The structure of the human tRNALys3 anticodon bound to the HIV genome is stabilized by modified nucleosides and adjacent mismatch base pairs.

ABSTRACT: Replication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) requires base pairing of the reverse transcriptase primer, human tRNA(Lys3), to the viral RNA. Although the major complementary base pairing occurs between the HIV primer binding sequence (PBS) and the tRNA's 3'-terminus, an important discriminatory, secondary contact occurs between the viral A-rich Loop I, 5'-adjacent to the PBS, and the modified, U-rich anticodon domain of tRNA(Lys3). The importance of individual and combined anticodon modifications to the tRNA/HIV-1 Loop I RNA's interaction was determined. The thermal stabilities of variously modified tRNA anticodon region sequences bound to the Loop I of viral sub(sero)types G and B were analyzed and the structure of one duplex containing two modified nucleosides was determined using NM

SUBMITTER: Bilbille Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2691828 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature