is one to conclude from the observation that NC is not strictly required for these necessary reactions to occur? NC likely enhances the efficiency of each of these steps, thereby vastly improving the productivity of infection. In other words, one of the major roles of NC is to enhance the effectiveness of early infection, thereby increasing the probability of productive replication and ultimately of retrovirus survival.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Vaccine Program, Basic Sciences Program, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., NCI-Frederick, P.O. Box B, Building 535, Room 410, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA.
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Gorelick
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048348:Reverse Transcription; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016662:Virus Integration; D053586:Virus Internalization; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins