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Mutational inactivation of an inhibitory sequence in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 results in Rev-independent gag expression.

ABSTRACT: We have characterized an inhibitory RNA element in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gag coding sequence that prevents gag expression. The inhibition exerted by this element could be overcome by the presence of the Rev-responsive element in cis and of Rev protein in trans. To understand the mechanism of function, we inactivated the inhibitory element by mutagenesis while maintaining an intact gag coding region. A constitutive high level of Rev-independent gag expression was achieved only after the introduction of 28 point mutations over a large region of 270 nucleotides within the gag coding region. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of inactivation of a negative RNA element within a coding region without alteration of the expressed protein. Elimination of the inhibitory element in the p17gag region, named INS-1, offered the opportunity to detect a second inhibitory element in the gag-pol region. The presence of either INS element is sufficient to inhibit gag expression, demonstrating that multiple INS elements acting independently can inhibit HIV RNA expression. Expression of gag from Rous sarcoma virus, a retrovirus that does not require Rev-like regulatory proteins, revealed that the Rous sarcoma virus p19gag region does not contain inhibitory elements. These results demonstrate the presence of a strong inhibitory element acting at the level of mRNA and provide a general method for the removal of such elements from mRNA coding regions. The inhibitory element functions in the absence of any HIV-1 proteins, suggesting that cellular factors are responsible for this inhibition.

SUBMITTER: Schwartz S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC240411 | biostudies-other | 1992 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Mutational inactivation of an inhibitory sequence in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 results in Rev-independent gag expression.

Schwartz S S Campbell M M Nasioulas G G Harrison J J Felber B K BK Pavlakis G N GN

Journal of virology 19921201 12

We have characterized an inhibitory RNA element in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gag coding sequence that prevents gag expression. The inhibition exerted by this element could be overcome by the presence of the Rev-responsive element in cis and of Rev protein in trans. To understand the mechanism of function, we inactivated the inhibitory element by mutagenesis while maintaining an intact gag coding region. A constitutive high level of Rev-independent gag expression was achieve ...[more]

PMID: 1433510

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Project description:A major challenge for the next generation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccines is the induction of potent, broad, and durable cellular immune responses. The structural protein Gag is highly conserved among the HIV type 1 (HIV-1) gene products and is believed to be an important target for the host cell-mediated immune control of the virus during natural infection. Expression of Gag proteins for vaccines has been hampered by the fact that its expression is dependent on the HIV Rev protein and the Rev-responsive element, the latter located on the env transcript. Moreover, the HIV genome employs suboptimal codon usage, which further contributes to the low expression efficiency of viral proteins. In order to achieve high-level Rev-independent expression of the Gag protein, the sequences encoding HIV-1(SF2) p55(Gag) were modified extensively. First, the viral codons were changed to conform to the codon usage of highly expressed human genes, and second, the residual inhibitory sequences were removed. The resulting modified gag gene showed increases in p55(Gag) protein expression to levels that ranged from 322- to 966-fold greater than that for the native gene after transient expression of 293 cells. Additional constructs that contained the modified gag in combination with modified protease coding sequences were made, and these showed high-level Rev-independent expression of p55(Gag) and its cleavage products. Density gradient analysis and electron microscopy further demonstrated that the modified gag and gag protease genes efficiently expressed particles with the density and morphology expected for HIV virus-like particles. Mice immunized with DNA plasmids containing the modified gag showed Gag-specific antibody and CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses that were inducible at doses of input DNA 100-fold lower than those associated with plasmids containing the native gag gene. Most importantly, four of four rhesus monkeys that received two or three immunizations with modified gag plasmid DNA demonstrated substantial Gag-specific CTL responses. These results highlight the useful application of modified gag expression cassettes for increasing the potency of DNA and other gene delivery vaccine approaches against HIV.

Project description:Biochemical examination of the Rev-dependent expression of gag mRNAs produced from gag-Rev-responsive element (RRE) expression plasmids showed a large discrepancy between the level of cytoplasmic gag mRNA and the produced Gag protein. Significant levels of the mRNA produced in the absence of Rev were localized in the cytoplasm, while very low levels of Gag protein were produced. In the presence of Rev, the levels of mRNA increased by 4- to 16-fold, while the Gag protein production increased by 800-fold. These findings indicated that in addition to promoting nucleus-to-cytoplasm transport, Rev increased the utilization of cytoplasmic viral mRNA. Poly(A) selection and in vitro translation of cytoplasmic gag mRNA verified that the mRNA produced in the absence of Rev was functional. To analyze the translational defect in the absence of Rev, we examined the association of the cytoplasmic gag mRNA with ribosomes. gag mRNA produced in the absence of Rev was excluded from polysomes, while gag mRNA produced in the presence of Rev was associated with polysomes and produced Gag protein. These observations showed that the presence of Rev was required for efficient loading of gag mRNA onto polysomes. This effect required the presence of the RRE on the mRNA. Analysis of mRNAs produced from a rev-minus proviral clone confirmed that the presence of Rev promoted polysomal loading of both gag/pol and vpu/env mRNAs. The localization of gag mRNA was also examined by in situ hybridization. This analysis showed that in the presence of Rev, most of the gag mRNA was found in the cytoplasm, while in the absence of Rev, most of the gag mRNA was found in the nucleus and in the region surrounding the nucleus. These results suggest that a substantial fraction of the gag mRNA is retained in distinct cytoplasmic compartments in the absence and presence of Rev. These findings indicate that the presence of Rev is required along the entire mRNA transport and utilization pathway for the stabilization, correct localization, and efficient translation of RRE-containing mRNAs.

Dataset Information

Mutational inactivation of an inhibitory sequence in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 results in Rev-independent gag expression.

Publications

Mutational inactivation of an inhibitory sequence in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 results in Rev-independent gag expression.

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