Crystal structures of an N-terminal fragment from Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase complexed with nucleic acid: functional implications for template-primer binding to the fingers domain

Crystal structures of 'ALternative Isoinformational ENgineered' DNA in B-form

The first structural model of duplex DNA reported in 1953 by Watson & Crick presented the double helix in B-form, the form that genomic DNA exists in much of the time. Thus, artificial DNA seeking to mimic the properties of natural DNA should also be able to adopt B-form. Using a host-guest system in which Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase serves as the host and DNA as the guests, we determined high-resolution crystal structures of three complexes including 5'-CTTBPPBBSSZZSAAG, 5'-CTTSSPBZPSZBBAAG and 5'-CTTZZPBSBSZPPAAG with 10 consecutive unnatural nucleobase pairs in B-form within self-complementary 16 bp duplex oligonucleotides. We refer to this ALternative Isoinformational ENgineered (ALIEN) genetic system containing two nucleobase pairs (P:Z, pairing 2-amino-imidazo-[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazin-(8H)-4-one with 6-amino-5-nitro-(1H)-pyridin-2-one, and B:S, 6-amino-4-hydroxy-5-(1H)-purin-2-one with 3-methyl-6-amino-pyrimidin-2-one) as ALIEN DNA. We characterized both position- and sequence-specific helical, nucleobase pair and dinucleotide step parameters of P:Z and B:S pairs in the context of B-form DNA. We conclude that ALIEN DNA exhibits structural features that vary with sequence. Further, Z can participate in alternative stacking modes within a similar sequence context as captured in two different structures. This finding suggests that ALIEN DNA may have a larger repertoire of B-form structures than natural DNA. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reactivity and mechanism in chemical and synthetic biology'.

Two distinct rotations of bithiazole DNA intercalation revealed by direct comparison of crystal structures of Co(III)•bleomycin A2 and B2 bound to duplex 5'-TAGTT sites

Bleomycins constitute a family of anticancer natural products that bind DNA through intercalation of a C-terminal tail/bithiazole moiety and hydrogen-bonding interactions between the remainder of the drug and the minor groove. The clinical utility of the bleomycins is believed to result from single- and double-strand DNA cleavage mediated by the HOO-Fe(III) form of the drug. The bleomycins also serve as a model system to understand the nature of complex drug-DNA interactions that may guide future DNA-targeted drug discovery. In this study, the impact of the C-terminal tail on bleomycin-DNA interactions was investigated. Toward this goal, we determined two crystal structures of HOO-Co(III)•BLMA₂ "green" (a stable structural analogue of the active HOO-Fe(III) drug) bound to duplex DNA containing 5'-TAGTT, one in which the entire drug is bound (fully bound) and a second with only the C-terminal tail/bithiazole bound (partially bound). The structures reported here were captured by soaking HOO-Co(III)•BLMA₂ into preformed host-guest crystals including a preferred DNA-binding site. While the overall structure of DNA-bound BLMA₂ was found to be similar to those reported earlier at the same DNA site for BLMB₂, the intercalated bithiazole of BLMB₂ is "flipped" 180˚ relative to DNA-bound BLMA₂. This finding highlights an unidentified role for the C-terminal tail in directing the intercalation of the bithiazole. In addition, these analyses identified specific bond rotations within the C-terminal domain of the drug that may be relevant for its reorganization and ability to carry out a double-strand DNA cleavage event.

M-MuLV reverse transcriptase: Selected properties and improved mutants

Reverse transcriptases (RTs) are enzymes synthesizing DNA using RNA as the template and serving as the standard tools in modern biotechnology and molecular diagnostics. To date, the most commonly used reverse transcriptase is the enzyme from Moloney murine leukemia virus, M-MuLV RT. Since its discovery, M-MuLV RT has become indispensable for modern RNA studies; the range of M-MuLV RT applications is vast, from scientific tasks to clinical testing of human pathogens. This review will give a brief description of the structure, thermal stability, processivity, and fidelity, focusing on improving M-MuLV RT for practical usage.

A novel class III endogenous retrovirus with a class I envelope gene in African frogs with an intact genome and developmentally regulated transcripts in Xenopus tropicalis

BACKGROUND

Retroviruses exist as exogenous infectious agents and as endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) integrated into host chromosomes. Such endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are grouped into three classes roughly corresponding to the seven genera of infectious retroviruses: class I (gamma-, epsilonretroviruses), class II (alpha-, beta-, delta-, lentiretroviruses) and class III (spumaretroviruses). Some ERVs have counterparts among the known infectious retroviruses, while others represent paleovirological relics of extinct or undiscovered retroviruses.

RESULTS

Here we identify an intact ERV in the Anuran amphibian, Xenopus tropicalis. XtERV-S has open reading frames (ORFs) for gag, pol (polymerase) and env (envelope) genes, with a small additional ORF in pol and a serine tRNA primer binding site. It has unusual features and domain relationships to known retroviruses. Analyses based on phylogeny and functional motifs establish that XtERV-S gag and pol genes are related to the ancient env-less class III ERV-L family but the surface subunit of env is unrelated to known retroviruses while its transmembrane subunit is class I-like. LTR constructs show transcriptional activity, and XtERV-S transcripts are detected in embryos after the maternal to zygotic mid-blastula transition and before the late tailbud stage. Tagged Gag protein shows typical subcellular localization. The presence of ORFs in all three protein-coding regions along with identical 5' and 3' LTRs (long terminal repeats) indicate this is a very recent germline acquisition. There are older, full-length, nonorthologous, defective copies in Xenopus laevis and the distantly related African bullfrog, Pyxicephalus adspersus. Additional older, internally deleted copies in X. tropicalis carry a 300 bp LTR substitution.

CONCLUSIONS

XtERV-S represents a genera-spanning member of the largely env-less class III ERV that has ancient and modern copies in Anurans. This provirus has an env ORF with a surface subunit unrelated to known retroviruses and a transmembrane subunit related to class I gammaretroviruses in sequence and organization, and is expressed in early embryogenesis. Additional XtERV-S-related but defective copies are present in X. tropicalis and other African frog taxa. XtERV-S is an unusual class III ERV variant, and it may represent an important transitional retroviral form that has been spreading in African frogs for tens of millions of years.

Structure and Biophysics for a Six Letter DNA Alphabet that Includes Imidazo[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazine-2(8H)-4(3H)-dione (X) and 2,4-Diaminopyrimidine (K)

A goal of synthetic biology is to develop new nucleobases that retain the desirable properties of natural nucleobases at the same time as expanding the genetic alphabet. The nonstandard Watson-Crick pair between imidazo[1,2-a]-1,3,5-triazine-2(8H)-4(3H)-dione (X) and 2,4-diaminopyrimidine (K) does exactly this, pairing via complementary arrangements of hydrogen bonding in these two nucleobases, which do not complement any natural nucleobase. Here, we report the crystal structure of a duplex DNA oligonucleotide in B-form including two consecutive X:K pairs in GATCXK DNA determined as a host-guest complex at 1.75 Å resolution. X:K pairs have significant propeller twist angles, similar to those observed for A:T pairs, and a calculated hydrogen bonding pairing energy that is weaker than that of A:T. Thus, although inclusion of X:K pairs results in a duplex DNA structure that is globally similar to that of an analogous G:C structure, the X:K pairs locally and energetically more closely resemble A:T pairs.

Mov10 suppresses retroelements and regulates neuronal development and function in the developing brain

Background

Moloney leukemia virus 10 (Mov10) is an RNA helicase that mediates access of the RNA-induced silencing complex to messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Until now, its role as an RNA helicase and as a regulator of retrotransposons has been characterized exclusively in cell lines. We investigated the role of Mov10 in the mouse brain by examining its expression over development and attempting to create a Mov10 knockout mouse. Loss of both Mov10 copies led to early embryonic lethality.

Results

Mov10 was significantly elevated in postnatal murine brain, where it bound retroelement RNAs and mRNAs. Mov10 suppressed retroelements in the nucleus by directly inhibiting complementary DNA synthesis, while cytosolic Mov10 regulated cytoskeletal mRNAs to influence neurite outgrowth. We verified this important function by observing reduced dendritic arborization in hippocampal neurons from the Mov10 heterozygote mouse and shortened neurites in the Mov10 knockout Neuro2A cells. Knockdown of Fmrp also resulted in shortened neurites. Mov10, Fmrp, and Ago2 bound a common set of mRNAs in the brain. Reduced Mov10 in murine brain resulted in anxiety and increased activity in a novel environment, supporting its important role in the development of normal brain circuitry.

Conclusions

Mov10 is essential for normal neuronal development and brain function. Mov10 preferentially binds RNAs involved in actin binding, neuronal projection, and cytoskeleton. This is a completely new and critically important function for Mov10 in neuronal development and establishes a precedent for Mov10 being an important candidate in neurological disorders that have underlying cytoarchitectural causes like autism and Alzheimer’s disease.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12915-017-0387-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Ty3 reverse transcriptase complexed with an RNA-DNA hybrid shows structural and functional asymmetry

Retrotransposons are a class of mobile genetic elements that replicate by converting their single-stranded RNA intermediate to double-stranded DNA through the combined DNA polymerase and ribonuclease H (RNase H) activities of the element-encoded reverse transcriptase (RT). Although a wealth of structural information is available for lentiviral and gammaretroviral RTs, equivalent studies on counterpart enzymes of long terminal repeat (LTR)-containing retrotransposons, from which they are evolutionarily derived, is lacking. In this study, we report the first crystal structure of a complex of RT from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae LTR retrotransposon Ty3 in the presence of its polypurine tract-containing RNA-DNA hybrid. In contrast to its retroviral counterparts, Ty3 RT adopts an asymmetric homodimeric architecture whose assembly is substrate dependent. Moreover, our structure and biochemical data suggest that the RNase H and DNA polymerase activities are contributed by individual subunits of the homodimer.

The structure of an authentic spore photoproduct lesion in DNA suggests a basis for recognition

The spore photoproduct lesion (SP; 5-thymine-5,6-dihydrothymine) is the dominant photoproduct found in UV-irradiated spores of some bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis. Upon spore germination, this lesion is repaired in a light-independent manner by a specific repair enzyme: the spore photoproduct lyase (SP lyase). In this work, a host-guest approach in which the N-terminal fragment of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (MMLV RT) serves as the host and DNA as the guest was used to determine the crystal structures of complexes including 16 bp oligonucleotides with and without the SP lesion at 2.14 and 1.72 Å resolution, respectively. In contrast to other types of thymine-thymine lesions, the SP lesion retains normal Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding to the adenine bases of the complementary strand, with shorter hydrogen bonds than found in the structure of the undamaged DNA. However, the lesion induces structural changes in the local conformation of what is otherwise B-form DNA. The region surrounding the lesion differs significantly in helical form from B-DNA, and the minor groove is widened by almost 3 Å compared with that of the undamaged DNA. Thus, these unusual structural features associated with SP lesions may provide a basis for recognition by the SP lyase.

Structural analysis of monomeric retroviral reverse transcriptase in complex with an RNA/DNA hybrid

A key step in proliferation of retroviruses is the conversion of their RNA genome to double-stranded DNA, a process catalysed by multifunctional reverse transcriptases (RTs). Dimeric and monomeric RTs have been described, the latter exemplified by the enzyme of Moloney murine leukaemia virus. However, structural information is lacking that describes the substrate binding mechanism for a monomeric RT. We report here the first crystal structure of a complex between an RNA/DNA hybrid substrate and polymerase-connection fragment of the single-subunit RT from xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus, a close relative of Moloney murine leukaemia virus. A comparison with p66/p51 human immunodeficiency virus-1 RT shows that substrate binding around the polymerase active site is conserved but differs in the thumb and connection subdomains. Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to model full-length xenotropic murine leukaemia virus-related virus RT, demonstrating that its mobile RNase H domain becomes ordered in the presence of a substrate-a key difference between monomeric and dimeric RTs.

Structural and inhibition studies of the RNase H function of xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus reverse transcriptase

RNase H inhibitors (RNHIs) have gained attention as potential HIV-1 therapeutics. Although several RNHIs have been studied in the context of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) RNase H, there is no information on inhibitors that might affect the RNase H activity of other RTs. We performed biochemical, virological, crystallographic, and molecular modeling studies to compare the RNase H function and inhibition profiles of the gammaretroviral xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) and Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV) RTs to those of HIV-1 RT. The RNase H activity of XMRV RT is significantly lower than that of HIV-1 RT and comparable to that of MoMLV RT. XMRV and MoMLV, but not HIV-1 RT, had optimal RNase H activities in the presence of Mn²⁺ and not Mg²⁺. Using hydroxyl-radical footprinting assays, we demonstrated that the distance between the polymerase and RNase H domains in the MoMLV and XMRV RTs is longer than that in the HIV-1 RT by ∼3.4 Å. We identified one naphthyridinone and one hydroxyisoquinolinedione as potent inhibitors of HIV-1 and XMRV RT RNases H with 50% inhibitory concentrations ranging from ∼0.8 to 0.02 μM. Two acylhydrazones effective against HIV-1 RT RNase H were less potent against the XMRV enzyme. We also solved the crystal structure of an XMRV RNase H fragment at high resolution (1.5 Å) and determined the molecular details of the XMRV RNase H active site, thus providing a framework that would be useful for the design of antivirals that target RNase H.

CONFORMATIONAL ANALYSIS OF NEVIRAPINE IN SOLUTIONS BASED ON NMR SPECTROSCOPY AND QUANTUM CHEMICAL CALCULATIONS

The conformational analysis of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, nevirapine, 11-cyclopropyl-5,-11dihydro-4-methyl-6H-dipyrido[3,2-b2′,3′-e][1,4]diazepin-6-one, was investigated using ab initio and density functional theory calculations. The fully optimized structures and rotational potential energies of the nitrogen and carbon bonds in the cyclopropyl ring (C15-N11-C17-C19, α) were examined in detail. Geometries obtained from all applied calculations show similarities to the complex structure with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. To obtain more information on the structure, conformational minima of nevirapine, optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, were calculated for the 1H, 13C, and 15N-NMR chemical shifts at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level using the GIAO approach in DMSO and chloroform IEFPCM solvation models. The calculated 1H, 13C-NMR chemical shifts agree well with the experimental data, which indicates that the geometry of nevirapine in solution is similar to that of the molecule in the inhibition complex. Solvation free energies (ΔG sol ) of nevirapine in DMSO and chloroform were also obtained.

Triazole-linked DNA as a primer surrogate in the synthesis of first-strand cDNA

A phosphate-eliminated nonnatural oligonucleotide serves as a primer surrogate in reverse transcription reaction of mRNA. Despite of the nonnatural triazole linkages in the surrogate, the reverse transcriptase effectively elongated cDNA sequences on the 3'-downstream of the primer by transcription of the complementary sequence of mRNA. A structure-activity comparison with the reference natural oligonucleotides shows the superior priming activity of the surrogate containing triazole-linkages. The nonnatural linkages also protect the transcribed cDNA from digestion reactions with 5'-exonuclease and enable us to remove noise transcripts of unknown origins.

Specific insertions of zinc finger domains into Gag-Pol yield engineered retroviral vectors with selective integration properties

Retroviral vectors offer benefits of efficient delivery and stable gene expression; however, their clinical use raises the concerns of insertional mutagenesis and potential oncogenesis due to genomic integration preferences in transcriptional start sites (TSS). We have shifted the integration preferences of retroviral vectors by generating a library of viral variants with a DNA-binding domain inserted at random positions throughout murine leukemia virus Gag-Pol, then selecting for variants that are viable and exhibit altered integration properties. We found seven permissive zinc finger domain (ZFD) insertion sites throughout Gag-Pol, including within p12, reverse transcriptase, and integrase. Comprehensive genome integration analysis showed that several ZFD insertions yielded retroviral vector variants with shifted integration patterns that did not favor TSS. Furthermore, integration site analysis revealed selective integration for numerous mutants. For example, two retroviral variants with a given ZFD at appropriate positions in Gag-Pol strikingly integrated primarily into four common sites out of 3.1 x 10(9) possible human genome locations (P = 4.6 x 10(-29)). Our findings demonstrate that insertion of DNA-binding motifs into multiple locations in Gag-Pol can make considerable progress toward engineering safer retroviral vectors that integrate into a significantly narrowed pool of sites on human genome and overcome the preference for TSS.

Structure determination of DNA methylation lesions N1-meA and N3-meC in duplex DNA using a cross-linked protein-DNA system

N(1)-meA and N(3)-meC are cytotoxic DNA base methylation lesions that can accumulate in the genomes of various organisms in the presence of S(N)2 type methylating agents. We report here the structural characterization of these base lesions in duplex DNA using a cross-linked protein-DNA crystallization system. The crystal structure of N(1)-meA:T pair shows an unambiguous Hoogsteen base pair with a syn conformation adopted by N(1)-meA, which exhibits significant changes in the opening, roll and twist angles as compared to the normal A:T base pair. Unlike N(1)-meA, N(3)-meC does not establish any interaction with the opposite G, but remains partially intrahelical. Also, structurally characterized is the N(6)-meA base modification that forms a normal base pair with the opposite T in duplex DNA. Structural characterization of these base methylation modifications provides molecular level information on how they affect the overall structure of duplex DNA. In addition, the base pairs containing N(1)-meA or N(3)-meC do not share any specific characteristic properties except that both lesions create thermodynamically unstable regions in a duplex DNA, a property that may be explored by the repair proteins to locate these lesions.

Novel mutations in Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus reverse transcriptase increase thermostability through tighter binding to template-primer

In an effort to increase the thermostability of Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus reverse transcriptase (MMLV RT), we screened random and site-saturation libraries for variants that show increased resistance to thermal inactivation. We discovered five mutations E69K, E302R, W313F, L435G and N454K that collectively increase the half-life of MMLV RT at 55°C from less than 5 min to ∼30 min in the presence of template-primer. In addition, these mutations alter the thermal profile by increasing specific activity of the pentuple mutant (M5) over a broad range of cDNA synthesis temperatures (25–70°C). We further show that M5 generates higher cDNA yields and exhibits better RT–PCR performance compared to wild-type RT when used at high temperature to amplify RNA targets containing secondary structure. Finally, we demonstrate that M5 exhibits tighter binding (lower K_m) to template-primer, which likely protects against heat inactivation.

Studies on the inhibition of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase by N-tritylamino acids and N-tritylamino acid-nucleotide compounds

N-Acylated derivatives of 8-(6-aminohexyl) amino-adenosine-5 '-phosphate were prepared and studied with regard to their effect on DNA synthesis by the Moloney leukemia virus reverse transcriptase. N-palmitoyl and N-nicotinyl derivatives and bis-8-(6-aminohexyl) amino-5'-AMP inhibited the enzyme partially using poly (rA).oligo d(pT)(16-18) as template-primer with [(3)H]dTTP. In order to increase hydrophobicity in the acyl component tethered to the 8-(6-aminohexyl) amino group on the adenine nucleotide, N-trityl-L-phenylalanine and the N-trityl derivatives of the o, m, and p-fluoro-DL-phenylalanine were initially examined for inhibition of the enzyme using the above template-primer system. The compounds all inhibited the reverse transcriptase with IC(50) values of approximately 60-80 microM. However, when N-trityl-m-fluoro-DL-phenylalanine was coupled to the nucleotide 8-(6-aminohexyl) amino-adenosine-5'-phosphate, the inhibitory activity of this compound increased significantly (IC(50) = 5 microM).

Murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase: structural comparison with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

Recent X-ray crystal structure determinations of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (MoMLV RT) have allowed for more accurate structure/function comparisons to HIV-1 RT than were formerly possible. Previous biochemical studies of MoMLV RT in conjunction with knowledge of sequence homologies to HIV-1 RT and overall fold similarities to RTs in general, provided a foundation upon which to build. In addition, numerous crystal structures of the MoMLV RT fingers/palm subdomain had also shed light on one of the critical functions of the enzyme, specifically polymerization. Now in the advent of new structural information, more intricate examination of MoMLV RT in its entirety can be realized, and thus the comparisons with HIV-1 RT may be more critically elucidated. Here, we will review the similarities and differences between MoMLV RT and HIV-1 RT via structural analysis, and propose working models for the MoMLV RT based upon that information.

A high-throughput, high-resolution strategy for the study of site-selective DNA binding agents: analysis of a "highly twisted" benzimidazole-diamidine

A general strategy for the rapid structural analysis of DNA binding ligands is described as it was applied to the study of RT29, a benzimidazole-diamidine compound containing a highly twisted diphenyl ether linkage. By combining the existing high-throughput fluorescent intercalator displacement (HT-FID) assay developed by Boger et al. and a high-resolution (HR) host-guest crystallographic technique, a system was produced that was capable of determining detailed structural information pertaining to RT29-DNA interactions within approximately 3 days. Our application of the HT/HR strategy immediately revealed that RT29 has a preference for 4-base pair (bp), A.T-rich sites (AATT) and a similar tolerance and affinity for three A-T-bp sites (such as ATTC) containing a G.C bp. On the basis of these selectivities, oligonucleotides were designed and the host-guest crystallographic method was used to generate diffraction quality crystals. Analysis of the resulting crystal structures revealed that the diphenyl ether moiety of RT29 undergoes conformational changes that allow it to adopt a crescent shape that now complements the minor groove structure. The presence of a G.C bp in the RT29 binding site of ATTC did not overly perturb its interaction with DNA-the compound adjusted to the nucleobases that were available through water-mediated interactions. Our analyses suggest that the HT/HR strategy may be used to expedite the screening of novel minor groove binding compounds leading to a direct, HR structural determination.

High-throughput, library-based selection of a murine leukemia virus variant to infect nondividing cells

Gammaretroviruses, such as murine leukemia virus (MLV), are functionally distinguished from lentiviruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus, by their inability to infect nondividing cells. Attempts to engineer this property into MLV have been hindered by an incomplete understanding of early events in the viral life cycle. We utilized a transposon-based method to generate saturated peptide insertion libraries of MLV gag-pol variants with nuclear localization signals randomly incorporated throughout these overlapping genes. High-throughput selection of the libraries via iterative retroviral infection of nondividing cells led to the identification of a novel variant that successfully transduced growth-arrested cells. Vector packaging by cotransfection of the gag-pol.NLS variant with wild-type gag-pol produced high-titer virions capable of infecting neurons in vitro and in vivo. The capacity of mutant virions to transduce nondividing cells could help to elucidate incompletely understood mechanisms of the viral life cycle and greatly broaden the gene therapy applications of retroviral vectors. Furthermore, the ability to engineer key intracellular viral infection steps has potential implications for the understanding, design, and control of other post-entry events. Finally, this method of library generation and selection for a desired phenotype directly in a mammalian system can be readily expanded to address other challenges in protein engineering.

Crystal structures of oligonucleotides including the integrase processing site of the Moloney murine leukemia virus

In the first step of retroviral integration, integrase cleaves the linear viral DNA within its long terminal repeat (LTR) immediately 3′ to the CA dinucleotide step, resulting in a reactive 3′ OH on one strand and a 5′ two base overhang on the complementary strand. In order to investigate the structural properties of the 3′ end processing site within the Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) LTR d(TCTTTCATT), a host-guest crystallographic method was employed to determine the structures of four self-complementary 16 bp oligonucleotides including LTR sequences (underlined), d(TTTCATTGCAATGAAA), d(CTTTCATTAATGAAAG), d(TCTTTCATATGAAAGA) and d(CACAATGATCATTGTG), the guests, complexed with the N-terminal fragment of MMLV reverse transcriptase, the host. The structures of the LTR-containing oligonucleotides were compared to those of non-LTR oligonucleotides crystallized in the same lattice. Properties unique to the CA dinucleotide step within the LTR sequence, independent of its position from the end of the duplex, include a positive roll angle and negative slide value. This propensity for the CA dinucleotide step within the MMLV LTR sequence to adopt only positive roll angles is likely influenced by the more rigid, invariable 3′ and 5′ flanking TT dinucleotide steps and may be important for specific recognition and/or cleavage by the MMLV integrase.

The crystal structure of the monomeric reverse transcriptase from Moloney murine leukemia virus

Reverse transcriptases (RTs) are multidomain enzymes of variable architecture that couple both RNA- and DNA-directed DNA polymerase activities with an RNase H activity specific for an RNA:DNA hybrid in order to replicate the single-stranded RNA genome of the retrovirus. Previous structural work has been reported for the heterodimeric HIV-1 and HIV-2 RTs. We now report the first crystal structure of the full-length Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) RT at 3.0 A resolution. The structure reveals a clamp-shaped molecule resulting from the relative positions of the thumb, connection, and RNase H domains that is strikingly different from the HIV-1 RT and provides the first example of a monomeric reverse transcriptase. A comparative analysis with related DNA polymerases suggests a unique trajectory for the template-primer exiting the polymerase active site and provides insights regarding processive DNA synthesis by MMLV RT.

Structural and energetic characterization of nucleic acid-binding to the fingers domain of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase

Reverse transcriptase is an essential retroviral enzyme that replicates the single-stranded RNA genome of the retrovirus producing a double-stranded DNA copy, which is subsequently integrated into the host's genome. We have previously reported that processive DNA synthesis of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (MMLV RT) is severely compromised by substitution of an Ala for the fingers domain residue Arg 116. In order to further investigate the role of Arg 116 in interactions of MMLV RT with nucleic acids, we have determined the crystal structure of the R116A N-terminal fragment and characterized the binding of two self-complementary DNA duplexes [d(CATGCATG)2 and d(CGCGCGCG)2] to both the wild-type and R116A fragments by isothermal titration calorimetry. The resultant thermodynamic profiles extrapolated to 25 degrees C reveal that binding of the wild-type N-terminal fragment to both DNA duplexes is enthalpy-driven and characterized by an unfavorable entropy. Although the temperature dependence of the respective protein-DNA binding enthalpies is markedly different reflecting distinct heat capacity changes, the binding free energies are nearly identical and relatively invariant to temperature (DeltaG approximately -6.0 kcal x mol(-1)). In contrast to the wild-type fragment, the R116A fragment exhibits no measurable affinity for either DNA duplex, yet its crystal structure reveals no significant changes when compared to the wild-type structures. We suggest that hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the fingers domain residue Arg 116 are critical for DNA binding as well as processive DNA synthesis by MMLV RT.

A host-guest approach for determining drug-DNA interactions: an example using netropsin

Netropsin is a well-characterized DNA minor groove binding compound that serves as a model for the study of drug-DNA interactions. Our laboratory has developed a novel host-guest approach to study drug-DNA interactions in which the host, the N-terminal fragment of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (MMLV RT) is co-crystallized with a DNA oligonucleotide guest in the presence and absence of drug. We have co-crystallized netropsin with the RT fragment bound to the symmetric 16mer d(CTTAATTCGAATTAAG)2 and determined the structure of the complex at 1.85 A. In contrast to previously reported netropsin-DNA structures, our oligonucleotide contains two AATT sites that bind netropsin with flanking 5' and 3' sequences that are not symmetric. The asymmetric unit of the RT fragment-DNA-netropsin crystals contains one protein molecule and one-half of the 16mer with one netropsin molecule bound. The guanidinium moiety of netropsin binds in a narrow part of the minor groove, while the amidinium is bound in the widest region within the site. We compare this structure to other Class I netropsin-DNA structures and find that the asymmetry of minor groove widths in the AATT site contributes to the orientation of netropsin within the groove while hydrogen bonding patterns vary in the different structures.

Requirements for DNA unpairing during displacement synthesis by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

DNA displacement synthesis by reverse transcriptase during retroviral replication is required for the production of the linear precursor to integration. The sensitivity of unpaired thymines to KMnO(4) oxidation was used to probe for the extent of DNA melting by human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase in front of the primer terminus in model oligonucleotide-based displacement constructs. Unpairing of the two base pairs downstream of the primer (+1 and +2 positions) requires the presence of the next correct dNTP, indicating that DNA melting only occurs after the formation of the ternary complex with the enzyme tightly clamped around the DNA. The amount or extent of DNA melting is not significantly affected by the length of the already-displaced strand or the base composition of the DNA beyond the +2 position. The F61W mutant form of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, which is partially impaired for displacement synthesis, exhibits a reduction in the amount of melting at the +1 and +2 positions. These results demonstrate the importance of the observed melting to displacement synthesis and suggest that the unpairing reaction is mediated by an intimate association between the fingers region of the enzyme and the DNA in the closed clamp conformation of the protein.

Structural basis for proteolysis-dependent activation of the poliovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

The active RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of poliovirus, 3Dpol, is generated by cleavage of the 3CDpro precursor protein, a protease that has no polymerase activity despite containing the entire polymerase domain. By intentionally disrupting a known and persistent crystal packing interaction, we have crystallized the poliovirus polymerase in a new space group and solved the complete structure of the protein at 2.0 A resolution. It shows that the N-terminus of fully processed 3Dpol is buried in a surface pocket where it makes hydrogen bonds that act to position Asp238 in the active site. Asp238 is an essential residue that selects for the 2' OH group of substrate rNTPs, as shown by a 2.35 A structure of a 3Dpol-GTP complex. Mutational, biochemical, and structural data further demonstrate that 3Dpol activity is exquisitely sensitive to mutations at the N-terminus. This sensitivity is the result of allosteric effects where the structure around the buried N-terminus directly affects the positioning of Asp238 in the active site.

Probing minor groove recognition contacts by DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases using 3-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosine

Standard nucleobases all present electron density as an unshared pair of electrons to the minor groove of the double helix. Many heterocycles supporting artificial genetic systems lack this electron pair. To determine how different DNA polymerases use the pair as a substrate specificity determinant, three Family A polymerases, three Family B polymerases and three reverse transcriptases were examined for their ability to handle 3-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosine (c3dA), an analog of 2'-deoxyadenosine lacking the minor groove electron pair. Different polymerases differed widely in their interaction with c3dA. Most notably, Family A and Family B polymerases differed in their use of this interaction to exploit their exonuclease activities. Significant differences were also found within polymerase families. This plasticity in polymerase behavior is encouraging to those wishing to develop a synthetic biology based on artificial genetic systems. The differences also suggest either that Family A and Family B polymerases do not share a common ancestor, that minor groove contact was not used by that ancestor functionally or that this contact was not sufficiently critical to fitness to have been conserved as the polymerase families diverged. Each interpretation is significant for understanding the planetary biology of polymerases.

Staying straight with A-tracts: a DNA analog of the HIV-1 polypurine tract

The polypurine tract (PPT) from the HIV-1 genome is resistant to digestion by reverse transcriptase following (-)-strand synthesis and is used to prime (+)-strand synthesis during retroviral replication. We have determined the crystal structure of the asymmetric DNA/DNA analog16-mer duplex (CTTTTTAAAAGAAAAG/CTTTTCTTTTAAAAAG) comprising most of the "visible" portion of the RNA:DNA hybrid from the polypurine tract of HIV-1, which was previously reported in a complex with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Our 16-mer completely encompasses a 10-mer DNA duplex analog of the HIV-1 PPT. We report here a detailed analysis of our B' form 16-mer DNA structure, including three full pure A-tracts, as well as a comparative structural analysis with polypurine tract and other A-tract-containing nucleic acid structures. Our analysis reveals that the polypurine tract structures share structural features despite being different nucleic acid forms (i.e. DNA:DNA versus RNA:DNA). In addition, the previously reported A-tract-containing DNA molecules bound to topoisomerase I are remarkably similar to our polypurine tract 16-mer structure. On the basis of our analysis, we suggest that the specific topology of long pure A-tracts is remarkably comparable across a wide array of biological environments.

Recognition of nucleic acid bases and base-pairs by hydrogen bonding to amino acid side-chains

Sequence-specific protein-nucleic acid recognition is determined, in part, by hydrogen bonding interactions between amino acid side-chains and nucleotide bases. To examine the repertoire of possible interactions, we have calculated geometrically plausible arrangements in which amino acids hydrogen bond to unpaired bases, such as those found in RNA bulges and loops, or to the 53 possible RNA base-pairs. We find 32 possible interactions that involve two or more hydrogen bonds to the six unpaired bases (including protonated A and C), 17 of which have been observed. We find 186 "spanning" interactions to base-pairs in which the amino acid hydrogen bonds to both bases, in principle allowing particular base-pairs to be selectively targeted, and nine of these have been observed. Four calculated interactions span the Watson-Crick pairs and 15 span the G:U wobble pair, including two interesting arrangements with three hydrogen bonds to the Arg guanidinum group that have not yet been observed. The inherent donor-acceptor arrangements of the bases support many possible interactions to Asn (or Gln) and Ser (or Thr or Tyr), few interactions to Asp (or Glu) even though several already have been observed, and interactions to U (or T) only if the base is in an unpaired context, as also observed in several cases. This study highlights how complementary arrangements of donors and acceptors can contribute to base-specific recognition of RNA, predicts interactions not yet observed, and provides tools to analyze proposed contacts or design novel interactions.

Lysine 152 of MuLV reverse transcriptase is required for the integrity of the active site

Comparison of the three-dimensional structure of the active sites of MuLV and HIV-1 reverse transcriptases shows the presence of a lysine residue (K152) in the substrate-binding region in MuLV RT, while its equivalent position in HIV-1 RT is occupied by a glycine (G112). To investigate the role of K152 in the mechanism of the polymerase reaction catalyzed by MuLV RT, four mutant RTs, namely, K152A, K152R, K152E, and K152G, were generated and biochemically characterized. All muteins exhibited reduced polymerase activity on both RNA and DNA template-primers with K152E being the most defective. The template-primer binding affinity and the processivity of DNA synthesis, however, remained unchanged. The steady-state kinetic characterization showed little change in K(m.dNTP) (except for that of K152E) and an approximately 3-10-fold decrease in k(cat) depending upon the template-primer and mutational substitutions. The ddNTP resistance patterns were unchanged for all muteins, suggesting no participation of K152 in ddNTP recognition. The ability of individual muteins to add dNTP on the covalently cross-linked enzyme-template-primer complex was significantly decreased. These results together with the analysis of the ion pairs in the catalytic apparatus of MuLV RT suggest that K152 participates in maintaining the integrity of the active site of MuLV RT. Examination of the prepolymerase ternary complex formation showed that neither the wild type nor any of the K152 muteins of MuLV RT are capable of forming stable ternary complexes. This property is in contrast to that of HIV-1 RT, which readily forms stable ternary complexes under similar conditions. These results further indicate that the catalytic mechanism of MuLV RT is significantly different from that of HIV-1 RT, despite the presence of a number of conserved motifs and amino acid residues.

The novel human HUEL (C4orf1) protein shares homology with the DNA-binding domain of the XPA DNA repair protein and displays nuclear translocation in a cell cycle-dependent manner

We have previously isolated and characterized a novel human gene HUEL (C4orf1) that is ubiquitously expressed in a wide range of human fetal, adult tissues and cancer cell lines. HUEL maps to region 4p12-p13 within the short arm of chromosome 4 whose deletion is frequently associated with bladder and other carcinomas. Here we present the genomic organization, sizes and boundaries of exons and introns of HUEL. The GC-rich upstream genomic region and 5' untranslated region (UTR) together constitute a CpG island, a hallmark of housekeeping genes. The 3250 bp HUEL cDNA incorporates a 1704 bp ORF that translates into a hydrophilic protein of 568-amino acids (aa), detected as a band of approximately 70 kDa by Western blotting. We have isolated the murine homolog of HUEL which exhibits 89% nucleotide and 94% amino acid identity to its human counterpart. The HUEL protein shares significant homology with the minimal DNA-binding domain (DNA-BD) of the DNA repair protein encoded by the xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA) gene. Other notable features within HUEL include the putative nuclear receptor interaction motif, nuclear localization and export signals, zinc finger, leucine zipper and acidic domains. Mimosine-mediated cell cycle synchronization of PLC/PRF/5 liver cancer cells clearly portrayed translocation of HUEL into the nucleus specifically during the S phase of the cell cycle. Yeast two-hybrid experiments revealed interactions of HUEL with two partner proteins (designated HIPC and HIPB) bearing similarity to a mitotically phosphorylated protein and to reverse transcriptase. Co-immunoprecipitation assays validated the interaction between HUEL and HIPC proteins in mammalian cells. HUEL is likely to be an evolutionarily conserved, housekeeping gene that plays a role intimately linked with cellular replication, DNA synthesis and/or transcriptional regulation.

Conformational analysis of nevirapine, a non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor, based on quantum mechanical calculations

The structure and the conformational behavior of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor, 11-cyclopropyl-5,11dihydro-4-methyl-6H-dipyrido[3,2-b2',3'-e][1,4]diazepin-6-one (nevirapine), is investigated by semiempirical (MNDO, AMI and PM3) method, ab initio at the HF/3-21G and HF/6-31G** levels and density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G** level. The fully optimized structure and rotational potential of the nitrogen and carbon bond in the cyclopropyl ring were examined in detail. A similar geometrical minimum is obtained from all methods which shows an almost identical structure to the geometry of the molecule in the complex structure with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. To get some information on the structure in solution, NMR chemical shift calculations were also performed by a density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G** level, using GIAO approximation. The calculated 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra for the energy minimum geometry agree well with the experimental results, which indicated that the geometry of nevirapine in solution is very similar to that of the molecule in the inhibition complex. Furthermore, the obtained results are compared to the conformational studies of other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and reveal a common agreement of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The specific butterfly-like shape and conformational flexibility within the side chain of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors play an important role inducing conformational change of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase structure and are essential for the association at the inhibition pocket.

DNA deformability as a recognition feature in the reverb response element

Most nuclear receptors recognize the same consensus hexameric sequence, AGGTCA. An important question has been how the various members of this transcription factor family distinguish identity features in these closely related DNA sites. We determined structures from several crystal forms of the RevErb-DNA complex and analyzed the patterns of protein-DNA interactions and DNA distortions. We found a significant and consistent DNA distortion at a TA step directly preceding the first consensus 5'-AGGTCA-3' recognition sequence. Importantly, while this base-pair sequence is associated with RevErb's high-affinity sites, there are no sequence-specific contacts formed with the protein. Our study shows that RevErb relies instead on the intrinsic geometry and flexibility of this TA site to make the required fit between the proteins' independent major groove and minor groove binding interactions, which occur on both sides of the TA step. Our findings extend the description of response element discrimination to include a role for sequence-dependent DNA deformations and suggest how other monomeric members of this superfamily, such as NGFI-B, SF-1, and ROR, could also recognize unique geometric features in their DNA targets.

A directed approach to improving the solubility of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase

One of the difficulties that can impede structural work on a molecule of interest is limited solubility. Although functionally similar to the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT), the Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase (MMLV RT) differs both in architecture and solubility properties. Reverse transcriptase is an essential retroviral enzyme that replicates the single-stranded RNA genome of the retrovirus producing a double-stranded DNA copy, which is subsequently integrated into the host's genome. We have introduced a single amino acid substitution in the connection domain of an N-terminally truncated MMLV RT (L435K) that significantly improves the solubility of the enzyme eliminating the need for nonionic detergents in buffering storage solutions. The substituted enzyme retains near wild-type polymerase activity. An important consequence of the improved solubility of the L435K MMLV RT has been the ability to obtain diffraction quality crystals.

A structural basis for processivity

The structures of a number of processive enzymes have been determined recently. These proteins remain attached to their polymeric substrates and may perform thousands of rounds of catalysis before dissociating. Based on the degree of enclosure of the substrate, the structures fall into two broad categories. In one group, the substrate is partially enclosed, while in the other class, enclosure is complete. In the latter case, enclosure is achieved by way of an asymmetric structure for some enzymes while others use a symmetrical toroid. In those cases where the protein completely encloses its polymeric substrate, the two are topologically linked and an immediate explanation for processivity is provided. In cases where there is only partial enclosure, the structural basis for processivity is less obvious. There are, for example, pairs of proteins that have quite similar structures but differ substantially in their processivity. It does appear, however, that the enzymes that are processive tend to be those that more completely enclose their substrates. In general terms, proteins that do not use topological restraint appear to achieve processivity by using a large interaction surface. This allows the enzyme to bind with moderate affinity at a multitude of adjacent sites distributed along its polymeric substrate. At the same time, the use of a large interaction surface minimizes the possibility that the enzyme might bind at a small number of sites with much higher affinity, which would interfere with sliding. Proteins that can both slide along a polymeric substrate, and, as well, recognize highly specific sites (e.g., some site-specific DNA-binding proteins) appear to undergo a conformational change between the cognate and noncognate-binding modes.

Reverse transcriptase incorporation of 1,5-anhydrohexitol nucleotides

Several reverse transcriptases were studied for their ability to accept anhydrohexitol triphosphates, having a conformationally restricted six-membered ring, as substrate for template-directed synthesis of HNA. It was found that AMV, M-MLV, M-MLV (H(-)), RAV2 and HIV-1 reverse transcriptases were able to recognise the anhydrohexitol triphosphate as substrate and to efficiently catalyse the incorporation of one non-natural anhydrohexitol nucleotide opposite a natural complementary nucleotide. However, only the dimeric enzymes, the RAV2 and HIV-1 reverse transcriptases, seemed to be able to further extend the primer with another anhydrohexitol building block. Subsequently, several HIV-1 mutants (4xAZT, 4xAZT/L100I, L74V, M184V and K65A) were likewise analysed, resulting in selection of K65A and, in particular, M184V as the most succesful mutant HIV-1 reverse transcriptases capable of elongating a DNA primer with several 1,5-anhydrohexitol adenines in an efficient way. Results of kinetic experiments in the presence of this enzyme revealed that incorporation of one anhydrohexitol nucleotide of adenine or thymine gave an increased (for 1,5-anhydrohexitol-ATP) and a slightly decreased (for 1,5-anhydrohexitol-TTP) K(m) value in comparison to that of their natural counterparts. However, no more than four analogues could be inserted under the experimental conditions required for selective incorporation. Investigation of incorporation of the altritol anhydrohexitol nucleotide of adenine in the presence of M184V and Vent (exo(-)) DNA polymerase proved that an adjacent hydroxyl group on C3 of 1,5-anhydrohexitol-ATP has a detrimental effect on the substrate activity of the six-ring analogue. These results could be rationalised based on the X-ray structure of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.

Proteolytic processing of the human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1 reverse transcriptase: identification of the N-terminal cleavage site by mass spectrometry

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1) is a type C human retrovirus, which is the causative agent of Adult T-cell Leukemia and other diseases. The reverse transcriptase of HTLV-1 (E.C. 2.7.7.49) is synthesized as part of a Gag--Pro--Pol precursor protein, and the mature Gag, Pro, and Pol proteins, including the reverse transcriptase, are created by proteolytic processing catalyzed by the viral protease. The location of the proteolytic cleavage site, which creates the N-terminus of mature HTLV-1 reverse transcriptase, has not been previously identified. By using sequence comparisons of several retroviral polymerases, as well as information about the location of the ribosomal frameshift, we tentatively identified this N-terminal processing site. PCR amplification was used to construct a clone, which spans a region of the pro--pol junction of HTLV-1, to produce a recombinant Pro--Pol protein spanning the locations of those cleavage sites proposed by others as well as the one identified by our sequence alignment. Cleavage of the recombinant Pro--Pol protein by HTLV-1 protease generated a 5.5-kDa fragment. Analysis of this fragment by capillary LC-MS and MS/MS revealed the N-terminal cleavage site to be between Leu(147)--Pro(148) of the pro ORF. This is the first physical identification of the authentic amino acid sequence of the reverse transcriptase of HTLV-1. The data reported here provides a basis for further investigation of the function and structural aspects of protein-nucleic interaction.

Substitution of Asp114 or Arg116 in the fingers domain of moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase affects interactions with the template-primer resulting in decreased processivity

Reverse transcriptase, an essential retroviral DNA polymerase, replicates the single-stranded RNA genome of the retrovirus, producing a double-stranded DNA copy, which is subsequently integrated into the host's genome. Substitution of Ala for either Asp114 or Arg116, two highly conserved residues in the fingers domain of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase, results in enzymes (D114A or R116A) with significant defects in their abilities to processively synthesize DNA using RNA or DNA as a template. D114A and R116A enzymes also bind more weakly to template-primer in the presence of added deoxyribonucleotides, as seen by gel-shift analysis, but retain the ability to strand transfer and accumulate smaller RNase H cleavage products when compared to the wild-type enzyme. In addition, mutant proviruses, including D114A and R116A substitutions in Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase, are not viable despite the presence of processed reverse transcriptase in the viral particles. A potential mechanistic role in processive synthesis for D114 and R116 is discussed in the context of our results, related studies on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, and previous structural studies.

Role of murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate-binding site in retroviral replication and in vivo fidelity

Retroviral populations exhibit a high evolutionary potential, giving rise to extensive genetic variation. Error-prone DNA synthesis catalyzed by reverse transcriptase (RT) generates variation in retroviral populations. Structural features within RTs are likely to contribute to the high rate of errors that occur during reverse transcription. We sought to determine whether amino acids within murine leukemia virus (MLV) RT that contact the deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) substrate are important for in vivo fidelity of reverse transcription. We utilized the previously described ANGIE P encapsidating cell line, which expresses the amphotropic MLV envelope and a retroviral vector (pGA-1). pGA-1 expresses the bacterial beta-galactosidase gene (lacZ), which serves as a reporter of mutations. Extensive mutagenesis was performed on residues likely to interact with the dNTP substrate, and the effects of these mutations on the fidelity of reverse transcription were determined. As expected, most substitution mutations of amino acids that directly interact with the dNTP substrate significantly reduced viral titers (>10,000-fold), indicating that these residues played a critical role in catalysis and viral replication. However, the D153A and A154S substitutions, which are predicted to affect the interactions with the triphosphate, resulted in statistically significant increases in the mutation rate. In addition, the conservative substitution F155W, which may affect interactions with the base and the ribose, increased the mutation rate 2.8-fold. Substitutions of residues in the vicinity of the dNTP-binding site also resulted in statistically significant decreases in fidelity (1. 3- to 2.4-fold). These results suggest that mutations of residues that contact the substrate dNTP can affect viral replication as well as alter the fidelity of reverse transcription.

Structure-based moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase mutants with altered intracellular direct-repeat deletion frequencies

Template switching rates of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase mutants were tested using a retroviral vector-based direct-repeat deletion assay. The reverse transcriptase mutants contained alterations in residues that modeling of substrates into the catalytic core had suggested might affect interactions with primer and/or template strands. As assessed by the frequency of functional lacZ gene generation from vectors in which lacZ was disrupted by insertion of a sequence duplication, the frequency of template switching varied more than threefold among fully replication-competent mutants. Some mutants displayed deletion rates that were lower and others displayed rates that were higher than that of wild-type virus. Replication for the mutants with the most significant alterations in template switching frequencies was similar to that of the wild type. These data suggest that reverse transcriptase template switching rates can be altered significantly without destroying normal replication functions.

Role of Q190 of MuLV RT in ddNTP resistance and fidelity of DNA synthesis: a molecular model of interactions with substrates

Gln190 of MuLV reverse transcriptase (RT) plays an important role in the catalytic mechanism of MuLV RT for its conservative and non-conservative mutant derivatives exhibit low catalytic activity. We now report that both Q190N and Q190A MuLV RTs are more efficient in their activity to incorporate ddNTPs and exhibit higher fidelity than the wild-type (WT) enzyme of DNA synthesis in both RNA- and DNA-directed reactions. To obtain some insight into the structural basis for the differential utilization of dNTP and ddNTP by the mutant enzymes, we modeled the binary and the ternary complexes of MuLV RT using corresponding HIV-1 RT structures and available structure of the fragment of MuLV RT. Q190 of MuLV RT appears to be essential for the interaction with 3'OH of dNTP. The lack of a 3'OH moiety in ddNTP does not permit the binding of ddNTPs to WT MuLV RT. However, the shorter side chain of Q190N (or A) mutant MuLV RT and the absence of 3'OH in ddNTP result in the rearrangement of hydrophobic interactions favoring the binding and limited incorporation of ddNTPs. In addition, while modeling the binary and ternary complexes of MuLV RT, we noted that in the formation of the ternary complex, an interaction of Q190 with dNTP substrate requires a shift from its interaction with the template base. This may be achieved by a small conformational change or motion of the loop between beta9 and alphaH containing Q190, which may correspond to the conformational change step requiring participation of Q190 during the catalytic reaction as reported in an earlier biochemical investigation.