Identifying the assembly intermediate in which Gag first associates with unspliced HIV-1 RNA suggests a novel model for HIV-1 RNA packaging.

ABSTRACT: During immature capsid assembly, HIV-1 genome packaging is initiated when Gag first associates with unspliced HIV-1 RNA by a poorly understood process. Previously, we defined a pathway of sequential intracellular HIV-1 capsid assembly intermediates; here we sought to identify the intermediate in which HIV-1 Gag first associates with unspliced HIV-1 RNA. In provirus-expressing cells, unspliced HIV-1 RNA was not found in the soluble fraction of the cytosol, but instead was largely in complexes ≥30S. We did not detect unspliced HIV-1 RNA associated with Gag in the first assembly intermediate, which consists of soluble Gag. Instead, the earliest assembly intermediate in which we detected Gag associated with unspliced HIV-1 RNA was the second assembly intermediate (~80S intermediate), which is

SUBMITTER: Barajas BC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5940231 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature