       Document 0320
 DOCN  M9610320
 TI    Formation of stable and functional HIV-1 nucleoprotein complexes in
       vitro.
 DT    9601
 AU    Tanchou V; Gabus C; Rogemond V; Darlix JL; LaboRetro, Unite de Virologie
       humaine (INSERM-ENS 412), Ecole; Normale Superieure, Lyon, France.
 SO    J Mol Biol. 1995 Oct 6;252(5):563-71. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96017727
 AB    HIV genomic RNA resides within the nucleocapsid, in the interior of the
       virus, which serves to protect the RNA against nuclease degradation and
       to promote its reverse transcription. To investigate the role of
       nucleocapsid protein (NCp7) in the stability and replication of genomic
       RNA within the nucleocapsid, we used NCp7, reverse transcriptase (RT)
       and RNAs representing the 5' and 3' regions of the genome to
       reconstitute functional HIV-1 nucleocapsids. The nucleoprotein complexes
       generated in vitro were found to be stable, which, according to
       biochemical and genetic data, probably results from the tight binding of
       NCp7 molecules to the RNA and strong NCp7/NCp7 interactions. The
       nucleoprotein complexes efficiently protected viral RNA against RNase
       degradation and, at the same time, promoted viral DNA synthesis by RT.
       DNA strand transfer from the 5' to the 3' RNA template was very
       efficient in nucleoprotein complexes formed in the presence of both
       RNAs, but not when the RNAs were in separate complexes. These results
       indicate that the in vitro reconstituted HIV-1 nucleoprotein complexes
       function like virion nucleocapsids and thus provide a way to study at
       the molecular level this viral substructure and the synthesis of
       proviral DNA, and to search for new anti-HIV agents.
 DE    Base Sequence  Capsid/GENETICS/*METABOLISM  DNA Primers  DNA,
       Complementary/BIOSYNTHESIS  DNA, Single-Stranded/BIOSYNTHESIS  DNA,
       Viral/*BIOSYNTHESIS  Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel  Gene Products,
       gag/GENETICS/*METABOLISM  Human  HIV-1/GENETICS/*METABOLISM  Molecular
       Sequence Data  Polymerase Chain Reaction  Recombinant Fusion
       Proteins/GENETICS  Ribonuclease T1/METABOLISM  RNA-Directed DNA
       Polymerase/METABOLISM  RNA, Viral/GENETICS/*METABOLISM  Support,
       Non-U.S. Gov't  Templates  Zinc Fingers  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

