Biomedical subjects

A Hizi

Publications and source records attributed to A Hizi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Specific inhibition of the reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and the chimeric enzymes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2 by nonnucleoside inhibitors.

We have studied the effects of four nonnucleoside inhibitors, including the novel natural product inhibitor calanolide A, on molecular chimeras containing complementary segments of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) reverse transcriptases (RTs). All four compounds specifically inhibited the DNA polymerase activity of HIV-1 RT but had no apparent effect on the RNase H activity of this enzyme or on the DNA polymerase or RNase H activity of HIV-2 RT. Three of these compounds showed the generally expected patterns of resistance and susceptibility with the various chimeric RTs. However, the inhibition patterns of the chimeric RTs by calanolide A provided evidence that there is a segment between residues 94 and 157 in HIV-1 RT that is critical for inhibition. However, the data also suggest that there may be a second segment located between amino acids 225 and 427 in HIV-1 RT that is also important for specifying susceptibility to the drug.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1992

Fidelity of the RNA-dependent DNA synthesis exhibited by the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 and of murine leukemia virus: mispair extension frequencies.

Human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2, respectively) exhibit extensive genetic variations. It was postulated that much of this genetic variability stems from the low fidelity of the reverse transcription step. Both HIV reverse transcriptases (RTs) were shown to be particularly error-prone during the in vitro DNA-dependent DNA synthesis relative to other retroviral RTs. Extension of mismatched 3'-termini of the primer DNA was shown to be a major determinant in the infidelity of HIV RTs. However, reverse transcriptases generally exhibit dual template specificities. Therefore, we determined in the current study the fidelity of RNA-dependent DNA synthesis catalyzed in vitro by the RTs of HIV-1 and HIV-2 in comparison with that of murine leukemia virus (MLV) RT. Consequently, we examined the ability of these enzymes to extend preformed 3'-terminal A.A, A.C, and A.G mispairs by quantitating the amount and length of extended primers in a primer extension assay using ribosomal RNA as a template. The results demonstrate that the three RTs studied exhibited efficient extensions from 3'-terminal mispairs with a specificity of A.C greater than A.A greater than A.G. Nevertheless, the HIV RTs are qualitatively as well as quantitatively more error-prone than MLV RT. The mispair extension efficiency appears to be affected mainly by the increase of apparent Km values, rather than by the change in Vmax values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Functional analysis of novel selective mutants of the reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

We have generated by site-directed mutagenesis plasmids that induce the synthesis of specific mutants of the reverse transcriptase (RT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). These recombinant mutants of HIV-1 RT, designed on the basis of our previous studies of HIV-1 and HIV-2 RTs, were analyzed for structure-function relationship by assessing their RNA-dependent and DNA-dependent DNA polymerase as well as the ribonuclease H activities. Three groups of mutants were studied. 1) We have investigated the importance of the only two sets of highly conserved double prolines found in the sequence of HIV-1 RT. The results indicate that the conversion of either one or both prolines (at positions 225 and 226) to threonines have no significant effect on all catalytic activities of the enzyme. The mutants in which prolines 419 and 420 were individually modified to threonines exhibit full activities, whereas the double proline 419/420 mutant lost most of its RNase H activity (although the DNA polymerase function was fully retained). 2) We have deleted phenylalanine 346 from HIV-1 RT, which is absent in wild type HIV-2 RT. This mutant of HIV-1 RT lost practically all catalytic activities. 3) A mutant of HIV-1 RT in which a cysteine residue substituted for alanine 446, was found to be slightly hyperactive for both DNA polymerase and RNase H activities.

DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase↗

PubMed1992

Fidelity of the reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus type 2.

The relatively low fidelity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) was implicated as a major factor that contributes to the genetic variability of the virus. Extension of mismatched 3' termini of the primer DNA was shown to be a major determinant of the infidelity of HIV-1 RT. Human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) also shows extensive genetic variations. Therefore, we have analyzed the fidelity of the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity of HIV-2 RT and compared it with those of RTs of HIV-1 and murine leukemia virus (MLV). Like other retroviral RTs, the HIV-2 RT was shown to lack a 3'----5' exonuclease activity. The ability of HIV-2 RT to extend preformed 3'-terminal A:A, A:C and A:G mispairs was examined by quantitating the amount and length of extended primers. The results demonstrate a relatively efficient mispair extension by HIV-2 RT with a specificity of A:C much greater than A:A greater than A:G. The mispair extension appears to be affected mainly by the increase of apparent Km values rather than by the change in Vmax values. The relative extension frequencies from all mispairs with HIV-1 and HIV-2 RTs was 6- to 9-fold greater than that of MLV RT, suggesting that the HIV enzymes are substantially more error-prone than MLV RT.

Base Composition↗

PubMed1992

The effects of cysteine mutations on the catalytic activities of the reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus type-1.

The reverse transcriptase (RT) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has only 2 cysteine residues at positions 38 and 280. In order to investigate the role of these cysteines in the structure and function of the enzyme, we have previously modified each of the cysteines to serines employing site-directed mutagenesis. Two of the mutant forms of HIV-1 RT, the single mutant of cysteine 280 and a double mutant with both cysteines modified, were purified. In the present study we have compared the catalytic properties of the DNA-polymerizing and the ribonuclease H (RNase H) functions of the two mutant RTs to those of the native enzyme. The results indicate that the single mutant RT closely resembles the wild type enzyme in almost all the catalytic functions tested. The double cysteine mutant RT, on the other hand, exhibits several unique features. First, the specific activities of the RNA- and DNA-directed DNA synthesis are significantly lower than the corresponding activities of the other two enzymes. This probably results from the lower Vmax values exhibited by the double mutant RT, since the Km values calculated for all enzymes were similar. Second, the most outstanding differences are associated with the RNase H activity of the double mutant RT. The specific activity of RNase H is about 4-fold higher than the wild type and the single mutant RTs. Furthermore, the heat stability of the RNase H function of the double mutated RT is at least 15-fold higher than that of the other two RTs. The substantial resistance to heat denaturation is apparent only for the RNase H activity, since the DNA polymerizing function of the double mutant RT is as sensitive to heat denaturation as the other two proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

A possible role for cysteine residues in the fidelity of DNA synthesis exhibited by the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and type 2.

HIV reverse transcriptases (RTs) have few cysteine residues relative to other RTs and retain their DNA polymerization functions following chemical modification by thiol-specific reagents. The functional role of the cysteines in the fidelity of the DNA-dependent DNA synthesis of HIV RTs has been addressed by chemical modification of the wild-type enzymes in combination with the analysis of an enzymatically active mutant HIV-1 RT in which all cysteines were modified to serines. We have observed an increase in 3'-terminal mispair extension efficiency exhibited by chemically modified HIV-1 and HIV-2 RTs. The possible involvement of cysteine residues was further substantiated using the cysteine-free mutant HIV-1 RT that displays an increased efficiency of mispair extension. These results provide evidence for a possible role of cysteine residues in the fidelity of DNA synthesis catalyzed by HIV RTs.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1992

The catalytic functions of chimeric reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and type 2.

The reverse transcriptases (RTs) from human immunodeficiency viruses types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2, respectively) are relatively highly related yet there are several significant differences in their catalytic activities. In an attempt to relate these functional dissimilarities to the differences in amino acid sequences, we have employed a novel approach of constructing chimeric molecules composed of complementary amino acid sequences derived from the two HIV RTs. These recombinant proteins were analyzed for their enzymatic activities and for their sensitivity to tetrahydroimidazo[4,5,1-jk][1,4]benzodiazepin-2[1H]-one and thione (TIBO), which selectively inhibits only HIV-1 RT. The active chimeric RTs were used to map the TIBO binding site on the HIV-1 RT molecules and to localize the putative sequences responsible for the high RNase H activity of HIV-1 RT relative to that of HIV-2 RT. The results suggest that TIBO interacts with amino acid residues located around residue 200 within the DNA polymerase domain of HIV-1 RT which shows a relatively low similarity to HIV-2 RT. The difference in the RNase H activity maps to a position in the DNA polymerase domain rather than to the RNase H domain. Out of the 12 chimeric RTs generated, four were either fully active or hyperactive, three others lost most of their catalytic activities, and the rest were totally inactive. The pattern of catalytic activities of these hybrid proteins can be explained by a model for the initial folding of HIV RTs, which entails the formation of three distinct and independently folded regions. Each region can be formed by amino acid sequences derived exclusively from either HIV-1 RT or HIV-2 RT.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

The effects of cysteine mutations on the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2.

Chemical modification of HIV-1 and HIV-2 (human immunodeficiency virus, types 1 and 2) reverse transcriptases (RT) with three thiol reactive compounds selectively inhibits the RNase H function of the enzyme. HIV-1 RT has 2 cysteines (at positions 38 and 280); HIV-2 RT has 3 (38, 280, 445). Both of the cysteines in HIV-1 RT are in the polymerase domain. To investigate the role of the cysteines in the structure and function of the HIV RTs, we have converted each cysteine to serine and made combinations of the mutations. Since HIV-1 RT has alanine at position 445, we have also substituted alanine for serine at this position in HIV-2 RT. Neither of the single mutations in HIV-1 RT nor the double mutation mimics the effects of the chemical modification. The serine 280 mutation has little effect on either polymerase or RNase H; the serine 38 mutation affects both activities, as does the 38/280 double mutant. The 38 and 280 serine mutations in HIV-2 RT resemble the equivalent mutations in HIV-1 RT. Substitution of serine or alanine at position 445 (which lies in the RNase H domain) diminishes, but does not abolish, the RNase H activity of HIV-2 without affecting polymerase activity. The RNase H activity of a mutant HIV-1 RT with serine at position 280 is completely resistant to inactivation by the three thiol reactive compounds we tested, which demonstrates that cysteine 280 is the critical residue. We suggest that the reason the mutation (cysteine 280 to serine) does not mimic the chemical modification is because the chemical modification produces a greater change in the structure of the protein. We also suggest that position 280 lies at or near the important points of contact between the RNase H and polymerase domains, so that chemical modification of this position, which lies within the polymerase domain, distorts the RNase H domain.

Cysteine↗

PubMed1992

The carotenoid halocynthiaxanthin: a novel inhibitor of the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and type 2.

We have studied the effects of a natural carotenoid, identified as halocynthiaxanthin, on the enzymatic activities associated with the recombinant preparations of the reverse transcriptases (RTs) of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) types 1 and 2. The carotenoid was found to be a potent inhibitor of the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity (with 50% inhibition obtained at 5-7 microM halocynthiaxanthin), whereas the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase function of both RTs was significantly less sensitive to the inhibitor. Conversely, the ribonuclease H activity associated with the two HIV RTs was essentially insensitive to the carotenoid. The RNA-dependent DNA polymerase function of RT is the only unique activity found in this enzyme that is not expressed at significant levels in uninfected eukaryotic cells. Therefore, it is possible that this carotenoid may serve as a good candidate for the development of novel potent and specific inhibitors of HIV RT.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Inhibition of the reverse transcriptase activity and replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by AS 101 in vitro.

In a search for compounds active against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), it was found that the novel low-molecular weight immunoenhancer ammonium trichloro(dioxyethylene-O,O'-) tellurate (AS101) suppresses production of HIV-1 in vitro. Treatment of HIV-1-infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with increasing concentrations of AS101 resulted in substantial inhibition of virus production as measured by both reverse transcriptase (RT) activity and antigen presence in supernatants of treated cells. AS101 had no effect on PBMC viability, growth, or morphology up to a concentration of 15 microM for 14 days. To elucidate a possible mechanism for the inhibition of AS101, we have analyzed the effect of the drug on the catalytic functions associated with HIV RT, namely the RDDP, DDDP, and RNase H activities. RDDP and DDDP activities were impaired by the drug with calculated IC50 value of about 4 microM. On the other hand, the RNase H activity was less sensitive to AS101, with an apparent IC50 value of about 30 microM. The anti-HIV-1 activity of AS101 as reflected by inhibition of the different catalytic functions associated with viral RT, in the absence of drug-related toxicity to lymphocytes, together with its immunomodulating activity strongly argues in favor of its evaluation, as a therapeutic agent for patients with HIV infection.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1991

Catalytic properties of the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and type 2.

The enzyme reverse transcriptase (RT) is crucial in the early steps of the life cycle of retroviruses. We have expressed in bacteria the RTs from human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) types 1 and 2 in order to study the structural-functional relationships of these two multifunctional enzymes that share a relatively high degree of amino acid sequence homology. For comparison purposes, we have analyzed several catalytic functions of both enzymes. The two HIV RTs show a high similarity in many aspects studied but exhibit profound differences in several other properties. For instance, the specific RNase H activity of HIV-2 RT is about 10 times lower than the corresponding activity of HIV-1 RT. There are also significant dissimilarities between some of the apparent Km values calculated for the DNA polymerizing functions of both enzymes. Furthermore, the heat stability of the DNA polymerizing activity of HIV-2 RT is about 15-fold higher than that of HIV-1 RT. On the other hand, the susceptibility of the RNase H activities of the two enzymes to heat inactivation was found to be similar. Other treatments also enable discrimination between the RNase H and DNA polymerizing catalytic properties of the two enzymes (although both reverse transcriptases respond similarily). Thus, the RNase H activity was inactivated by N-ethylmaleimide, suggesting the possible involvement of cysteine residues in performing this activity, whereas the DNA polymerizing functions of the two enzymes were fully resistant to this chemical modification. The zinc chelator 1,10-phenanthroline affected the DNA polymerase activities of both enzymes to a significantly higher extent than the RNase H activity. In all, the two HIV RTs were shown to be substantially different one from the other in several of their properties and also distinct from other RTs thus far studied.

Catalysis↗

PubMed1991

Mutational analysis of the DNA polymerase and ribonuclease H activities of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 reverse transcriptase expressed in Escherichia coli.

We have constructed a plasmid that, when introduced into Escherichia coli, induces the synthesis of large quantities of a polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 68 kDa. The HIV-2 reverse transcriptase (RT) made in E. coli is soluble in bacterial extracts and possesses both RNA-dependent DNA polymerase and ribonuclease H (RNase H) activities typical of retroviral RTs. The HIV-2 RT expression clone was used to generate mutations in HIV-2 RT. There is a strong correlation between the effects of individual mutations on the DNA polymerase and RNase H activities. Mutations that profoundly affect the two catalytic functions are not clustered in any particular region of the polypeptide. Those few mutations that selectively affect either the RNase H or the DNA polymerase suggest that, like other retroviral RTs, the DNA polymerase is associated with the amino-terminal portion of HIV-2 RT and the RNase H with the carboxy-terminal portion. Genetically, the HIV-2 RT resembles the HIV-1 RT more closely than it resembles Moloney murine leukemia virus RT. The two catalytic functions of Moloney murine leukemia virus RT can be separately expressed in active form by molecular cloning; those of HIV-1 and HIV-2 RT cannot.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

The DNA-dependent and RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities of the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency viruses types 1 and 2.

We have constructed a series of plasmids which, when introduced into Escherichia coli, induce the overexpression of soluble wild-type and mutated forms of the reverse transcriptases (RTs) from human immunodeficiency viruses types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2, respectively). These proteins were analyzed previously for their RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (RDDP) and ribonuclease H (RNase H) activities. In the present study we assayed the different mutant RTs for their DNA-dependent DNA polymerase (DDDP) activity, employing an in situ polyacrylamide gel activity assay. The results indicate that both the RDDP and DDDP catalytic functions of HIV-1 RT mutants are affected similarly by mutations suggesting a high degree of overlap between the catalytic domains involved in both activities. Contrariwise, many of the HIV-2 RT mutants display no correlation between these two DNA polymerase activities, that is, the DDDP activity was not affected by the mutations introduced in the native enzyme in contrast to the RDDP activity. We were thus able to generate mutants of HIV-2 RT that unlike the wild-type RT, are capable of transcribing only DNA and not RNA. The disparity in mutational-catalytic relations between the two HIV-related RTs may reflect a possible difference in the structure and folding properties of the two proteins.

Catalysis↗

PubMed1990

The inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase by avarol and avarone derivatives.

We have analyzed the effects of several natural compounds related to avarols and avarones on the catalytic functions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT). The most potent substances, designated as avarone A,B and E and avarol F, inhibited indiscriminately the enzymatic activities of HIV-1 RT, namely the RNA-dependent and DNA-dependent DNA polymerase as well as the ribonuclease H. The inhibition of the DNA polymerase activity was found to be non-competitive with respect to either the template-primer or the deoxynucleotidetriphosphate. These studies suggest that the hydroxyl group at the ortho position to the carbonyl group at the quinone ring is involved in blocking the RT activity. The identification of the active site of the inhibitors will hopefully lead to the rational design of new potent anti-HIV drugs.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Immunologic and proteolytic analysis of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase structure.

HIV-1 virions contain two reverse transcriptase polypeptides that have apparent molecular weights of 66 and 51 kDa. The 51-kDa form lacks the carboxy-terminal sequences found in the 66-kDa form, and is believed to be a proteolytic digestion product. We have treated purified 66-kDa reverse transcriptase with viral and nonviral proteases. The digestion products were characterized by their ability to react with monoclonal antibodies known to recognize particular segments of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The approximate location of the segments recognized by the monoclonal antibodies was determined by testing the ability of the antibodies to recognize a series of amino- and carboxy-terminal-deleted forms of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The segments recognized are not uniformly distributed along the primary amino acid sequence of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. We suggest that these segments are probably on the surface of the properly folded form of reverse transcriptase. Of the tested proteases, only the viral protease was able to cleave the 66-kDa form to the 51-kDa form without producing additional cleavage products, suggesting that the viral protease cleaves the 66-kDa protein to the 51-kDa form in virions.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Mutational analysis of the ribonuclease H activity of human immunodeficiency virus 1 reverse transcriptase.

We have constructed a series of plasmids that, when introduced into Escherichia coli, induce the expression of high levels of either wild-type or mutated forms of the reverse transcriptase (RT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Mutant forms of RT that had been previously analyzed for their RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity were tested for RNase H activity using an in situ polyacrylamide gel assay. Mutations affecting the RNase H are not clustered in a single region of the 66-kDa RT molecule. With only few exceptions, mutations that affect the RNase H activity also cause a substantial decrease in the DNA polymerase function. This suggests that, unlike the RT from murine leukemia virus (MuLV), it is difficult to genetically separate the catalytic domains responsible for the RNase H and DNA polymerase functions of HIV-1 RT. Those few mutations that differentially affect the RNase H and the polymerase activities of HIV-1 RT suggest that, as in MuLV, the polymerase domain is in the amino-terminus and the RNase H domain is in the carboxy-terminus. We have also generated chimeric molecules that are composed of sequences from the RT of HIV-1 and MuLV and these hybrid RTs were analyzed for their enzymatic properties. Two of these chimeric RTs possess RNase H activity but lack detectable DNA polymerase activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase: structure predictions for the polymerase domain.

Reverse transcriptase (RT) plays an essential role in the life cycle of the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). A better understanding of this enzyme, and its two catalytic functions, the DNA polymerase and the RNase H, could lead to the development of new drugs that would specifically block HIV replication. The available genetic, sequence, biochemical, and immunological data on the reverse transcriptase of HIV-1 constrain the possible structure of the DNA polymerase domain. The purpose of this review is to correlate the data and to discuss, in light of that data, a model for the structure of the polymerase domain. In this model, the polymerase domain is approximately 50 to 60 A in diameter with a 20 A opening to accommodate the nucleic acid duplex. The most evolutionarily conserved region of RT (amino acids 20-190 of HIV-1 RT) is proposed to form the inner surface of the 20 A opening to which the nucleic acid hemiduplex is bound.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

HIV-1 reverse transcriptase purified from a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli.

A better understanding of the structure and biochemical properties of the replicative machinery of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) may be useful in the screening and design of drugs that could be used to treat AIDS. We have previously described a recombinant strain of Escherichia coli that produces HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT). Fermentation conditions for the large-scale growth of the bacterial strain and a protocol for the purification of an enzymatically active 66-Kd form of the RT have been developed. The purified RT has all of the appropriate enzymatic functions and properties. The recombinant protein can be substituted for the viral enzyme in structural and biochemical studies and used in screens for drugs that could inhibit HIV replication.

Biotechnology↗