Biochemical characterization of the p51 sub-unit of human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase in homo- and heterodimeric recombinant forms of the enzyme.

The biochemical properties of the p51 subunit of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) were studied in order to understand its role in the heterodimeric form p66/p51 found in virions. A recombinant form of RT, p51/p51, expressed in yeast, was purified and characterized. The enzyme was affinity labeled using a 5' modified oligonucleotide primer, covalently linked, that was further elongated in the presence of a radioactive dNTP precursor. We found that the p51 subunit was labeled in the p51/p51 form, thus reflecting its activity, while this subunit was catalytically silent in the heterodimer, since only the p66 subunit was labeled in the latter recombinant form. Processivity studies showed long-sized products synthesized by p51/p51, as in the case of the other RT forms. The effect of primer tRNA(Lys) on the p51/p51 activity showed a strong inhibitory effect in the absence of KCl, similar to that observed with the p66/p51 form, while the same p51/p51 enzyme was strongly stimulated by tRNA(Lys), like RT p66/p66, when KCl was present in the incubation mixture.

Phosphorothioate oligonucleotides derived from human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) primer tRNALys3 are strong inhibitors of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and arrest viral replication in infected cells.

Retroviral reverse transcriptase (RT) is involved in the selection of a specific tRNA primer which initiates proviral DNA minus-strand synthesis. Studies of the interactions between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RT and primer tRNALys3 have shown that the dihydrouridine (diHU), anticodon, and pseudouridine regions of tRNA are highly protected in the RT-tRNA complex. The CCA 3' end of tRNA is also in close contact with the enzyme during the cDNA initiation step. Using synthetic oligoribonucleotides corresponding to the anticodon and diHU regions, we have previously shown a low but significant inhibition of HIV-1 RT activity. We extend this observation and show that primer tRNA-derived oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) carrying a phosphorothioate (PS) modification are strong inhibitors of HIV-1 RT. The affinity of PS-ODNs for the enzyme was monitored by gel mobility shift electrophoresis. Experiments with HIV-1-infected human cells (MT-2 cells) were performed with the latter ODNs. A PS-ODN corresponding to the 3' end of tRNALys3 (acceptor stem [AS]) was able to inhibit HIV-1 replication. No effect of the other modified ODNs was observed in infected cells. The analysis of HIV-1 RNase H activity in a cell-free system strongly suggests that the inhibitory effect of the PS-AS may be mediated via both a sense and an antisense mechanism.

p66/p51 and p51/p51 recombinant forms of reverse transcriptase from human immunodeficiency virus type 1--interactions with primer tRNA(Lys3), initiation of cDNA synthesis, and effect of inhibitors.

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) initiates reverse transcription from tRNA(Lys3). HIV-1 RT is a heterodimer consisting of two polypeptides, p66 and p51. In this work, the possible role of each subunit of RT in the interaction with its natural primer tRNA(Lys3) was studied. Two recombinant forms of HIV-1 RT, heterodimer p66/p51 and homodimer p51/p51, were used. Previously we have expressed and purified recombinant RT p51/p51 which possesses DNA polymerase activity [El Dirani-Diab, R., Andreola, M. L., Nevinsky, G., Tharaud, D., Barr, P. J., Litvak, S. & Tarrago-Litvak, L. (1992) FEBS Lett. 301, 23-28]. Here we show that HIV-1 RT p51/p51 displays certain properties very similar to the p66/p51 recombinant enzyme. The homodimer was able to anneal tRNA(Lys3) to the primer-binding site of the HIV-1 RNA template leading to a functional complex capable of synthesizing cDNA. Further, the p51/p51 enzyme behaved like RT p66/p51 concerning the strong inhibition produced by a non-nucleoside RT inhibitor. These data show that for RT p51/p51, one of the subunits of the homodimer adopts a conformation similar to the catalytic subunit (p66) present in the heterodimeric form. Part of this work was devoted to the study of the complex between the recombinant forms of HIV-1 RT and its primer tRNA. Each enzymatic form was cross-linked to tRNA(Lys3) in the presence of a platinum derivative, giving different ribonucleoprotein complexes of molecular masses higher than 100 kDa, suggesting that primer tRNA may interact with both subunits in the heterodimeric enzyme. After RNase A treatment of the complex RT p66/p51 x tRNA, the label was mainly found to migrate with the p66 subunit, although some cross-linking was also found associated to the p51 subunit. These results show that the p66 and p51 subunits of RT interact with tRNA(Lys3). Moreover, cross-linking of tRNA(Lys3) with HIV-1 RT p66/p51 in the presence of a DNA template containing the primer-binding-site sequence yielded an enzymatically active complex.

Affinity labeling and functional analysis of the primer binding domain of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Six affinity reagents containing chemically reactive groups, either on the phosphate residue at the 5'-end or on the 5'- or 3'-end internucleoside phosphate linkages of the oligothymidylate primers, were used to covalently modify the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT). After covalent binding of these modified primer analogs to the enzyme, the addition of [alpha-32P]dTTP, in the presence of a complementary template, led to elongation of the primer. This reaction was catalyzed by the active site of the enzyme carrying the covalently bound primer. The relative efficiency of labeling of the p66/p51 heterodimer compared to the p66/p66 and p51/p51 homodimers of HIV-1 RT was in agreement with the previously determined affinity of the various enzyme forms toward different primers. The analogues preferentially modified the p66 subunit of the HIV-1 RT heterodimer. The labeling of all RT forms by synthetic primer analogues showed significant and specific competition by the natural primer of HIV-1 RT, tRNA(Lys). In addition, the kinetics of inactivation of RT by primer analogues was studied. The affinity of the enzyme to those derivatives in the presence of poly(A) template was about 5-10 times higher than in the absence of template. Moreover, the maximal rates of HIV-1 RT inactivation by analogues in the absence of template were 3-4 times higher. Our results suggest that the mechanism of oligonucleotide primer binding to HIV-1 RT is different in the presence or absence of template.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)