title: Mechanism and factors that control HIV-1 transcription and latency activation.
abstract: After reverse transcription, the HIV-1 proviral DNA is integrated into the host genome and thus subjected to transcription by the host RNA polymerase II (Pol II). With the identification and characterization of human P-TEFb in the late 1990 s as a specific host cofactor required for HIV-1 transcription, it is now believed that the elongation stage of Pol II transcription plays a particularly important role in regulating HIV-1 gene expression. HIV-1 uses a sophisticated scheme to recruit human P-TEFb and other cofactors to the viral long terminal repeat (LTR) to produce full-length HIV-1 transcripts. In this process, P-TEFb is regulated by the reversible association with various transcription factors/cofactors to form several multi-subunit complexes (e.g., 7SK snRNP, super elongation complexes (SECs), and the Brd4-P-TEFb complex) that collectively constitute a P-TEFb network for controlling cellular and HIV-1 transcription. Recent progresses in HIV-1 transcription were reviewed in the paper, with the emphasis on the mechanism and factors that control HIV-1 transcription and latency activation.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
authors.forename: Rong-diao
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Yu-hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics*; D016662:Virus Integration / Q000235:genetics*; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012319:RNA Polymerase II
keywords: HIV-1; P-TEFb; RNA polymerase II; Tat; Transcriptional elongation