The HIV-1 Rev protein enhances encapsidation of unspliced and spliced, RRE-containing lentiviral vector RNA.

ABSTRACT:

Background

During the RNA encapsidation process of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral genomic, unspliced RNA (gRNA) is preferentially incorporated into assembling virions. However, a certain amount of spliced viral transcripts can also be detected in viral particles. Recently, we observed that nuclear export of HIV and lentiviral vector gRNA by Rev is required for efficient encapsidation. Since singly-spliced HIV transcripts also contain the Rev-response element (RRE), we investigated if the encapsidation efficiency of RRE-containing spliced HIV-vector transcripts is also increased by the viral Rev protein.

Findings

Starting with a lentiviral vector imitating the splicing pattern of HIV, we constructed vectors that express an unspliced transcript either identical in se

SUBMITTER: Grewe B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3486793 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature