title: Specific recognition of the HIV-1 genomic RNA by the Gag precursor.
abstract: During assembly of HIV-1 particles in infected cells, the viral Pr55(Gag) protein (or Gag precursor) must select the viral genomic RNA (gRNA) from a variety of cellular and viral spliced RNAs. However, there is no consensus on how Pr55(Gag) achieves this selection. Here, by using RNA binding and footprinting assays, we demonstrate that the primary Pr55(Gag) binding site on the gRNA consists of the internal loop and the lower part of stem-loop 1 (SL1), the upper part of which initiates gRNA dimerization. A double regulation ensures specific binding of Pr55(Gag) to the gRNA despite the fact that SL1 is also present in spliced viral RNAs. The region upstream of SL1, which is present in all HIV-1 RNAs, prevents binding to SL1, but this negative effect is counteracted by sequences downstream of SL4, which are unique to the gRNA.
authors.affiliation: 1] Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France [2] [3].
authors.forename: Ekram W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Abd El-Wahab
authors.affiliation: 1] Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France [2].
authors.forename: Redmond P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.affiliation: Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mailler
authors.affiliation: Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bernacchi
authors.affiliation: Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vivet-Boudou
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre for Virology, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia [2] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hijnen
authors.affiliation: Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jossinet
authors.affiliation: 1] Centre for Virology, Burnet Institute, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia [2] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia [3] Faculty of Health, School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia [4] Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Livestock Industries, Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong 3220, Australia.
authors.forename: Johnson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.affiliation: Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Paillart
authors.affiliation: Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IBMC, 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marquet
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D011498:Protein Precursors; D012367:RNA, Viral; C059767:p55 gag precursor protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1