Redundant roles for nucleocapsid and matrix RNA-binding sequences in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 assembly.

ABSTRACT: RNA appears to be required for the assembly of retroviruses. This is likely due to binding of RNA by multiple Gags, which in turn organizes and stabilizes the Gag-Gag interactions that form the virion. While the nucleocapsid (NC) domain is the most conspicuous RNA-binding region of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag polyprotein, we have previously shown that NC is not strictly required for efficient particle production. To determine if an RNA requirement for HIV-1 assembly exists, we analyzed virions produced by an NC deletion mutant for the presence of RNA. The results revealed that virions without NC still contained significant amounts of RNA. Since these packaged RNAs are probably incorporated by other RNA-binding sequences in Gag, an RNA-binding site in the matrix prot

SUBMITTER: Ott DE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1280203 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature