Functional role of the HIV-1 Rev exon 1 encoded region in complex formation and trans-dominant inhibition

• Published in: FEBS letters Vol. 495; no. 1; pp. 106 - 110
• Main Authors: Gjerdrum, Christine, Stranda, Annicke, Szilvay, Anne Marie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 20.04.2001
• Subjects: Animals; CHO Cells; CHO, Chinese hamster ovary cells; COS Cells; COS, African green monkey kidney cell line transformed by SV40; Cricetinae; Env, HIV-1 glycoproteins; Exons - genetics; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Gene Products, rev - antagonists & inhibitors; Gene Products, rev - physiology; Genes, Dominant; HIV-1 - genetics; HIV-1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1; Human immunodeficiency virus type 1; LTR, long terminal repeat; MAb, monoclonal antibody; Macromolecular Substances; Mutation; NES, nuclear export signal; Oligomerization; Protein Binding - physiology; Rev; rev Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; Suppression, Genetic - physiology; Tev; Trans-Activators - genetics; Trans-Activators - metabolism; Trans-dominant inhibition; Transfection; Viral Fusion Proteins - genetics; Viral Fusion Proteins - metabolism; Rev; Oligomerization; Tev; NES, nuclear export signal; MAb, monoclonal antibody; COS, African green monkey kidney cell line transformed by SV40; Human immunodeficiency virus type 1; HIV-1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1; Env, HIV-1 glycoproteins; Trans-dominant inhibition; LTR, long terminal repeat; CHO, Chinese hamster ovary cells
• ISSN: 0014-5793; 1873-3468
• DOI: 10.1016/S0014-5793(01)02364-X

To study functional aspects of the exon 1 encoded region of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Rev protein, the viral Tev protein which exhibits low Rev activity but lacks the rev exon 1 encoded region was examined. Neither Rev–Tev heteromer complex formation nor inhibition of Rev by an export deficient Tev mutant was observed. Insertion of the rev exon 1 encoded region into the Tev mutant allowed it to oligomerize with Rev and act as a trans-dominant negative mutant. This showed that the exon 1 encoded region of Rev is essential for oligomerization and that oligomerization is a prerequisite for trans-dominant inhibition.