title: Reviving an old HIV-1 gene: the HIV-1 antisense protein.
abstract: The existence of an HIV-1 protein translated from an antisense transcript was suggested over 25 years ago. However, this Antisense Protein (ASP) gene has still not been completely accepted by the HIV-1 research community. The aim of this review is to discuss recent findings, which suggest that ASP needs to be considered as a viral gene, playing an important role in HIV-1 replication and persistence. In past years, several studies have highlighted the existence of HIV-1 antisense transcripts. More recently, we and others have convincingly demonstrated that this transcript produces a protein with a unique distribution and a rapid turnover, when expressed in mammalian cells. Furthermore, a role in autophagy and HIV-1 replication has been associated with this protein. In light of these recent reports, we believe that ASP needs to be added to the schematic representation of the HIV-1 proviral DNA and requires further investigation, as it could represent a new potential target for anti-retroviral therapies and vaccine strategies.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Torresilla
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mesnard
authors.affiliation: Departement des sciences biologiques, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, SB-R860, 2080 St-Urbain, Montreal (Quebec), H2X 3X8, Canada. barbeau.benoit@uqam.ca.
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barbeau
mesh_terms: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D012367:RNA, Viral