title: Retrospective on the all-in-one retroviral nucleocapsid protein.
abstract: This review aims at briefly presenting a retrospect on the retroviral nucleocapsid protein (NC), from an unspecific nucleic acid binding protein (NABP) to an all-in-one viral protein with multiple key functions in the early and late phases of the retrovirus replication cycle, notably reverse transcription of the genomic RNA and viral DNA integration into the host genome, and selection of the genomic RNA together with the initial steps of virus morphogenesis. In this context we will discuss the notion that NC protein has a flexible conformation and is thus a member of the growing family of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) where disorder may account, at least in part, for its function as a nucleic acid (NA) chaperone and possibly as a protein chaperone vis-à-vis the viral DNA polymerase during reverse transcription. Lastly, we will briefly review the development of new anti-retroviral/AIDS compounds targeting HIV-1 NC because it represents an ideal target due to its multiple roles in the early and late phases of virus replication and its high degree of conservation.
authors.affiliation: UMR 7213 CNRS, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin, F-67401 Illkirch, France. Electronic address: jldarlix@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Darlix
authors.affiliation: UMR 7213 CNRS, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin, F-67401 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Hugues
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: de Rocquigny
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie et Pharmacologie Appliquée, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Cachan, France; UMR 8113 CNRS, 61 Avenue du Pdt Wilson, F-94235 Cachan, France.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mauffret
authors.affiliation: UMR 7213 CNRS, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et Pharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin, F-67401 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mély
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000378:metabolism; D019251:Nucleocapsid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D048348:Reverse Transcription; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins
keywords: Intrinsically disordered protein; Nucleocapsid protein; Retrovirus; Viral DNA synthesis; Virus formation; Zinc fingers