Exploring New Functional Aspects of HTLV-1 RNA-Binding Protein Rex: How Does Rex Control Viral Replication?

ABSTRACT: After integration to the human genome as a provirus, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) utilizes host T cell gene expression machinery for viral replication. The viral RNA-binding protein, Rex, is known to transport unspliced/incompletely spliced viral mRNAs encoding viral structural proteins out of the nucleus to enhance virus particle formation. However, the detailed mechanism of how Rex avoids extra splicing of unspliced/incompletely spliced viral mRNAs and stabilizes them for effective translation is still unclear. To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of Rex function, we comprehensively analyzed the changes in gene expression and splicing patterns in Rex-overexpressing T cells. In addition, we identified 81 human proteins interacting with Rex, involved in transcript

SUBMITTER: Nakano K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8877913 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature