Targeting of murine leukemia virus gag to the plasma membrane is mediated by PI(4,5)P2/PS and a polybasic region in the matrix.

ABSTRACT: Membrane targeting of the human immunodeficiency virus Gag proteins is dependent on phosphatidylinositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P(2)] located in the plasma membrane. In order to determine if evolutionarily distant retroviral Gag proteins are targeted by a similar mechanism, we generated mutants of the matrix (MA) domain of murine leukemia virus (MuLV) Gag, examined their binding to membrane models in vitro, and analyzed their phenotypes in cell culture. In vitro, we showed that MA bound all the phosphatidylinositol phosphates with significant affinity but displayed a strong specificity for PI(4,5)P(2) only if enhanced by phosphatidylserine. Mutations in the polybasic region in MA dramatically reduced this affinity. In cells, virus production was strongly impaired by PI(4,5)P(2) depleti

SUBMITTER: Hamard-Peron E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2798412 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature