Insights into the molecular and biological features of the dUTPase-related gene of bovine immunodeficiency virus.
This study was stimulated by our previous research of the dUTPase-related protein from bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) (Voronin et al., 2014). Despite the lack of detectable enzymatic BIV dUTPase activity (both of the recombinant protein and in virions), mutating the dUTPase gene was deleterious to viral production. However, cDNA synthesis and integration were apparently unaffected. Consequently, we have studied here two important issues. First, we showed that in cDNA produced by the dUTPase-mutated virions, the incidence of mutations was not higher than that found in wild-type BIV-infected cells. Second, single mutations, introduced in preserved dUTPase residues Asp48 and Asn57 (in the putative dUTPase active site or close to it), have led to abortive BIV infections (except for the conservative Asp48Glu mutation). Therefore, we postulate that the BIV dUTPase-related protein has a critical role in retroviral replication at steps that take place after viral cDNA synthesis and integration.
From the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
Yulia
Y
Podolny
From the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel.
Eytan
E
Herzig
From the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel. Electronic address: ahizy@post.tau.ac.il.
Amnon
A
Hizi
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D016087:Immunodeficiency Virus, Bovine / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D016180:Lentivirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D011755:Pyrophosphatases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication
D014764:Viral Proteins; D011755:Pyrophosphatases; C020020:dUTP pyrophosphatase
Bovine immunodeficiency virus; Lentiviruses; Mutagenesis; Post-integration steps; Retroviral replication steps; cDNA; dUTPase