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Increasing the CpG dinucleotide abundance in the HIV-1 genomic RNA inhibits viral replication.

ABSTRACT: The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) structural protein Gag is necessary and sufficient to form viral particles. In addition to encoding the amino acid sequence for Gag, the underlying RNA sequence could encode cis-acting elements or nucleotide biases that are necessary for viral replication. Furthermore, RNA sequences that inhibit viral replication could be suppressed in gag. However, the functional relevance of RNA elements and nucleotide biases that promote or repress HIV-1 replication remain poorly understood.To characterize if the RNA sequence in gag controls HIV-1 replication, the matrix (MA) region was codon modified, allowing the RNA sequence to be altered without affecting the protein sequence. Codon modification of nucleotides (nt) 22-261 or 22-378 in gag inhibited viral replication by decreasing genomic RNA (gRNA) abundance, gRNA stability, Gag expression, virion production and infectivity. Comparing the effect of these point mutations to deletions of the same region revealed that the mutations inhibited infectious virus production while the deletions did not. This demonstrated that codon modification introduced inhibitory sequences. There is a much lower than expected frequency of CpG dinucleotides in HIV-1 and codon modification introduced a substantial increase in CpG abundance. To determine if they are necessary for inhibition of HIV-1 replication, codons introducing CpG dinucleotides were mutated back to the wild type codon, which restored efficient Gag expression and infectious virion production. To determine if they are sufficient to inhibit viral replication, CpG dinucleotides were inserted into gag in the absence of other changes. The increased CpG dinucleotide content decreased HIV-1 infectivity and viral replication.The HIV-1 RNA sequence contains low abundance of CpG dinucleotides. Increasing the abundance of CpG dinucleotides inhibits multiple steps of the viral life cycle, providing a functional explanation for why CpG dinucleotides are suppressed in HIV-1.

SUBMITTER: Antzin-Anduetza I

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5679385 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Increasing the CpG dinucleotide abundance in the HIV-1 genomic RNA inhibits viral replication.

Antzin-Anduetza Irati I Mahiet Charlotte C Granger Luke A LA Odendall Charlotte C Swanson Chad M CM

Retrovirology 20171109 1

<h4>Background</h4>The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) structural protein Gag is necessary and sufficient to form viral particles. In addition to encoding the amino acid sequence for Gag, the underlying RNA sequence could encode cis-acting elements or nucleotide biases that are necessary for viral replication. Furthermore, RNA sequences that inhibit viral replication could be suppressed in gag. However, the functional relevance of RNA elements and nucleotide biases that promote or re ...[more]

PMID: 29121951

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Project description:BACKGROUND: Recent evidence proposes a novel concept that mammalian natural antisense RNAs play important roles in cellular homeostasis by regulating the expression of several genes. Identification and characterization of retroviral antisense RNA would provide new insights into mechanisms of replication and pathogenesis. HIV-1 encoded-antisense RNAs have been reported, although their structures and functions remain to be studied. We have tried to identify and characterize antisense RNAs of HIV-1 and their function in viral infection. RESULTS: Characterization of transcripts of HEK293T cells that were transiently transfected with an expression plasmid with HIV-1NL4-3 DNA in the antisense orientation showed that various antisense transcripts can be expressed. By screening and characterizing antisense RNAs in HIV-1NL4-3-infected cells, we defined the primary structure of a major form of HIV-1 antisense RNAs, which corresponds to a variant of previously reported ASP mRNA. This 2.6 kb RNA was transcribed from the U3 region of the 3' LTR and terminated at the env region in acutely or chronically infected cell lines and acutely infected human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Reporter assays clearly demonstrated that the HIV-1 LTR harbours promoter activity in the reverse orientation. Mutation analyses suggested the involvement of NF-?? binding sites in the regulation of antisense transcription. The antisense RNA was localized in the nuclei of the infected cells. The expression of this antisense RNA suppressed HIV-1 replication for more than one month. Furthermore, the specific knockdown of this antisense RNA enhanced HIV-1 gene expression and replication. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study identified an accurate structure of the major form of antisense RNAs expressed from the HIV-1NL4-3 provirus and demonstrated its nuclear localization. Functional studies collectively demonstrated a new role of the antisense RNA in viral replication. Thus, we suggest a novel viral mechanism that self-limits HIV-1 replication and provides new insight into the viral life cycle.

Dataset Information

Increasing the CpG dinucleotide abundance in the HIV-1 genomic RNA inhibits viral replication.

Publications

Increasing the CpG dinucleotide abundance in the HIV-1 genomic RNA inhibits viral replication.

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