The inhibitory effect of apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G) and its family members on the activity of cellular microRNAs.
The apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G or APOBEC3G) and its fellow cytidine deaminase family members are potent restrictive factors for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and many other retroviruses. However, the cellular function of APOBEC3G remains to be further clarified. It has been reported that APOBEC3s can restrict the mobility of endogenous retroviruses and LTR-retrotransposons, suggesting that they can maintain stability in host genomes. However, APOBEC3G is normally cytoplasmic. Further studies have demonstrated that it is associated with an RNase-sensitive high molecular mass (HMM) and located in processing bodies (P-bodies) of replicating T-cells, indicating that the major cellular function of APOBEC3G seems to be related to P-body-related RNA processing and metabolism. As the function of P-body is closely related to miRNA activity, APOBEC3G could affect the miRNA function. Recent studies have demonstrated that APOBEC3G and its family members counteract miRNA-mediated repression of protein translation. Further, APOBEC3G enhances the association of miRNA-targeted mRNA with polysomes, and facilitates the dissociation of miRNA-targeted mRNA from P-bodies. As such, APOBEC3G regulate the activity of cellular miRNAs. Whether this function is related to its potent antiviral activity remains to be further determined.
Center for Human Virology, Thomas Jefferson University, 809 Curtis Building, 1015 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. hui.zhang@jefferson.edu
Hui
H
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D002477:Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism*; D022083:Cytoplasmic Structures / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D035683:MicroRNAs; D003564:Cytidine Deaminase