Actinomycin D inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 minus-strand transfer in in vitro and endogenous reverse transcriptase assays.

ABSTRACT: In this report we demonstrate that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) minus-strand transfer, assayed in vitro and in endogenous reactions, is greatly inhibited by actinomycin D. Previously we showed that HIV-1 nucleocapsid (NC) protein (a nucleic acid chaperone catalyzing nucleic acid rearrangements which lead to more thermodynamically stable conformations) dramatically stimulates HIV-1 minus-strand transfer by preventing TAR-dependent self-priming from minus-strand strong-stop DNA [(-) SSDNA]. Despite this potent activity, the addition of NC to in vitro reactions with actinomycin D results in only a modest increase in the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for the drug. PCR analysis of HIV-1 endogenous reactions indicates that minus-strand transfer is inhibited by the drug with

SUBMITTER: Guo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC109878 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature