The HIV-1 Tat team gets bigger.
Productive transcription of the HIV-1 genome involves RNA polymerase II working in concert with the viral protein Tat and its team of cofactors in a highly orchestrated process. Now, Pagans and colleagues report that the lysine methyltransferase Set7/9-KMT7 associates with Tat to stimulate RNA polymerase II elongation of the integrated provirus. Set7/9-KMT7 also methylates Tat, and this enhances Tat function.
Rice
Andrew P
AP
Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. arice@bcm.edu