Identification of a Novel Cis-Acting Regulator of HIV-1 Genome Packaging.

ABSTRACT: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) uptakes homo-dimerized viral RNA genome into its own particle. A cis-acting viral RNA segment responsible for this event, termed packaging signal (psi), is located at the 5'-end of the viral genome. Although the psi segment exhibits nucleotide variation in nature, its effects on the psi function largely remain unknown. Here we show that a psi sequence from an HIV-1 regional variant, subtype D, has a lower packaging ability compared with that from another regional variant, HIV-1 subtype B, despite maintaining similar genome dimerization activities. A series of molecular genetic investigations narrowed down the responsible element of the selective attenuation to the two sequential nucleotides at positions 226 and 227 in the psi segment. Mole

SUBMITTER: Sakuragi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8036536 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature