A positively charged side chain at position 154 on the beta8-alphaE loop of HIV-1 RT is required for stable ternary complex formation.

ABSTRACT: Lys154 is the only positively charged residue located in the VLPQGWK motif on the beta8-alphaE loop at the junction of the fingers and palm subdomains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT). Some of the conserved residues in this motif are critical for RT function, while others have been shown to confer nucleoside drug resistance and fidelity to the enzyme. In order to understand the functional implication of this positively charged residue, we carried out site-directed mutagenesis at position 154 and biochemically characterized the mutant enzymes. Mutants carrying negatively charged side chains (K154D and K154E) were severely impaired in their polymerase function, while those with hydrophobic side chains (K154A and K154I) were moderately affected. Analysis

SUBMITTER: Sharma B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC212807 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature