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PubMed1987

Comparison of antigen assay and reverse transcriptase assay for detecting human immunodeficiency virus in culture.

We compared an antigen capture assay (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill.) with a reverse transcriptase assay to identify and quantify human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in culture. In direct comparisons of serial dilutions of lymphadenopathy-associated virus type 1, the antigen assay was 100-fold more sensitive than the reverse transcriptase assay in detecting the virus. The antigen assay reacted strongly with 60 different HIV isolates but did not cross-react with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type II, cytomegalovirus, varicella-zoster virus, herpes simplex virus type 1, Epstein-Barr virus, adenovirus type 5, or poliovirus type 1 or with extracts from four different control human cell lines and eight different phytohemagglutinin-stimulated normal human lymphocytes. Peripheral blood lymphocyte samples from 50 individuals were evaluated by both the antigen assay and the reverse transcriptase assay. The cells from the 34 seropositive individuals were all positive by the antigen assay (range, 3 to 9 days; average time, 5.9 days) and the reverse transcriptase assay (range, 7 to 16 days; average time, 9.6 days). Cells from the 16 seronegative individuals were negative by both assays. These results indicate that the antigen assay is an important addition to the monitoring of HIV production in the lymphocytes of infected patients.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2002

Sustained high proportion of zidovudine-resistant HIV variants despite prolonged substitution of zidovudine by other nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

The consequences of zidovudine (ZDV) replacement by other nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors on the expression of resistance mutations at codons 215 and 41 of the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene was investigated prospectively in 66 patients harboring mutant genotypes who were changed to an effective two- or three-drug combination antiretroviral regimen. Quantitation of mutant (MUT) viral populations at codon 215 by means of RT-PCR with differential hybridization of amplicons specific for MUT and wild (WT) variants revealed no difference in the proportion of 215 MUT variants prior to (93.5 +/- 2.4%) and 12 to 20 months after (96.9 +/- 1.9%) ZDV replacement, independently of a therapeutic change for stavudine. The fitness of the variants harboring the ZDV-resistant MUT 215 genotype following drug withdrawal was calculated to be 96 to 99% of that of the variants harboring the WT 215 genotype. The apparent stability of ZDV-resistant variants in the study population may have two main complementary explanations: persistent selective pressure secondary to partial cross-resistance due to the new regimens given after the therapeutic alteration and suppression of viral replication after the therapeutic alteration that could have hampered the replacement of less fit variants by fitter variants. These findings indicate that, at least within 15 months following discontinuation of ZDV, an effective antiretroviral therapy is insufficient to allow for ZDV-resistant strains to disappear, and thus to allow for the safe re-introduction of the drug.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1988

Two proteins with reverse transcriptase activities associated with hepatitis B virus-like particles.

Recent studies suggest that hepatitis B virus (HBV), despite being a DNA virus, replicates via an RNA intermediate (R. H. Miller, P. L. Marion, and S. W. Robinson, Virology 139:64-72, 1984; J. Summers and W. S. Mason, Cell 29:403-415, 1982). The HBV life cycle is therefore a permuted version of the RNA retroviral life cycle. Sequence homology between retroviral reverse transcriptase and the putative HBV polymerase gene product suggests the presence of an HBV reverse transcriptase (H. Toh, H. Hajashida, and T. Miyata, Nature (London) 305:827-829, 1983). As yet, there has been no direct evidence that reverse transcriptase activity is present in the viral particle. We used activity gel analysis to detect the in situ catalytic activities of DNA polymerases after sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Our studies demonstrated that HBV-like particles secreted by a differentiated human hepatoma cell line transfected with genomic HBV DNA contain two major polymerase activities which migrate as approximately 90- and approximately 70-kilodalton (kDa) proteins. This demonstrated, for the first time, that HBV-like particles contain a novel DNA polymerase-reverse transcriptase activity. Furthermore, we propose that the 70-kDa reverse transcriptase may be produced by proteolytic self-cleavage of the 90-kDa precursor protein.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2002

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate: a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV infection.

BACKGROUND: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DF) is the first nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor approved for use in combination with other antiretroviral agents in the treatment of HIV-1 infection in the United States. Unlike the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, which must undergo 3 intracellular phosphorylation steps for activation. nucleotide analogues such as tenofovir require only 2 such steps. This reduction in the phosphorylation requirement has the potential to produce more rapid and complete conversion of the drug to its pharmacologically active metabolite. OBJECTIVE: This article describes the pharmacologic properties and potential clinical usefulness of tenofovir DF. METHODS: Relevant information was identified through searches of MEDLINE (1996-April 2002), Iowa Drug Information Service (1996-April 2002), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970-April 2002), as well as from meeting abstracts of major HIV/AIDS conferences (1996-2002), using the search terms tenofovir tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, PMPA, bis(POC)PMPA, GS-4331-05, acyclic nucleoside phosphonate, and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Additional information was obtained from material submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration by the manufacturer of tenofovir DF in support of its New Drug Application. RESULTS: In vitro, tenofovir DF has exhibited anti-HIV activity in various HIV-infected cell lines and has produced a synergistic or additive effect against HIV when combined with other antiretroviral agents. In adult humans, tenofovir has a volume of distribution of 0.813 L/kg, is minimally bound to plasma protein (7.2%), has a plasma elimination half-life of 12.0 to 14.4 hours, and is mainly excreted unchanged in urine (70%-80%). Dose adjustment based on sex or body weight does not appear to be necessary, although dose reduction may be necessary in the elderly; there are currently no data on tenofovir DF in renal or hepatic insufficiency. The results of clinical trials suggest the efficacy of tenofovir DF in reducing plasma levels of HIV-1 RNA when used as an add-on to a stable antiretroviral regimen. The most commonly (>3%) reported adverse events in clinical trials have included nausea, diarrhea, asthenia, headache, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain, and anorexia. The most commonly (>2%) reported laboratory abnormalities (grade III or IV) included increases in creatine kinase, triglycerides, amylase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase, as well as hyperglycemia and glucosuria. Serious adverse events leading to discontinuation of tenofovir DF were infrequent (5%), occurring with an incidence similar to that with placebo (8%). The recommended dosage of tenofovir DF in adults is 300 mg/d PO; pharmacokinetic and efficacy studies in children are ongoing. CONCLUSION: Although additional studies are needed, tenofovir DF appears to be a promising agent for the treatment of HIV infection.

Adenine↗
PubMed1989

Comparison of inhibitory activities of various antiretroviral agents against particle-derived and recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptases.

Several known antiretroviral agents were tested for their ability to inhibit the activities of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase purified from virions or from a recombinant Escherichia coli strain. The recombinant reverse transcriptase, a polypeptide of 66 kilodaltons, showed inhibition profiles indistinguishable from those of the virion-derived enzyme with all tested compounds, except for suramin and two dextran sulfates. These were more inhibitory to the recombinant enzyme, presumably because the E. coli-derived enzyme was more highly purified. The relative ease with which large quantities of recombinant enzyme can be prepared should facilitate the large-scale screening and identification of new potential inhibitors of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1993

Early detection of de novo hepatitis C infection in patients after liver transplantation by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

BACKGROUND: Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) can detect the viral genome and show hepatitis C recurrence in patients who undergo transplantation for chronic hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. We investigated the utility of an RT-PCR-based HCV assay for early detection of viral RNA in de novo HCV infection after liver transplantation. METHODS: Pretransplantation antibodies and explanation HCV viral RNA status were obtained from 117 patients. Follow-up liver biopsy specimens were examined for evidence of hepatitis activity. Plasma samples during the period of time of the biopsy were assayed for HCV antibody and viral RNA. RNA was extracted from samples and reverse transcribed to cDNA. cDNA was amplified by PCR, and products were detected by liquid hybridization. RESULTS: Clinical hepatitis developed in seventeen of 117 patients who, before transplantation, were HCV antibody negative and explant viral RNA negative. Ten patients were plasma PCR negative and had known non-hepatitis C causes for the biopsy findings. Of the remaining seven patients, five (70%) were plasma RT-PCR positive before seroconversion in matched plasma samples. CONCLUSIONS: In liver transplant patients, the incidence of de novo clinical hepatitis is low, and HCV viral RNA in de novo clinical hepatitis C infection can be detected in the absence of HCV antibodies.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2002

Combinations against combinations: associations of anti-HIV 1 reverse transcriptase drugs challenged by constellations of drug resistance mutations.

The reverse transcriptase inhibitors still represent the majority of the clinically used anti-HIV drugs and constitute the main backbone of currently employed combinatorial regimens. A major obstacle to successfull chemotherapic eradication of HIV is the emergence of viral strains resistant to the drugs in use. Counteracting the emergence of resistance necessitates alternating the panel of agents employed. In order to rationally design alternative drug combinations, physicians not only must know the genotype of the emerging viral strains, but should also be able to correlate it with its resistant phenotype. However, resistant viral strains usually carry multiple mutations, whose reciprocal influences on the overall level of resistance are largely unknown. Moreover, the choice of agents to be combined must take in account drug-drug interactions and adverse metabolic effects. This review will outline the main pharmacological and clinical features of the currently utilised anti-reverse transcriptase drugs, as well as the correspondent resistance profiles selected during therapy. A major focus will be on the reciprocal influence of drug associations on their own metabolism as well as on the interacting effects of the selected combinations of drug resistance mutations.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The newly synthetized pyridobenzoxazocynone inhibits HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity.

We synthetized pyridobenzoxazocynone that differs in the enlarged eight-membered heterocyclic system from the basic structure of pyridobenzoxazepinones a known class of non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Pyridobenzoxazocynone hydrochloride was found to inhibit HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity. At concentration 0.35 microM the enzyme activity decreased by 64 +/- 14%. Higher concentrations of pyridobenzoxazocynone hydrochloride completely abolished the enzyme activity expressed as radioactivity of acid insoluble products. These results suggest that pyridobenzoxazocynones may represent a new class of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Gene Products, pol↗
PubMed1993

HIV-1-specific RT inhibitors: highly selective inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 that are specifically targeted at the viral reverse transcriptase.

The TIBO, HEPT, nevirapine, pyridinone, BHAP, TSAO, and alpha-APA derivatives, although belonging to structurally diverging classes of molecules, share remarkable common features. They are specifically active against the reverse transcriptase of HIV-1 (TIBO and HEPT also, to a certain extent, against the reverse transcriptase of SIVagm strains), but not against the reverse transcriptases of HIV-2 or any other retroviruses. Nor are they active against any of the cellular DNA polymerases. These HIV-1-specific RT inhibitors seem to interact with a specific target site (YQYMDDLY) at positions 181-188, which is distinct from, but functionally and spatially related to, the substrate (dNTP) binding site. The tyrosine residues Y181 and Y188 play a crucial role in the interaction of TIBO and its congeners with their target site. The HIV-1-specific RT inhibitors have proven to inhibit the replication of various HIV-1 strains, including AZT-resistant HIV-1 strains, in different cell culture systems, including peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocyte/macrophages. In vitro they exhibit selectivity indexes of up to 5 orders of magnitude, which means that they are inhibitory to virus replication in cell culture at concentrations that are up to 100,000 times lower than the concentrations at which they are toxic to the host cells. As a rule, the HIV-1-specific RT inhibitors are orally bioavailable, as has been demonstrated with the TIBO and HEPT derivatives, nevirapine, pyridinones, and the alpha-APA derivatives in rats, dogs, monkeys, and humans. They sustain plasma drug levels that are well above the concentration required to inhibit virus replication in cell culture. Clinical studies have been undertaken with TIBO R82913, nevirapine, and pyridinones, and others (i.e., alpha-APA R89439) will soon follow. The problem of virus-drug resistance, which seems to readily emerge in vitro, will have to be addressed in the in vivo studies.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗
PubMed1978

Inhibition by RNA of RNase H activity associated with reverse transcriptase in Rauscher murine leukemia virus cores.

We reported earlier that core preparations of Rauscher murine leukemia virus, when separated on an isopycnic sucrose gradient, did not contain detectable levels of RNase H activity, while retaining high levels of reverse transcriptase activity. We reexamined this phenomenon, and the earlier observation was found to be reproducible. However, when doubly banded preparations of viral cores were solubilized and reverse transcriptase was isolated by ion-exchange chromatography, a coincident peak of a nuclease activity with the specificity of RNase H was observed, which indicated that RNase H was selectively inhibited in the core fractions. By direct activity measurements using the purified reverse transcriptase-RNase H from cores, this endogenous inhibitor has been identified as the viral RNA. Viral 70S RNA strongly inhibited RNase H activity purified either from whole virions or from prefractionated cores. Other RNAs tested that had inhibitory effects were yeast tRNA, polyadenylic acid, and polyguanylic acid. Polyuridylic acid and polyadenylic acid were moderately inhibitory, and polycytidylic acid did not inhibit the RNase H. A rabbit anti-reverse transcriptase immunoglobulin G inhibited both the reverse transcriptase and RNase H activities of the enzyme purified from cores. These data provide a rational explanation for the failure to detect RNase H activity in core preparations of Rauscher murine leukemia virus. Furthermore, these data are consistent with the idea that the RNase H and reverse transcriptase activities purified from cores reside on the same protein molecule. Possible biological implications of the observed inhibition of RNase H by RNA is discussed.

RNA↗
PubMed2005

High virological failure rate in HIV patients after switching to a regimen with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors plus tenofovir.

BACKGROUND: Regimens with two nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) plus tenofovir DF have been associated with a high failure rate when administered as first line therapy. Little is known about patients with undetectable viral loads who are switched to these regimens. METHODS: A post-hoc review of the virological outcomes at 24 weeks of patients who switched from a successful (< 50 copies/ml) highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen to a tenofovir plus two NRTI combination. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients started a two NRTI plus tenofovir regimen mostly because of previous toxicity/intolerance of the original drugs (74%). After 24 weeks, only 17 patients (31%) remained virologically suppressed. Patients with a regimen including a didanosine plus tenofovir-based regimen had significantly poorer outcomes than those on other combinations (success rate 5 versus 47.1%, P = 0.001). In contrast, patients on a regimen including zidovudine plus tenofovir showed a trend towards a better outcome (75 versus 27%, P = 0.083). Multivariate analysis confirmed the combination of didanosine plus tenofovir as the only variable associated with a higher rate of failure (odds ratio 17.7; 95% confidence interval 2.1-147; P = 0.007). Patients with previous reverse transcriptase mutations presented virological failure in all cases. At failure a new pattern, including the K65R mutation with M184V or thymidine analogue mutations, was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Even in patients with suppressed viraemia, a two NRTI plus tenofovir regimen is associated with a high virological failure rate, but significant variations are found depending on the nucleosides included.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1999

Mechanistic studies comparing the incorporation of (+) and (-) isomers of 3TCTP by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Among the nucleoside inhibitors used clinically as anti-HIV drugs which target HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), (-)-2', 3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine [(-)SddC or 3TC] is the only analogue with the unnatural L(-) nucleoside configuration. 3TC has been shown to be more potent and less toxic than the D(+) isomer, (+)SddC, which has the natural nucleoside configuration. The mechanistic basis for the stereochemical selectivity and differential toxicity of the isomeric SddC compounds is not completely understood although a number of factors may clearly come into play including differences in uptake, metabolic activation, degradation, and transport. We used a pre-steady-state kinetic analysis to determine the maximum rate of incorporation, kpol, nucleotide-binding affinity, Kd, and efficiency of incorporation, kpol/Kd, for the (-) and (+) isomeric SddCTP compounds as well as the corresponding dideoxy and natural nucleoside triphosphates into a primer-template complex using HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. The affinity (Kd) of the dNTP was much tighter and the efficiency (kpol/Kd) of incorporation by enzyme into the primer-template complex was much higher for the DNA/RNA primer-template compared to DNA/DNA. The maximum rate of incorporation, kpol, followed the trend of dCTP > ddCTP > (+)SddCTP > (-)SddCTP while the Kd values determined for the DNA/RNA primer-template followed the order (-)SddCTP congruent with (+)SddCTP congruent with ddCTP > dCTP. The corresponding efficiency of incorporation followed the trend dCTP > ddCTP > (+)SddCTP > (-)SddCTP. These data suggest that perturbations on the ribose ring of cytidine analogues (C --> S) decrease the rate and efficiency of incorporation but enhance the binding affinity. These results are discussed in the context of a computer modeled structure of the ternary complexes of RT, DNA/RNA primer-template, and SddCTP analogues as well as implications for structure-activity relationships and further drug design. This information provides a mechanistic basis for understanding the inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase by 3TC.

Anti-HIV Agents↗
PubMed1997

Pre-steady-state kinetic characterization of wild type and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase: implication of RNA directed DNA polymerization in the mechanism of AZT resistance.

There is lack of a correlation between biochemical studies and the observed clinical resistance of AIDS patients on long term AZT therapy. Mutant HIV-1 reverse transcriptase in the viral isolates from these patients shows a 100-fold decrease in sensitivity whereas little or no difference is observed in kinetic parameters in vitro using steady-state kinetic analysis. A detailed pre-steady-state kinetic analysis of wild type and the clinically important AZT resistant mutant (D67N, K70R, T215Y, K219Q) HIV-1 reverse transcriptase was conducted to understand the mechanistic basis of drug resistance. In contrast to steady-state techniques, a pre-steady-state kinetic analysis allows for the direct observation of catalytic events occurring at the active site of the enzyme, including subtle conformational changes enabling a greater degree of mechanistic detail. In this investigation the rate of incorporation of dTMP and AZTMP by wild type and mutant HIV-1 RT was determined using an RNA and the corresponding DNA template. The present study has shown a 1.5-fold decrease in the rate constant for polymerization (kpol) and a 2.5-fold decrease in the equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) for AZTTP for the mutant reverse transcriptase as compared to the wild type, for RNA dependent DNA replication. These values translate into a 4-fold decrease in selectivity (kpol/Kd) for AZTMP incorporation by mutant reverse transcriptase as compared to wild type for RNA dependent DNA replication. No such decrease in selectivity was detected for DNA dependent replication. These results suggest that the basis of AZT resistance is related to RNA dependent replication rather than DNA dependent replication.

Anti-HIV Agents↗
PubMed2002

Characterization of a binding site for template competitive inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase using photolabeling derivatives.

Analogues of a novel class of template-competitive reverse transcriptase inhibitors (Li, K.; Lin, W.; Chong, K. H.; Moore, B. M.; Doughty, M. B. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2002, 10, 507) were analyzed as photoprobes of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) heterodimer. The two photoprobes, 2-(4-azidophenacyl)thio-1,N(6)-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate 2 and the tetrafluoro analogue 2-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenacyl)thio-1,N(6)-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate 3, photodecomposed at 3500 A with half-lives of 4.0 and 2.5 min, respectively. Analysis of the photoproducts of 2m demonstrated that the etheno group is stable but the azido decomposes primarily to the 2-(S-[3H-diazepinon-4-yl]thio)-1,N(6)-etheno-dAMP. Photolysis of both 2 and 3 with RT resulted in a time-dependent loss of activity, with maximum inactivation of 83 and 60%, respectively. Both 2 and 3 showed concentration-dependent photoinactivation of RT in the concentration range from 0 to 100 microM, with EC(50)s of 20 and 25 microM and maximum inactivation of 80 and 60%, respectively. Both the time and concentration dependent photoinactivation were strongly protected by template-primer, but only poorly inhibited by even high concentrations of TTP. Radiolabeled analogues [beta,gamma-(32)P]-2 and [beta,gamma-(32)P]-3 photoincorporated into the p66 subunit, an incorporation also protected by template primer. Identification of the site of incorporation was problematic for both photoprobes, but evidence presented is consistent with labeling sites for the phenacyl side chains of both 2 and 3 in the template grip. Nevertheless, the photoinactivation and incorporation data are consistent with our earlier conclusions from the kinetic data that these inhibitors are specific for the free form of RT in competition with template/primer, and thus represent a novel class of inhibitors.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2004

Antigenicity and immunogenicity of peptide analogues of a low affinity peptide of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase tumor antigen.

Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) is a potential target for therapeutic vaccination against cancer. Therefore, it is critically important to identify T cell epitopes useful to induce cytotoxic T cell responses. Here we used a positional scanning combinatorial peptide library to identify peptide analogues for a previously characterized low affinity hTRT peptide (p572). From an initial library containing over 300 billion different peptides and through successive rounds of selection, we retained 72 candidate peptide analogues for further assessment of antigenicity and in vivo immunogenicity in HLA A2.1-transgenic mice. While antigenically cross-reactive with p572, only a fraction of these peptides was immunogenic in mice. Immunogenicity appeared to correlate with the stability of binding to the MHC molecule and the presence of HLA A2.1 anchor residues in position 2 and 9. Two peptides differing by five residues from the reference p572 (p49 and p50) were more effective than p572 in inducing CTL cross-reacting with p572 in HLA A2.1-transgenic mice. Both peptides also expanded specific CTL in peripheral blood lymphocytes of normal human volunteers ex vivo. The present study shows that positional scanning combinatorial peptide libraries can be used to identify hTRT peptide analogues for inclusion in a cancer vaccine.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

How do viral reverse transcriptases recognize their RNA genome?

Reverse transcription is not solely a retroviral mechanism. Hepadnaviruses and caulimoviruses have RNA intermediates that are reverse transcribed into DNA. Moreover non-viral retroelements, retrotransposons, use reverse transcription in their transposition. All these retroelements encode reverse transcriptase but each group developed their own expression modes capable of assuring a specific and efficient replication of their genomes.

Capsid↗
PubMed1997

Elimination of background signals in a modified polymerase chain reaction-based reverse transcriptase assay.

Three highly sensitive reverse transcriptase (RT) assays were recently published that are at least one million times more sensitive than conventional RT assays. These assays derive their high sensitivities through the ability to amplify the complementary DNA (cDNA) product of the RT reaction by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We describe a modified PCR-based RT (PBRT) assay that retains the high sensitivities of the original assays while reducing their inherent background signals. The background signal of the PBRT assay was found to be due to an intrinsic RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity of the Taq DNA polymerase, the enzyme used for the PCR. It could be eliminated by inserting a ribonuclease digestion step prior to amplifying the cDNA product of the RT reaction by PCR and by using a thermostable DNA polymerase identified as having reduced RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity. Comparable results were obtained using three RNA templates with two purified RT enzymes. This modified assay is capable of detecting reliably between 10 and 100 molecules of RT, which is equivalent to between 1 and 10 retrovirus particles.

DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase↗
PubMed1990

Two independent retrons with highly diverse reverse transcriptases in Myxococcus xanthus.

A reverse transcriptase (RT) was recently found in Myxococcus xanthus, a Gram-negative soil bacterium. This RT has been shown to be associated with a chromosomal region designated a retron responsible for the synthesis of a peculiar extrachromosomal DNA called msDNA (multicopy single-stranded DNA). We demonstrate that M. xanthus contains two independent, unlinked retrons, one for the synthesis of msDNA-Mx162 and the other for msDNA-Mx65. The structural analysis of the retron for msDNA-Mx65 revealed that the coding regions for msdRNA (msr) and msDNA (msd), and an open reading frame (ORF) downstream of msr are arranged in the same manner as found for the Mx162 retron. The ORF encodes a polypeptide of 427 amino acid residues. The amino-terminal domain (residues 1-138) shows no striking similarity to these proteins presently available in the data bases including the msDNA-Mx162 ORF, while the sequence from residues 139-394 can be aligned with various known RT sequences and has 47% identity with the RT domain of the msDNA-Mx162 ORF. On the basis of these findings, possible origins of two highly diverse retrons on the M. xanthus chromosome are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗