Epigenetic activation of unintegrated HIV-1 genomes by gut-associated short chain fatty acids and its implications for HIV infection.

ABSTRACT: Integration of HIV-1 linear DNA into the host chromatin is an essential step in the viral life cycle. However, the majority of reverse-transcribed, nuclear-imported viral genomes remain episomal, either as linear or circular DNA. To date, these nonintegrated viral genomes are largely considered "dead-end products" of reverse transcription. Indeed, limited gene expression from nonintegrated HIV-1 has been reported, although the mechanism that renders nonintegrating HIV-1 genomes incapable of supporting efficient viral replication has not been fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that nonintegrating HIV-1 and HIV-1-based vector genomes are organized into chromatin structures and enriched with histone modifications typical of transcriptionally silenced chromatin. Gene expression and replica

SUBMITTER: Kantor B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2773968 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature