Biophysical analysis of HTLV-1 particles reveals novel insights into particle morphology and Gag stochiometry.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is an important human retrovirus that is a cause of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. While an important human pathogen, the details regarding virus replication cycle, including the nature of HTLV-1 particles, remain largely unknown due to the difficulties in propagating the virus in tissue culture. In this study, we created a codon-optimized HTLV-1 Gag fused to an EYFP reporter as a model system to quantitatively analyze HTLV-1 particles released from producer cells.

Results

The codon-optimized Gag led to a dramatic and highly robust level of Gag expression as well as virus-like particle (VLP) production. The robust level of particle production overcomes previous technical difficulties with authentic particles and allowed

SUBMITTER: Grigsby IF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2954917 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature