title: Upstream AUG codons in the simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239 genome regulate Rev and Env protein translation.
abstract: The mRNAs encoding the Rev and Env proteins of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) are unique because upstream translation start codons are present that may modulate the expression of these viral proteins. This is true for the regular mRNAs, but we also report novel mRNA splicing variants that encode up to five upstream AUG (uAUG) codons. Their influence on Rev and Env translation was measured by mutational inactivation in reporter constructs and in the SIVmac239 strain. An intricate regulatory mechanism was disclosed that allows the virus to express a balanced amount of these two proteins. This insight also allows the design of vector constructs that efficiently express these proteins.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam (CINIMA), Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Gisela J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: van der Velden
authors.forename: Bep
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klaver
authors.forename: Atze T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berkhout
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D003062:Codon; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics*; D015694:Gene Products, rev / Q000235:genetics*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D016679:Genome, Viral; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D018387:Codon, Initiator; D015686:Gene Products, env; D015694:Gene Products, rev; D012333:RNA, Messenger