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HIV-1 Nucleocapsid Protein Unfolds Stable RNA G-Quadruplexes in the Viral Genome and Is Inhibited by G-Quadruplex Ligands.


ABSTRACT: The G-quadruplexes that form in the HIV-1 RNA genome hinder progression of reverse transcriptase in vitro, but not in infected cells. We investigated the possibility that the HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein NCp7, which remains associated with the viral RNA during reverse transcription, modulated HIV-1 RNA G-quadruplex stability. By electrophoresis, circular dichroism, mass spectrometry, and reverse transcriptase stop assays, we demonstrated that NCp7 binds and unfolds the HIV-1 RNA G-quadruplexes and promotes DNA/RNA duplex formation, allowing reverse transcription to proceed. The G-quadruplex ligand BRACO-19 was able to partially counteract this effect. These results indicate NCp7 as the first known viral protein able to unfold RNA G-quadruplexes, and they explain how the extra-stable HIV-1 RNA G-quadruplexes are processed; they also point out that the reverse transcription process is hindered by G-quadruplex ligands at both reverse transcriptase and NCp7 level. This information can lead to the development of more effective anti-HIV-1 drugs with a new mechanism of action.

SUBMITTER: Butovskaya E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6909241 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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HIV-1 Nucleocapsid Protein Unfolds Stable RNA G-Quadruplexes in the Viral Genome and Is Inhibited by G-Quadruplex Ligands.

Butovskaya Elena E   Soldà Paola P   Scalabrin Matteo M   Nadai Matteo M   Richter Sara N SN  

ACS infectious diseases 20191106 12


The G-quadruplexes that form in the HIV-1 RNA genome hinder progression of reverse transcriptase in vitro, but not in infected cells. We investigated the possibility that the HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein NCp7, which remains associated with the viral RNA during reverse transcription, modulated HIV-1 RNA G-quadruplex stability. By electrophoresis, circular dichroism, mass spectrometry, and reverse transcriptase stop assays, we demonstrated that NCp7 binds and unfolds the HIV-1 RNA G-quadruplexes and  ...[more]

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