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Hypothetical anatomical model to describe the aberrant gag reflex observed in a clinical population of orally deprived children.

In this 'clinical conundrum', we propose a hypothetical anatomical model to explain the abnormal gag reflex that is consistently observed in a clinical population of children experiencing feeding delays. This model is based on the presence of 'transient' connections formed during the normal development of autonomic brainstem circuitry involving the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). We propose that, as a result of normal feeding and swallowing, the activity of these transient fibers typically diminishes shortly after birth. In children who are orally deprived during infancy, these transient connections persist and the aberrant gag reflex is maintained into childhood. The most critical feature of the proposed model is the idea that swallowing during feeding initiates the retraction of the tactile 'transient' input to NTS. In the NICU feeding clinics, it has been suggested that triggering the gag reflex in neonates by tactile stimulation of non-oral body areas and anterior portions of the mouth directly or indirectly may contribute to oral feeding delays. To the contrary, we propose an anatomical model to suggest that oral feeding delays and lack of swallowing food, when experienced by neonates, actually contribute to the development of the aberrant gag reflex observed in later developmental stages.

Deglutition↗

Effects of mutations in an HIV-1 gag gene containing a 107-codon tandem repeat in the matrix region on assembly and processing of the protein product.

It has been demonstrated previously that a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 Gag mutant (MA2) with a tandem repeat of 107-matrix codons in the matrix domain could direct virus particle assembly and budding [Wang et al. (2000c): J Med Virol 61:423-432]. Since the regions involved functionally in HIV Gag assembly and transport have been mapped to the matrix domain, it was interesting to test the effects of the duplicated matrix-coding sequence on Gag assembly, transport, and virus processing of some assembly-defective HIV matrix mutants. In this study, a number of HIV matrix mutations were introduced into either the proximal or distal copy of the duplicated matrix-coding sequence. Assembly, release, processing, and subcellular localization of the Gag mutants were analyzed by transient expression in 293T cells. The result indicates that the budding defect of HIV matrix mutants could be moderately or significantly reversed when the additional 107-matrix codons were present; however, these matrix double mutations affected significantly the virus particle processing. Mislocalized matrix mutants could also be redistributed to a certain degree in the presence of the duplicated matrix copy. Although the subcellular distribution patterns of the matrix mutants did not correlate completely with the budding efficiency, the data suggest that the budding defect caused by the matrix mutations could be masked to some extent by the duplicated matrix coding sequence.

Cell Culture Techniques↗

The major HIV-1 packaging signal is an extended bulged stem loop whose structure is altered on interaction with the Gag polyprotein.

The major packaging signal of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA has been localised to the region 3' to the major splice donor within the leader sequence. Secondary structural studies for this region of the HIV-1 genome have shown the existence of a stem-loop structure capped by a purine-rich tetraloop. Extensive mapping data presented here lead to the complete characterisation of the structure of the stem-loop, including a new purine-rich internal loop in the lower part of the structure and the previously established GGAG tetraloop at its tip. Biochemical analysis reveals that both internal loop and tetraloop are primary sites for interaction with Gag polyprotein, and that binding of Gag protein leads to a conformational change which alters the RNA structure. NMR spectroscopy has been used to determine the three-dimensional structure of this complete stem-loop structure. The structural analysis reveals a significant difference between the apical part of the stem-loop structure, which adopts a well-defined conformation, and the purine-rich internal loop, which is instead very flexible. In contrast to what is generally observed for internal loop structures in RNA, this region of the encapsidation signal adopts a structure lacking stable interstrand interactions capable of stabilising a unique conformation. We suggest that the stem-loop structure represents a nucleation site for Gag protein binding, and that the protein exploits the flexibility of the internal loop to initiate the unwinding of the structure with successive addition of Gag molecules interacting with the RNA and each other through conserved I (interaction) domains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Fullerene-like organization of HIV gag-protein shell in virus-like particles produced by recombinant baculovirus.

Virus-like particles produced by a recombinant baculovirus containing the HIV gag gene were examined by negative staining after delipidization. This technique demonstrated that the gag-protein shell consisted of radially arranged short rods which formed a network of ring-like structures. Similar structures were observed at the plasma membrane of infected cells which had been opened by wet-cleaving. Occasionally five or six subunits were observed forming a ring. These findings suggest that the gag-encoded precursor (pr55) is a rod-like molecule about 34 A in diameter and 85 A in length. A protein cylinder of such dimensions would have a molecular weight of 56K. The center-to-center distance of two neighboring rings formed by the rods was 66 +/- 8 A (N = 200) by direct measurements and 65 A as obtained from averaged images. This morphology and these dimensions indicate that the virus-like particles contain the gag precursor in the form of a near-spherical "fullerene-like" icosahedral shell. Our data indicate that the triangulation number of the rings equals 63. However, since one rod of pr55 is shared by two rings, the number of copies of the precursor will be 1890 as opposed to 2522 if the molecules were closely packed. The particle diameter of 102 nm deduced from the proposed model was close to the diameter obtained from thin sections of low-temperature-embedded specimens (103-108 nm).

Animals↗

The protein p30, encoded at the gag-pro junction of mouse mammary tumor virus, is a dUTPase fused with a nucleocapsid protein.

A ribosomal frameshift at the gag-pro junction of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) gives rise to the protein p30. The protein consists of two domains, the zinc-finger-containing nucleocapsid (NC) protein portion with 95 residues and a C-terminal extension comprising 154 residues. The C-terminal domain shows similarity in sequence with the enzyme dUTPase from other sources. In this paper, we demonstrate that p30 is a functional dUTPase. Overproduction of the NC protein in Escherichia coli, using the native frameshift sequence at the gag stop codon, caused a detectable expression of dUTPase ascribed to a low frequency of readthrough. By a 1-base insertion, eliminating the gag stop codon and fusing the gag and pro reading frames, a plasmid, pET-3d-NCDU, directing overexpression of p30, was constructed. The overproduced protein, purified by phosphocellulose chromatography, shows both zinc-binding and dUTPase activity. Analytical gel filtration and sequence homology to other dUTPases suggest a trimeric assembly of p30 subunits. MMTV thus possesses two different forms of the nucleocapsid protein, the ordinary NC protein and the p30, having the NC protein connected to a domain of dUTPase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Avian sarcoma leukemia virus protease linked to the adjacent Gag polyprotein is enzymatically active.

The activity of avian sarcoma leukemia virus (ASLV) protease (PR) prior to its release from the precursor protein was determined by introducing mutations at the cleavage site between PR and the adjacent upstream nucleocapsid (NC) protein. Gag DNA fragments containing these mutations were cloned into expression vectors and introduced into Escherichia coli in which the ASLV proteins were expressed. The dipeptide NC-PR containing these mutations did not undergo autoprocessing when expressed in bacterial cells and the fused proteins were devoid of enzymatic activity. However, when the whole Gag polyprotein containing these mutations was expressed in bacterial cells, other PR cleavage sites in the viral Gag polyprotein underwent normal cleavage, indicating that the release of free PR is not a prerequisite for correct processing of the ASLV Gag precursor.

Animals↗

Inhibition of wild-type HIV-1 virus production by a matrix deficient Gag mutant.

Previous studies have shown that certain HIV-1 Gag mutants can interfere with the production of infectious HIV-1 when coexpressed with wild-type virus. In this paper, we studied two mutants of HIV-1 for their ability to interfere with the production of wild-type virus. Both mutants lack the entire matrix domain of gag and either lack [myr(-)MA(-)] or contain [myr(+)MA(-)] an amino-terminal myristate (myr) addition sequence at the beginning of the capsid domain. Previously we have demonstrated that expression of both mutant constructs leads to assembly and release of mutant viruses, although only myr(+)MA(-) particles are released efficiently. Particles produced by both matrix-deficient mutants are noninfectious and poorly incorporate and/or retain viral envelope glycoproteins. In this study, we further show that expression of myr(+)MA(-), but not myr(-)MA(-) interferes with wild-type HIV-1 virus production in transient expression assays. Our data suggest that wild-type and myristylated MA(-) Gag protein interacts at some point during assembly and that Gag myristylation has a greater effect on the assembly pathway than the matrix domain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Poliovirus replicons that express the gag or the envelope surface protein of simian immunodeficiency virus SIV(smm) PBj14.

Poliovirus genomes encoding the complete gag or env surface gene of the simian immunodeficiency virus SIV(smm) PBj14 (SIV-PBj14) were constructed. The in vitro-transcribed RNA from these genomes, referred to as replicons, have the capacity for self-replication when transfected into tissue culture cells. Serial passage of the replicons containing the SIV-PBj14 gag or SIV-PBj14 env (SU) genes with a recombinant vaccinia virus, VV-P1, which provides P1 in trans, resulted in the encapsidation of these replicons. Infection of cells with the encapsidated replicons that encode gag, referred to as vIC-SIV-PBj14 Gag, resulted in the production of a 55-kDa protein that was released from the infected cells. Using a sucrose density-gradient analysis, the protein was found to sediment at a density consistent with that of a virus-like particle. Infection of cells with a replicon that encodes the env SU gene, referred to as vIC-SIV-PBj14 SU, resulted in the production of two SIV-PBj14 envelope-related intracellular proteins. One of these proteins had a molecular mass consistent with that of the unglycosylated SIV-PBj14 SU protein (63 kDa); the second protein had a higher molecular mass (>160 kDa). Characterization of this larger protein revealed that it was glycosylated and possibly represented a dimer of the SU protein. A pulse-chase analysis of cells infected with vIC-SIV-PBj14 SU demonstrated that a 110- to 130-kDa protein was released, which is consistent with the molecular mass of the SIV-PBj14 SU protein. The results of these studies demonstrate that poliovirus replicons can be used to express foreign proteins, including glycoproteins, which retain many of the physical features of the native protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by cyclosporine A or related compounds correlates with the ability to disrupt the Gag-cyclophilin A interaction.

The HIV-1 Gag polyprotein specifically incorporates the cellular peptidylprolyl isomerase cyclophilin A into virions. HIV-1 replication is inhibited by cyclosporine A, an immunosuppressive drug which binds with high affinity to cyclophilin A and precludes interaction with the Gag polyprotein. Using a panel of four drugs, including cyclosporine A, two nonimmunosuppressive analogues of cyclosporine A which bind to cyclophilin A but which cannot form a tertiary complex with the calcium-dependent phosphatase calcineurin, and the structurally unrelated immunosuppressant FK506, we demonstrated that the antiviral effect of cyclosporine A is not due to blockade of calcineurin-mediated signal transduction pathways. Rather, the effectiveness of cyclosporine A and related compounds at inhibiting HIV-1 replication correlates with cyclophilin A-binding affinity and with the ability to disrupt the interaction between cyclophilin A and the HIV-1 Gag polyprotein. These results support the contention that the Gag-cyclophilin A interaction is required for HIV-1 replication.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗

The role of v-Fgr myristoylation and the Gag domain in membrane binding and cellular transformation.

The v-fgr oncogene encodes a chimeric oncoprotein composed of feline sarcoma virus (FeSV)-derived gag and cellular-derived actin and c-Fgr sequences. v-Fgr is myristoylated and membrane bound, two criteria which must be met for src kinases to induce cellular transformation. Although inhibition of myristoylation resulted in a decreased ability of v-Fgr to sediment with membranes from an NIH-3T3 P100 fraction, deletion of the gag domain caused nearly all of the protein to remain unbound and cytosolic. Systematic deletions within gag indicate that while amino acids 3 through 9 are critical determinants of myristoylation and/or define a domain which directs membrane localization, these residues cooperate with additional gag sequences when anchoring the protein to the plasma membrane. Furthermore, nonmyristoylated and/or cytoplasmic variants of v-Fgr failed to induce anchorage-independent growth of NIH-3T3 cells, indicating that proper subcellular localization of v-Fgr is a key factor in its ability to induce transformation.

3T3 Cells↗

Assembly and release of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Gag proteins containing tandem repeats of the matrix protein coding sequences in the matrix domain.

We have constructed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gag mutants by increasing the matrix protein (MA) sequences via tandemly repeated duplication of the central 107-MA codons. Instead of a total of 132 amino acid residues for the wild-type MA, the resultant mutants designated as MA2, MA3, and MA4 contained a total of 242, 352, and 462 codons in the MA domains, respectively. Analysis indicated that the addition of 110 or 220 amino acid residues to the MA did not significantly affect the assembly, release, and processing of particles; however, particle production was markedly reduced when another copy of 110 residues was added to the MA. Subcellular fractionation analysis suggested that the MA tandem repeat mutations enhanced the Gag membrane affinity, in a manner which correlated with the copy number of MA sequences. The effects of enhanced membrane affinity were substantially reduced when sequences downstream of the capsid (CA) domain were deleted. Sucrose density gradient fractionation analysis showed that particles produced by the large insertion mutants possessed wild-type (wt) HIV particle density. Truncation of sequences downstream of the nucleocapsid (NC) domains of the mutants did not influence the budding of particles. In contrast, particle budding was severely impaired when sequences downstream of the CA domain were truncated. Particle densities for the large Gag proteins, which were truncated at the C-terminus of CA, were about 1.12-1.14 g/ml lower than that for wt. Our results suggest that the HIV MA domain could adopt insertions of large protein sequences, and strongly support the proposal that the NC and p2 domains play a crucial role in the process of correct Gag protein packing.

Cell Line↗

Association of Vpu-binding protein with microtubules and Vpu-dependent redistribution of HIV-1 Gag protein.

The efficient exit of HIV-1 particles from cells requires the action of the viral encoded protein Vpu. Vpu-binding protein (Ubp) is a cellular protein that interacts with both Vpu and the major structural component of the viral capsid (Gag) and appears to affect the efficiency of particle exit. Elucidation of the function of Ubp and characterization of the spatial distribution of Ubp may provide information pertinent to understanding the role of Ubp in virus replication. To investigate the subcellular location of Ubp, and to see whether Vpu affects the intracellular distribution of Gag, we carried out immunofluorescence localization in conjunction with confocal microscopy. Based on this analysis Ubp is present in both the nucleus and the cytoplasm. In the cytoplasm, Ubp appeared to be associated with microtubules as evidenced by cofluorescence with tubulin in the absence and in the presence of colchicine. However, cytoskeletal isolation and detergent extraction of cells resulted in association of Ubp with the soluble fractions, indicating that Ubp is not in tight association with microtubules. Moreover, flotation gradient analysis demonstrated that Ubp is cytoplasmic and not stably associated with the plasma membrane. Interestingly, expression of Vpu in cells resulted in redistribution of both Ubp and Gag to a location near the periphery of the cell. The effect of Vpu on both Ubp and Gag protein has implications for Vpu-mediated particle exit from cells.

Carrier Proteins↗

Identification of a minimal HIV-1 gag domain sufficient for self-association.

Gag polyprotein precursors play an essential role in the assembly of the HIV particle by polymerizing into a spherical shell at the plasma membrane. In order to define the domains within Gag responsible for this homotypic interaction, we have coupled the technology of the yeast two-hybrid system with the technology of a gene-based, semirandom library. By this method, we have identified a minimal region of Gag capable of efficient self-interaction. This region consists of the N-terminal portion of the nucleocapsid protein (NC), including the first zinc finger and the previously described interaction, or I, domain. In parallel with this randomized approach, individual HIV Gag domains, and combinations of these domains, were tested for potential homotypic and heterotypic interactions in the yeast two-hybrid system. Consistent with the results from the semirandom library screen, only combinations of species containing NC were strongly interacting.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Frequent lack of antibodies against human T-cell leukemia virus type I gag proteins p24 or p19 in sera of patients with adult T-cell leukemia.

Specificities of antibodies against human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) in sera of 27 patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) were studied. All sera were positive for HTLV-I antigens by immunofluorescence assay using cells expressing HTLV-I antigens; sera from five ATL patients, however, did not react or hardly reacted with p19 or p24 gag proteins of HTLV-I upon immunoprecipitation assay. Therefore, the relationships among antibody specificities against HTLV-I, the proviral structures of HTLV-I genomes in leukemic cells, and the expression of viral antigens by leukemic cells after cultivation in vitro for a few days were examined. Analyses of the genomic structures of the proviruses revealed deletions in at least seven cases. However, we could not detect deletions in the proviral genomes of four out of the five ATL patients who lacked antibodies against gag proteins. Furthermore, expression of p19 and p24 was detected in these patients' peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) cultured in vitro for a few days. Thus, some ATL patients could not or could hardly raise antibodies against gag proteins, although they harbored complete HTLV-I genomes and their PBL expressed gag proteins in vitro. All patients harboring deleted proviruses, so far tested, raised antibodies not only against viral proteins that should be encoded by the integrated proviruses, but also against viral proteins that should be encoded by the deleted regions. Antibodies against viral proteins were detected also in sera of ATL patients whose PBL did not express viral proteins after in vitro cultivation. Specificities of antibodies against viral proteins in ATL patients could not be predicted by the structures of proviruses in leukemic cells or by expression of viral proteins in vitro. Immune responses to HTLV-I antigens were weak or lost in some ATL patients.

Gene Products, gag↗

Expression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag gene using genetically engineered herpes simplex virus type 1 recombinants.

Infectious herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) recombinants were constructed by inserting the cDNA sequence of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gag gene (from nucleotide position 675 [SacI] to 3859 [Asp718] of the cDNA sequences of HIV-1 strain BH-10) within the DNA sequences of the BamHI DNA fragment B of the genome of an apathogenic HSV-1 strain HFEM. This HSV-1 strain possesses a 4.1-kbp deletion within the BamHI DNA fragment B between 0.762 and 0.789 map units of the viral genome, which allows the insertion of at least 4 kbp of foreign genetic material into this particular region. The DNA sequences of the immediate early promoter (IE4) of HSV-1 that were inserted upstream from the gag gene were used as a promoter. The screening of 205 virus stocks derived from individual plaques revealed that 46 recombinant viruses harbor HIV-1 gag-specific DNA sequences. However, it was found that only six of the recombinant viruses are able to express the gag gene product of HIV-1. This indicates that the ratio of the positive recombination events is about 2.9%.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Antimyristoylation of the gag proteins in the human immunodeficiency virus-infected cells with N-myristoyl glycinal diethylacetal resulted in inhibition of virus production.

The gag proteins of human retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) are specifically myristoylated in their amino termini (1, 2, 3). N-myristoyl glycinal diethylacetal (N-Myr-GOA) and other N-Myr-compounds (N-Myr-Gly-GOA, N-Myr-Gly-Gly-GOA and N-Myr-Gly-Gly-Gly-GOA) were newly synthesized and investigated for activity of antimyristoylation of these gag proteins and for influence on viral replication. Of the N-Myr-compounds tested, N-Myr-GOA most severely inhibited the protein myristoylation; N-Myr-Gly-GOA also inhibited it, but moderately. Furthermore, it was observed that N-Myr-GOA at 20 microM caused noticeable inhibition (about 80%) of the production of mature HIV in the HIV-1-infected MT-4 cells. In this system, N-Myr-GOA substantially inhibited more than 90% of the N-myristoylation of p17 gag protein produced in the HIV-1-infected MT-4 cells. These results suggest that the N-myristoylation of p17 gag protein of HIV-1 may be essential in its structural assembly or maturation.

Acetaldehyde↗

Cell cycle-dependent association of Gag-Mil and hsp90.

Immunoprecipitated p100Gag-Mil protein kinase from MH2-transformed quail embryo fibroblasts is associated with an 89 kDa protein. The molar ratio between p89 and Gag-Mil in the immunocomplex is 0.72, indicating that the majority of Gag-Mil is complexed with p89. During mitosis part of Gag-Mil is shifted to a form with reduced electrophoretic mobility, p102Gag-Mil. Appearance of p102Gag-Mil leads to a reduced association with p89 indicating that p102 is not associated with p89. Microsequencing of p89 isolated from immunoprecipitates of Gag-Mil identified the protein as the quail homologue of chicken hsp90. Our results show that p100Gag-Mil is associated with hsp90 with a high stoichiometry and that upshifted p102Gag-Mil is released from the complex with hsp90.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of gag and env gene products of human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV).

The gag and env gene products of human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) were identified with rabbit antisera against the synthetic peptides and a polypeptide produced in Escherichia coli, which corresponded to parts of the proteins predicted from the nucleotide sequence of HTLV [M. Seiki, S. Hattori, Y. Hirayama, and M. Yoshida (1983). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80, 3618-3622]. Viral proteins were detected by immunoprecipitation in two HTLV-producing cell lines. The precursor of gag products was a protein with an apparent molecular weight of 53,000 (Pr53), and was shown to be processed into three mature gag proteins, p19, p24, and p15, in this order, from the 5' end of the gag gene. The processing sites were confirmed to be the same as those predicted from the nucleotide sequence. The env gene product was identified as a glycoprotein of 62,000 Da (gp62), which was processed into gp46 and p20E. All the viral antigens described above were also detected with sera from ATL patients, indicating that all these proteins are expressed in the patients.

Amino Acid Sequence↗