Mechanism of HIV-1 RNA dimerization in the central region of the genome and significance for viral evolution.

ABSTRACT: The genome of HIV-1 consists of two identical or nearly identical RNA molecules. The RNA genomes are held in the same, parallel orientation by interactions at the dimer initiation site (DIS). Previous studies showed that in addition to interactions at DIS, sequences located 100 nucleotides downstream from the 5' splice site can dimerize in vitro through an intermolecular G-quartet structure. Here we report that the highly conserved G-rich sequence in the middle portion of the HIV-1 genome near the central polypurine tract (cPPT) dimerizes spontaneously under high ionic strength in the absence of protein. The antisense RNA does not dimerize, strongly indicating that RNA dimerization does not exclusively involve A:U and G:C base pairing. The cation-dependent reverse transcriptase pausing pro

SUBMITTER: Piekna-Przybylska D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3745356 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature