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Further studies on the glycosylated gag gene products of Rauscher murine leukemia virus: identification of an N-terminal 45,000-dalton cleavage product.

A glycosylated 45,000-Mr protein containing Rauscher murine leukemia virus p15 and p12 antigenic sites and tryptic peptides was identified in Rauscher murine leukemia virus-infected cells. This glycoprotein, termed gP45gag, was also shown to contain a single tryptic peptide also present in gPr80gag and its unglycosylated apoprotein precursor Pr75gag, but lacking in Pr65gag or Pr40gag. The presence of this peptide only in viral precursor proteins containing the so-called leader (L) sequence strongly suggests that gPr45gag is an N-terminal fragment of larger glycosylated gag polyproteins, composed of L sequences in addition to p15 and p12. The kinetics of appearance of radiolabeled gPr45gag and its disappearance during chase-incubation is suggestive of a precursor-like role for this intermediate gene product. An observed 27,000-Mr glycosylated polypeptide, termed gP27gag and containing p15 but not p12, p30, or p10 antigenic determinants, is a candidate cleavage product derived from gPr45gag. These observations suggest that gPr45gag and its putative cleavage product gP27gag represent an authentic pathway for intracellular processing of glycosylated core proteins.

Gene Products, gag↗

Mutations in gag proteins P12 and P15 of Moloney murine leukemia virus block early stages of infection.

A collection of mutants of Moloney murine leukemia virus with deletions in the gag gene was generated by restriction enzyme site-directed mutagenesis of a cloned proviral DNA. The mutants all contained deletions of the NarI site in the P12 region, and some contained deletions extending into the adjacent P15 region. The deletions did not significantly affect the assembly or release of viral particles. Examination of endogenous reverse transcription products demonstrated normal synthesis of minus- and plus-strand strong-stop DNAs, indicating that the RNA genome was packaged and that reverse transcription in detergent-permeabilized virions was not impaired. The virion particles contained high levels of an abnormal protein which corresponded to a P15-P12 fusion protein; proteolytic processing of this abnormal protein was completely blocked by all the mutations. The infectivity of the particles was dramatically reduced. Analysis of the low-molecular-weight DNA in infected NIH/3T3 cells indicated that the mutant virions could not carry out viral DNA synthesis. These data suggest that the P12 and P15 proteins may not be critical for virion assembly but do play an important role in early steps of viral infection.

Animals↗

Genetic variation among lentiviruses: homology between visna virus and caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus is confined to the 5' gag-pol region and a small portion of the env gene.

Visna virus of sheep and arthritis-encephalitis virus of goats are serologically related but genetically distinct retroviruses which cause slowly progressive diseases in their natural hosts. To localize homologous regions of the DNAs of these two viruses, we constructed a physical map of caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus DNA and aligned it with the viral RNA. Cloned probes of visna virus DNA were then used to localize regions of homology with the caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus DNA. These studies showed homology in the 5' region of the genome encompassing U5 and the gag and pol genes and also in a small region in the env gene. These findings correlate with biological data suggesting that the regions of the DNA which are homologous may be responsible for virus group characteristics such as the closely related virus core antigens. Regions which did not show homology such as large sections in the env gene may represent unique sequences which control highly strain-specific characteristics such as the neutralization antigen and specific cell tropisms.

Animals↗

Fine-structure analyses of lipid-protein and protein-protein interactions of gag protein p19 of the avian sarcoma and leukemia viruses by cyanogen bromide mapping.

In avian sarcoma and leukemia viruses, the gag protein p19 functions structurally as a matrix protein, connecting internal components with the viral envelope. We have used a combination of in situ cross-linking and peptide mapping to localize within p19 the regions responsible for two major interactions in this complex, p19 with lipid and p19 with p19. Lipid-protein cross-links were localized near the amino terminus within the first 35 amino acids of the polypeptide. Homotypic protein-protein disulfide bridges were found to originate from near the carboxy terminus of p19, from cysteine residues at amino acids 111 and 153. These results suggest that p19 is divided into domains with distinct functions. The peptide maps constructed for p19, and for the related proteins p23 in avian sarcoma and leukemia viruses and p19 beta in recombinant avian sarcoma viruses, should serve as useful tools for other types of studies involving these proteins.

Amino Acids↗

A deletion mutation in the 5' part of the pol gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus blocks proteolytic processing of the gag and pol polyproteins.

Deletion mutations in the 5' part of the pol gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus were generated by restriction enzyme site-directed mutagenesis of cloned proviral DNA. DNA sequence analysis indicated that one such deletion was localized entirely within the 5' part of the pol gene, did not affect the region encoding reverse transcriptase, and preserved the translational reading frame downstream of the mutation. The major viral precursor polyproteins (Pr65gag, Pr200gag-pol, and gPr80env) were synthesized at wild-type levels in cell lines carrying the mutant genome. These cell lines assembled and released wild-type levels of virion particles into the medium. Cleavage of both Pr65gag and Pr200gag-pol precursors to the mature proteins was completely blocked in the mutant virions. Surprisingly, these virions contained high levels of active reverse transcriptase; examination of the endogenous reverse transcription products synthesized by the mutant virions revealed normal amounts of minus-strand strong-stop DNA, indicating that the RNA genome was packaged and that reverse transcription in detergent-permeabilized virions was not significantly impaired. Processing of gPr80env to gP70env and P15E was not affected by the mutation, but cleavage of P15E to P12E was not observed. The mutant particles were poorly infectious; analysis indicated that infection was blocked at an early stage. The data are consistent with the idea that the 5' part of the pol gene encodes a protease directly responsible for processing Pr65gag, and possibly Pr200gag-pol, to the structural virion proteins. It appears that cleavage of the gag gene product is not required for budding and release of virions and that complete processing of the pol gene product to the mature form of reverse transcriptase is not required for its functional activation.

Animals↗

Analysis of a deleted MC29 provirus: gag sequences are not required for fibroblast transformation.

Recovered avian myelocytomatosis virus HBI is an MC29-related virus that induces lymphoid tumors in chickens rather than the predominant neoplastic disease induced by wild-type MC29 (namely, endotheliomas). An analysis of the structure of the HBI provirus(es) in the tumors demonstrated that the provirus(es) could be either full size or deleted. One tumor was found to be clonal in that it contained a single provirus which had been partially deleted; this raised a question concerning the role of this provirus in the maintenance of tumor growth. To characterize the detailed structure of this provirus and determine its biological activity, it was molecularly cloned from tumor DNA. Sequencing confirmed that the provirus contained a deletion which effectively removed the whole gag gene. However, the provirus was shown to encode a myc-specific protein, presumably initiating from within the myc gene, and to be biologically active when it was transfected onto quail embryo fibroblasts. Our results suggest that myc alone is sufficient to transform quail embryo fibroblasts and to maintain tumor growth in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Proposed gag-encoded transcriptional activator is not necessary for Rous sarcoma virus replication or transformation.

It has been reported that gene expression directed by the long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) is trans activated by a protein encoded in an alternate reading frame within the RSV gag gene (S. Broome and W. Gilbert, Cell 40:537-546, 1985). We have made specific mutations to test the role of the putative transcriptional activator in RSV replication. Termination codons were created within the alternate reading frame coding for the trans activator, and the mutations were introduced into an infectious RSV plasmid. We were unable to demonstrate specific trans activation of the RSV long terminal repeat by either wild-type or mutant RSV plasmids in transient cotransfection assays. Experiments using mutant or wild-type RSV-infected chick embryo fibroblasts indicated that the proposed RSV transcriptional activator was not required for viral replication or transformation and did not increase steady-state levels of viral RNA.

Animals↗

Purification and structural characterization of the putative gag-pol protease of human immunodeficiency virus.

We have purified a 10,774-dalton protein from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 that is encoded in the protease domain of the pol open reading frame (ORF). Radiochemical amino acid microsequencing identified 12 amino acids from the stretch of 39 N-terminal residues of this protein, beginning with a PQITLW sequence at position 69 of the pol ORF. Radiosequencing of selected tryptic peptides of the protein identified 11 additional residues (Leu-9 and Val-2) in six peptides encompassing the entire molecule of 99 residues. A protein of similar size and identical N-terminal sequence (determined through the first 39 residues) was present among the processed HIV pol gene products in Escherichia coli which expressed the entire HIV pol ORF. The C terminus of both the viral and E. coli-expressed proteins was inferred to be contiguous with the N terminus of the p64-p51 reverse transcriptase on the basis of tryptic mapping and specific immunoreactivity with an antiserum against a dodecapeptide located upstream of the reverse transcriptase. Thus, the initial processing of the pol precursor that generates the native protease is apparently preserved across phylogenetic barriers. Although the purified viral protease lacked measurable proteolytic activity, the bacterial extracts were capable of processing an HIV gag precursor protein synthesized in E. coli.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Truncated gag products encoded by Gv-1-responsive endogenous retrovirus loci.

The conversion of endogenous or exogenous murine retroviruses to a leukemogenic phenotype involves recombination with retroviral sequences present in host genomic DNA. In the 129 Gix+ inbred strain, these endogenous sequences are replication defective but still express retroviral proteins under the apparent transcriptional control of the Gv-1 regulatory locus. To study the protein-coding potential of Gv-1-regulated endogenous retroviral loci, we used oligonucleotide probes directed to env deletion breakpoints identified in previously characterized cDNA clones. Four endogenous retroviral loci were isolated from a library of 129 Gix+ genomic DNA with these probes. Three loci cloned with the env deletion probe del env-1 had virtually identical proviral inserts by restriction analysis. A unique locus was identified and cloned with the del env-2 probe, which must therefore represent a Gv-1-responsive element. Restriction enzyme and nucleotide sequence analyses indicated that the del env-1 and del env-2 loci represented members of the polytropic and modified polytropic classes of endogenous retrovirus, respectively. Despite this divergence, members of both classes contained identical deletions of 19 nucleotides within p30gag and of 1,474 nucleotides from p10gag into the reverse transcriptase-coding region of pol, suggesting that a recombination event had occurred between these proviral sequences prior to insertion within the genome. The del env-1 and del env-2 loci retained coding capacity for truncated gag polyproteins, confirmed by in vitro translation and immunoprecipitation of the protein products. Nucleotide sequence comparison of the untranslated leader (L) regions of the del env-1 and del env-2 loci to a replication-competent ecotropic virus indicated regions that might be important to dispersion of these endogenous retroviral elements throughout the host genome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

N myristylation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag polyprotein precursor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A semisynthetic gene precisely encoding the 502 amino acids of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag precursor (Pr53gag) was expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Amino acid sequence analysis of the recombinant Pr53gag showed that the amino terminus was fully blocked. Labeling of Pr53gag with [3H]myristic acid demonstrated that, as with Pr53gag isolated from virus-infected cells, the yeast-derived protein was demethionylated and N myristylated on glycine, the second amino acid residue.

Gene Products, gag↗

Role of the gag polyprotein precursor in packaging and maturation of Rous sarcoma virus genomic RNA.

Rous sarcoma virus nucleocapsid protein (NC) has been shown by site-directed mutagenesis to be involved in viral RNA packaging and in the subsequent maturation of genomic RNA in the progeny viral particles. To investigate whether NC exerts these activities as a free protein or as a domain of the polyprotein precursor Pr76gag, we have constructed several mutants unable to process Pr76gag and analyzed their properties in a transient-transfection assay of chicken embryo fibroblasts, the natural host of Rous sarcoma virus. A point mutation in the protease (PR) active site completely prevents Pr76gag processing. The full-length Pr76gag polyprotein is still able to package viral RNA, but cannot mature it. A shorter gag precursor polyprotein lacking the C-terminal PR domain, but retaining that of the NC protein, is however, unable even to package viral RNA. This indicates that the NC protein can participate in packaging viral RNA only as part of a full-length Pr76gag and that the PR domain is, indirectly or directly, also involved in RNA packaging. These results also demonstrate that processing of Pr76gag is necessary for viral RNA dimerization.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analysis of Moloney murine leukemia virus revertants mutated at the gag-pol junction.

Among Moloney murine leukemia viruses (Mo-MuLVs) having stop codons other than UAG at the gag-pol junction, Mo-MuLV with UAA, but not with UGA, had a replication disadvantage. Mo-MuLV with a glutamine codon (CAG) at the junction did not replicate. A revertant of this virus consisted of the original virus and a virus with a deletion of the pol region. Protease and Pr65gag encoded by their respective genomes complemented each other.

3T3 Cells↗

Sequences responsible for the distinctive hemolytic potentials of Friend and Moloney murine leukemia viruses are dispersed but confined to the psi-gag-PR region.

Friend and Moloney murine leukemia viruses (F- and M-MuLV) induce distinct diseases in hematopoietic tissues following inoculation of newborn mice of susceptible strains. F-MuLV induces erythroleukemia preceded by severe early hemolytic anemia; M-MuLV induces thymomas and only very mild hemolysis. The major viral determinant of severe early hemolytic anemia residues in the env gene, but sequences located outside this gene can modulate this effect. By means of genetic chimeras of F- and M-MuLV, we have found that although they are confined to the 5' portion of the env gene intron, sequences that determine the distinctive hemolytic potentials of F- and M-MuLV are widely distributed over a region spanning the RNA encapsidation domain, the gag gene, and the portion of the pol gene encoding the viral protease. Within this large region, two fragments of M-MuLV, a 1.3-kb region encoding the matrix, pp12, and capsid proteins and a 0.8-kb region encoding the nucleocapsid and the viral protease, were capable, individually, of partially attenuating the capacity of F-MuLV for induction of severe early hemolytic anemia. In association, these two fragments conferred complete attenuation. Moreover, a second pair of adjacent fragments within this large region appeared to behave cooperatively to confer complete attenuation; a 0.36-kb region roughly corresponding to the encapsidation domain, although not detectably altering hemolytic potential on its own, deepened the attenuation conferred by the adjacent 1.3-kb region. Whether capable of inducing severe early hemolytic anemia or not and despite different efficiencies of induction of recombinant polytropic viruses, all chimeric viruses retained the erythroleukemogenicity of the F-MuLV parent.

3T3 Cells↗

Translational frameshifting at the gag-pol junction of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is not increased in infected T-lymphoid cells.

A frameshift event is necessary for expression of the products of the pol gene in a number of retroviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The basic signals necessary for frameshifting consist of a shifty sequence in which the ribosome slips and a downstream stimulatory structure which can be either a stem-loop or a pseudoknot. In HIV-1, much attention has been paid to the frameshift site itself, and only recently has the role of the downstream structure been examined. Here we used a luciferase-based experimental system to analyze in vivo the cis and trans factors potentially involved in controlling frameshifting efficiency at the gag-pol junction of HIV-1. We demonstrated that high-level frameshifting is dependent on the presence of a palindromic region located downstream of the site where the frameshift event takes place. Frameshifting efficiencies were found to be identical in mouse fibroblasts and the natural host cells of the virus, i.e., CD4+ human lymphoid cells. Furthermore, no increase in frameshifting was observed upon virus infection. Previous observations have shown that viral infection leads to specific alteration of tRNAs involved in translation of shifty sites (D. Hatfield, Y.-X. Feng, B.J. Lee, A. Rein, J.G. Levin, and S. Oroszlan, Virology 173:736-742, 1989). The results presented here strongly suggest that these modifications do not affect frameshifting efficiency.

Animals↗

Analysis of a rape case by direct sequencing of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 pol and gag genes.

Transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) from a male accused of rape and deliberate transmission of HIV-1 was investigated by sequencing of the HIV-1 pol and gag genes from virus obtained from the male and from the female victim. Parts of the reverse transcriptase and p17gag genes were amplified and directly sequenced from uncultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The sequences were compared with sequences from 21 unrelated HIV-1-infected controls from the same geographic area (Stockholm, Sweden). Bootstrap analysis of phylogenetic trees demonstrated that the sequences from the female were significantly more closely related to the sequences from the male than to sequences from the controls. Furthermore, we found that the male and female shared two distinct genetic variants of HIV-1. In p17gag the major variant had an unusual, out-of-frame deletion of 3 nucleotides which the minor variant lacked. These results indicated that the male had transmitted more than one infectious unit to the female. From this study we concluded that it was highly likely that the HIV-1 strains carried by the male and female were closely epidemiologically linked.

Base Sequence↗

A cryptic RNA-binding domain in the Pol region of the L-A double-stranded RNA virus Gag-Pol fusion protein.

The Pol region of the Gag-Pol fusion protein of the L-A double-stranded (ds) RNA virus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has (i) a domain essential for packaging viral positive strands, (ii) consensus amino acid sequence patterns typical of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, and (iii) two single-stranded RNA binding domains. We describe here a third single-stranded RNA binding domain (Pol residues 374 to 432), which is unique in being cryptic. Its activity is revealed only after deletion of an inhibitory region C terminal to the binding domain itself. This cryptic RNA binding domain is necessary for propagation of M1 satellite dsRNA, but it is not necessary for viral particle assembly or for packaging of viral positive-strand single-stranded RNA. The cryptic RNA binding domain includes a sequence pattern common among positive-strand single-stranded RNA and dsRNA viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, suggesting that it has a role in RNA polymerase activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Retroviral nucleocapsid domains mediate the specific recognition of genomic viral RNAs by chimeric Gag polyproteins during RNA packaging in vivo.

The retroviral nucleocapsid (NC) protein is necessary for the specific encapsidation of the viral genomic RNA by the assembling virion. However, it is unclear whether NC contains the determinants for the specific recognition of the viral RNA or instead contributes nonspecific RNA contacts to strengthen a specific contact made elsewhere in the Gag polyprotein. To discriminate between these two possibilities, we have swapped the NC domains of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV), generating an HIV-1 mutant containing the M-MuLV NC domain and an M-MuLV mutant containing the HIV-1 NC domain. These mutants, as well as several others, were characterized for their abilities to encapsidate HIV-1, M-MuLV, and nonviral RNAs and to preferentially package genomic viral RNAs over spliced viral RNAs. We found that the M-MuLV NC domain mediates the specific packaging of RNAs containing the M-MuLV psi packaging element, while the HIV-1 NC domain confers an ability to package the unspliced HIV-1 RNA over spliced HIV-1 RNAs. In addition, we found that the HIV-1 mutant containing the M-MuLV NC domain exhibited a 20-fold greater ability than wild-type HIV-1 to package a nonviral RNA. These results help confirm the notion that the NC domain specifically recognizes the retroviral genomic RNA during RNA encapsidation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Efficient in vivo and in vitro assembly of retroviral capsids from Gag precursor proteins expressed in bacteria.

The capsid precursor protein (Gag) of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus, the prototype type D retrovirus, has been expressed to high levels in bacteria under the control of the phage T7 promoter. Electron microscopic studies of induced cells revealed the assembly of capsid-like structures within inclusion bodies that formed at the poles of the cells 6 h after induction with isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). The inclusion bodies and enclosed capsid-like structures were solubilized completely in 8 M urea, but following renaturation, we observed assembly in vitro of capsid-like structures that demonstrated apparent icosahedral symmetry. These results demonstrate for the first time that retroviral capsid precursors have the propensity to self-assemble in vitro and point to new approaches for the analysis of retroviral assembly and structure.

Capsid↗