Identification of lentivirus tat functional domains through generation of equine infectious anemia virus/human immunodeficiency virus type 1 tat gene chimeras

HIV-1C and HIV-1B Tat protein polymorphism in Southern Brazil

The transactivator of transcription (Tat) is a key HIV regulatory protein. We aimed to identify the frequency of key polymorphisms in HIV-1C compared with HIV-1B Tat protein, chiefly in the cysteine-, arginine-, and glutamine-rich domains and identify novel point mutations in HIV-1B and C sequences from Southern Brazil. This study was the first to investigate the genetic diversity and point mutations within HIV-1 Tat C in a Brazilian cohort. This was an observational, cross-sectional study, which included sequences of HIV-1B (n = 20) and HIV-1C (n = 21) from Southern Brazil. Additionally, 344 HIV-1C sequences were obtained from the Los Alamos database: 29 from Brazil and 315 from Africa, Asia, and Europe. The frequency of C31S substitution on HIV-1 Tat C in Brazil was 82% vs. 10% in the HIV-1B group (p < 0.0001). The frequency of the R57S substitution among the HIV-1C sequences from Brazil was 74% vs. 20% in HIV-1B (p = 0.004), and that of substitution Q63E in HIV-1C was 80% and 20% in HIV-1B (p < 0.0001). The mutation P60Q was more frequent in HIV-1B than in HIV-1C (55% and 6.12%, respectively, p < 0.0001)). Novel point mutations in the HIV-1C and B Tat functional domains were described. The frequency of C31S and other key point mutations in HIV-1 Tat C in Brazil were similar to those described in Africa, although lower than those in India. The Tat-B and C sequences found in Southern Brazil are consistent with biological differences and have potential implications for HIV-1 subtype pathogenesis.

Regulation of Cas9 by viral proteins Tat and Rev for HIV-1 inactivation

While combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has had a great impact on the treatment of HIV-1 infection, the persistence of long-lived cells with an intact provirus precludes virus eradication and sterilizing cure. CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing has become an efficient tool to eradicate HIV-1 genome or prevent replication. Furthermore, regulation of Cas9 gene expression by HIV can induce mutations that could inactivate the proviral genome, making a gene therapy safe by preventing the induction of non-specific mutations, which could compromise the integrity of healthy cells. In this study, isolated HIV-1 LTR, INS and RRE sequences were used to regulate Cas9 expression in HEK293 cells, and guide RNAs (gRNAs) were designed to target mutations in HIV-1 conserved regions such as tat and rev regulatory genes. We demonstrate that Cas9 expression in our system is controlled by the HIV-1 Tat and Rev proteins, leading to self-regulation of gene edition, and showing a strong antiviral effect by inactivating HIV-1 replication. Sequencing analysis confirmed that viral genome was partially excised by multiplex editing (90% efficiency), and viral capsid protein (CA-p24) was undetectable. In conclusion, the self-regulated CRISPR/Cas9 system may be a reliable and accurate strategy for eliminating HIV-1 infection whose effect will be restricted to infected cells.

Molecular Characterization of the Major Open Reading Frames (ORFs) and Enhancer Elements From Four Geographically Distinct North American Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) Isolates

Although the equine lentivirus (equine infectious anemia virus [EIAV]) poses a major threat to equid populations throughout most regions of the world, detailed knowledge concerning its molecular epidemiology is still in its infancy. Such information is important because the few studies conducted to date suggest there is extensive genetic variation between viral isolates that if confirmed has significant implications for future vaccine design and development of newer diagnostic procedures. Here, we avoid potential assembly artifacts inherent in composite sequencing techniques by using long-range PCR in conjunction with next-generation sequencing for the rapid molecular characterization of all major open reading frames (ORFs) and known transcription factor binding motifs within the long terminal repeats (LTRs) of four North American EIAV isolates from Pennsylvania (EIAV_PA), Tennessee (EIAV_TN), North Carolina (EIAV_NC), and Florida (EIAV_FL). These were compared with complete published EIAV field strain genomic sequences from Asia (EIAV_LIA, EIAV_MIY), Europe (EIAV_IRE), and North America (EIAV_WY) plus EIAV_UK a laboratory variant of EIAV_WY. Phylogenetic analysis using the long-range PCR products suggested all the New World EIAV isolates comprised a single monophyletic group associated with EIAV_IRE. This is distinct from the Asian isolates and so consistent with known historical details concerning the reintroduction of equids into North America by European settlers. Nonetheless nucleotide sequence identity for example between EIAV_PA and EIAV_TN, EIAV_NC, EIAV_FL, EIAV_WY, EIAV_UK plus EIAV_IRE was limited to 84.6%, 81.0%, 82.1%, 80.4%, 80.1%, and 77.6%, respectively, with some of these values being not too dissimilar to those between EIAV_PA and EIAV_LIA or EIAV_MIY at 78.0% and 75.4%, respectively. Overall, these results suggest substantial genetic diversity exists even within North American EIAV isolates. Comparative alignment of predicted amino acid sequences from all strains provides increased understanding concerning the extent of permitted substitutions in each viral ORF and known transcriptional LTR control elements.

PKCθ and HIV-1 Transcriptional Regulator Tat Co-exist at the LTR Promoter in CD4(+) T Cells

PKCθ is essential for the activation of CD4⁺ T cells. Upon TCR/CD28 stimulation, PKCθ is phosphorylated and migrates to the immunological synapse, inducing the activation of cellular transcription factors such as NF-κB and kinases as ERK that are critical for HIV-1 replication. We previously demonstrated that PKCθ is also necessary for HIV-1 replication but the precise mechanism is unknown. Efficient HIV-1 transcription and elongation are absolutely dependent on the synergy between NF-κB and the viral regulator Tat. Tat exerts its function by binding a RNA stem-loop structure proximal to the viral mRNA cap site termed TAR. Besides, due to its effect on cellular metabolic pathways, Tat causes profound changes in infected CD4⁺ T cells such as the activation of NF-κB and ERK. We hypothesized that the aberrant upregulation of Tat-mediated activation of NF-κB and ERK occurred through PKCθ signaling. In fact, Jurkat TetOff cells with stable and doxycycline-repressible expression of Tat (Jurkat-Tat) expressed high levels of mRNA for PKCθ. In these cells, PKCθ located at the plasma membrane was phosphorylated at T⁵³⁸ residue in undivided cells, in the absence of stimulation. Treatment with doxycycline inhibited PKCθ phosphorylation in Jurkat-Tat, suggesting that Tat expression was directly related to the activation of PKCθ. Both NF-κB and Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway were significantly activated in Jurkat-Tat cells, and this correlated with high transactivation of HIV-1 LTR promoter. RNA interference for PKCθ inhibited NF-κB and ERK activity, as well as LTR-mediated transactivation even in the presence of Tat. In addition to Tat-mediated activation of PKCθ in the cytosol, we demonstrated by sequential ChIP that Tat and PKCθ coexisted in the same complex bound at the HIV-1 LTR promoter, specifically at the region containing TAR loop. In conclusion, PKCθ-Tat interaction seemed to be essential for HIV-1 replication in CD4⁺ T cells and could be used as a therapeutic target.

Genetic characterization by composite sequence analysis of a new pathogenic field strain of equine infectious anemia virus from the 2006 outbreak in Ireland

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), the causative agent of equine infectious anaemia (EIA), possesses the least-complex genomic organization of any known extant lentivirus. Despite this relative genetic simplicity, all of the complete genomic sequences published to date are derived from just two viruses, namely the North American EIAVWYOMING (EIAVWY) and Chinese EIAVLIAONING (EIAVLIA) strains. In 2006, an outbreak of EIA occurred in Ireland, apparently as a result of the importation of contaminated horse plasma from Italy and subsequent iatrogenic transmission to foals. This EIA outbreak was characterized by cases of severe, sometimes fatal, disease. To begin to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this pathogenic phenotype, complete proviral genomic sequences in the form of 12 overlapping PCR-generated fragments were obtained from four of the EIAV-infected animals, including two of the index cases. Sequence analysis of multiple molecular clones produced from each fragment demonstrated the extent of diversity within individual viral genes and permitted construction of consensus whole-genome sequences for each of the four viral isolates. In addition, complete env gene sequences were obtained from 11 animals with differing clinical profiles, despite exposure to a common EIAV source. Although the overall genomic organization of the Irish EIAV isolates was typical of that seen in all other strains, the European viruses possessed ≤80 % nucleotide sequence identity with either EIAVWY or EIAVLIA. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis suggested that the Irish EIAV isolates developed independently of the North American and Chinese viruses and that they constitute a separate monophyletic group.

The presence of HIV-1 Tat protein second exon delays fas protein-mediated apoptosis in CD4+ T lymphocytes: a potential mechanism for persistent viral production

HIV-1 replication is efficiently controlled by the regulator protein Tat (101 amino acids) and codified by two exons, although the first exon (1-72 amino acids) is sufficient for this process. Tat can be released to the extracellular medium, acting as a soluble pro-apoptotic factor in neighboring cells. However, HIV-1-infected CD4(+) T lymphocytes show a higher resistance to apoptosis. We observed that the intracellular expression of Tat delayed FasL-mediated apoptosis in both peripheral blood lymphocytes and Jurkat cells, as it is an essential pathway to control T cell homeostasis during immune activation. Jurkat-Tat cells showed impairment in the activation of caspase-8, deficient release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, and delayed activation of both caspase-9 and -3. This protection was due to a profound deregulation of proteins that stabilized the mitochondrial membrane integrity, such as heat shock proteins, prohibitin, or nucleophosmin, as well as to the up-regulation of NF-κB-dependent anti-apoptotic proteins, such as BCL2, c-FLIPS, XIAP, and C-IAP2. These effects were observed in Jurkat expressing full-length Tat (Jurkat-Tat101) but not in Jurkat expressing the first exon of Tat (Jurkat-Tat72), proving that the second exon, and particularly the NF-κB-related motif ESKKKVE, was necessary for Tat-mediated protection against FasL apoptosis. Accordingly, the protection exerted by Tat was independent of its function as a regulator of both viral transcription and elongation. Moreover, these data proved that HIV-1 could have developed strategies to delay FasL-mediated apoptosis in infected CD4(+) T lymphocytes through the expression of Tat, thus favoring the persistent replication of HIV-1 in infected T cells.

Tits and bits of HIV Tat protein

INTRODUCTION

HIV-Tat protein displays an array of functions that are essential for HIV replication. The structural flexibility of Tat protein has been regarded as one of the unique features responsible for sustaining diverse functions, from facilitated membrane-crossing ability to strong affinity for RNA binding.

AREAS COVERED

RNA binding ability and presence of multiple interacting domains in the same protein are very important properties of HIV-Tat protein. Tat protein has shown great ability to influence cellular and viral gene expression. We discuss the functions of HIV Tat protein, describing its structural significance, secretion and uptake of HIV Tat protein by immune cells, post-translational modifications and role of HIV Tat protein in HIV pathogenesis.

EXPERT OPINION

Perturbation in expression of many cytokines and chemokines by HIV-Tat protein exhibits downstream immune suppressive function as well as activation of several apoptotic genes. This explains the massive death of immune cells due to bystander effect of HIV Tat protein among HIV-infected patients.

Modifications in host cell cytoskeleton structure and function mediated by intracellular HIV-1 Tat protein are greatly dependent on the second coding exon

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) regulator Tat is essential for viral replication because it achieves complete elongation of viral transcripts. Tat can be released to the extracellular space and taken up by adjacent cells, exerting profound cytoskeleton rearrangements that lead to apoptosis. In contrast, intracellular Tat has been described as protector from apoptosis. Tat gene is composed by two coding exons that yield a protein of 101 amino acids (aa). First exon (1–72aa) is sufficient for viral transcript elongation and second exon (73–101 aa) appears to contribute to non-transcriptional functions. We observed that Jurkat cells stably expressing intracellular Tat101 showed gene expression deregulation 4-fold higher than cells expressing Tat72. Functional experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of this deregulation. First, NF-κB-, NF-AT- and Sp1-dependent transcriptional activities were greatly enhanced in Jurkat-Tat101, whereas Tat72 induced milder but efficient activation. Second, cytoskeleton-related functions as cell morphology, proliferation, chemotaxis, polarization and actin polymerization were deeply altered in Jurkat-Tat101, but not in Jurkat-Tat72. Finally, expression of several cell surface receptors was dramatically impaired by intracellular Tat101 but not by Tat72. Consequently, these modifications were greatly dependent on Tat second exon and they could be related to the anergy observed in HIV-1-infected T cells.

Equine infectious anemia virus resists the antiretroviral activity of equine APOBEC3 proteins through a packaging-independent mechanism

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), uniquely among lentiviruses, does not encode a vif gene product. Other lentiviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), use Vif to neutralize members of the APOBEC3 (A3) family of intrinsic immunity factors that would otherwise inhibit viral infectivity. This suggests either that equine cells infected by EIAV in vivo do not express active A3 proteins or that EIAV has developed a novel mechanism to avoid inhibition by equine A3 (eA3). Here, we demonstrate that horses encode six distinct A3 proteins, four of which contain a single copy of the cytidine deaminase (CDA) consensus active site and two of which contain two CDA motifs. This represents a level of complexity previously seen only in primates. Phylogenetic analysis of equine single-CDA A3 proteins revealed two proteins related to human A3A (hA3A), one related to hA3C, and one related to hA3H. Both equine double-CDA proteins are similar to hA3F and were named eA3F1 and eA3F2. Analysis of eA3F1 and eA3F2 expression in vivo shows that the mRNAs encoding these proteins are widely expressed, including in cells that are natural EIAV targets. Both eA3F1 and eA3F2 inhibit retrotransposon mobility, while eA3F1 is a potent inhibitor of a Vif-deficient HIV-1 mutant and induces extensive editing of HIV-1 reverse transcripts. However, both eA3F1 and eA3F2 are weak inhibitors of EIAV. Surprisingly, eA3F1 and eA3F2 were packaged into EIAV and HIV-1 virions as effectively as hA3G, although only the latter inhibited EIAV infectivity. Moreover, all three proteins bound both the HIV-1 and EIAV nucleocapsid protein specifically in vitro. It therefore appears that EIAV has evolved a novel mechanism to specifically neutralize the biological activities of the cognate eA3F1 and eA3F2 proteins at a step subsequent to virion incorporation.

Interplay between NFBP and NF-kappaB modulates tat activation of the LTR

Interplay of the HIV-1 regulatory protein, Tat, with several cellular factors plays an important role in transcriptional regulation of the viral promoter, the long terminal repeat (LTR). Special attention has been paid to NF-kappaB, a family of inducible transcription factors, which interact with a specific DNA motif within the LTR. Here, we report on the physical and functional interaction of NFBP, a recently identified protein that interacts with the P65 subunit of NF-kappaB, with HIV-1 Tat. NFBP colocalizes with Tat in the nucleus and nucleoli, recognizes the amino acid residues 37 to 48 of Tat, and its interaction is modulated by RNA molecules. The interaction of NFBP with Tat modulates the synergism between Tat and P65 in activating LTR transcription. In the absence of the kappaB-binding sites, NFBP augments the TAR-dependent activation by Tat, yet it interferes with the synergistic effect of P65 and Tat on LTR transcription.

Inhibition of HIV-1 TAR RNA-Tat peptide complexation using poly(acrylic acid)

HIV-1 is regulated at the transcriptional level by the interaction of Tat protein with the transactivation responsive region (TAR) RNA, a 59-base stem-loop structure located at the 5'-end of all nascent HIV-1 transcripts. Here, by targeting the Tat peptide, we found that negatively charged poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) had high affinity with Tat peptide and could inhibit the interaction of TAR with Tat. Therefore, PAA could block HIV replication by binding to Tat not to TAR RNA, providing a new thinking for the design of novel anti-HIV drugs.

Enhancement of equine infectious anemia virus virulence by identification and removal of suboptimal nucleotides

Pathogenicity was reportedly restored to an avirulent molecular clone of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) by substitution of 3' sequences from the pathogenic variant strain (EIAV(PV)). However, the incidence of disease in horses/ponies was found to be significantly lower (P = 0.016) with the chimeric clone (EIAV(UK)) than with EIAV(PV). This was attributable to 3' rather than 5' regions of the proviral genome, where EIAV(UK) differs from the consensus EIAV(PV) sequence by having a 68-bp duplication in the 3' LTR and arginine (R(103)) rather than tryptophan (W(103)) at position 103 in the second exon of rev. In EIAV(UK) recipients the duplication was rapidly eliminated and R(103) replaced by W(103) in the viral population. Furthermore, removal of the 3' variant sequences from EIAV(UK) (EIAV(UK3)) resulted in an equivalent (P = 0.013) disease potential in Equus caballus to EIAV(PV). The 68-bp duplication and/or R(103) may limit peak viral RNA accumulation during acute infection.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcription is stimulated by tat from other lentiviruses

The tat gene is required by HIV-1 for efficient reverse transcription and this function of Tat can be distinguished from its role in transcription by RNA polymerase II using tat point mutations that abrogate each function independently. The mechanism of Tat's role in reverse transcription, however, is not known, nor is it known whether this role is conserved among trans-activating factors in other retroviruses. Here we examine the abilities of heterologous viral trans-activating proteins from jembrana disease virus (jTat), HIV-2 (Tat2), and equine infectious anemia virus (eTat) to substitute for HIV-1 Tat (Tat1) and restore reverse transcription in HIV-1 carrying an inactivated tat gene. Natural endogenous reverse transcription assays showed that trans-activators from some retroviruses (Tat2 and jTat, but not eTat) could substitute for Tat1 in complementation of HIV-1 reverse transcription. Finally, we show that Y47 is critical for Tat1 to function in reverse transcription, but not HIV-1 gene expression. We mutated the homologous position in jTat to H62Y and found it did not improve its ability to stimulate reverse transcription, but an H62A mutation did inhibit jTat complementation. These data highlight the finding that the role of Tat in reverse transcription is not related to trans-activation and demonstrate that other tat genes conserve this function.

Amino acid modification in the HIV-1 Tat basic domain: insights from molecular dynamics and in vivo functional studies

Tat is an essential protein of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). It activates transcription by specifically binding a stem-loop element in the viral long terminal repeat through its highly basic arginine-rich domain. Conserved lysine residues at positions 50 and 51 inside this domain have been recently reported to be the targets of post-translational modification by acetylation, and mutation of these residues has pointed out its relevance to protein function. In an attempt to shed light on the molecular basis of the functional differences found for Tat mutants we have performed a series of molecular dynamics simulations on wt Tat, Lys50/51 --> Arg50/51, Lys50/51 --> Ala50/51 and acetylated Lys50 from HIV-1 strain Z2. Theoretical results are compared with a homogeneous set of in vivo transactivation assays on the corresponding Tat mutants from the strain B2, which exhibits high structural similarity with Tat from HIV-1 strain Z2. Remarkable correlation is found between the degree of structure conservation and the transactivation capabilities of Tat mutants.

Inositol hexaphosphate inhibits ultraviolet B-induced signal transduction

Inositol hexaphosphate (InsP6) has an effective anticancer action in many experimental models in vivo and in vitro. Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation is believed to be responsible for many of the carcinogenic effects related to sun exposure, and alteration in UVB-induced signal transduction is associated with UVB-induced carcinogenesis. Here we report the effects of InsP6 on UVB-induced signal transduction. InsP6 strongly blocked UVB-induced activator protein-1 (AP-1) and NF-kappaB transcriptional activities in a dose-dependent manner. InsP6 also suppressed UVB-induced AP-1 and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) DNA binding activities and inhibited UVB-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (Erks) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNKs). Phosphorylation of p38 kinases was not affected. InsP6 also blocked UVB-induced phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha, which is known to result in the inhibition of NF-kappaB transcriptional activity. InsP6 does not block UVB-induced phosphotidylinositol-3' (PI-3) kinase activity, suggesting that the inhibition of UVB-induced AP-1 and NF-kappaB activities by InsP6 is not mediated through PI-3 kinase. Because AP-1 and NF-kappaB are important nuclear transcription factors that are related to tumor promotion, our work suggests that InsP6 prevents UVB-induced carcinogenesis by inhibiting AP-1 and NF-kappaB transcription activities.

Regulation of equine infectious anemia virus expression

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is an ungulate lentivirus that is related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Much of the understanding of lentiviral gene regulation comes from studies using HIV. HIV studies have provided insights into molecular regulation of EIAV expression; however, much of the regulation of EIAV expression stands in stark contrast to that of HIV. This review provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of EIAV regulation by comparing and contrasting EIAV gene regulation to HIV. The role of EIAV gene regulation is discussed in relation to EIAV pathogenesis.

Canine cyclin T1 rescues equine infectious anemia virus tat trans-activation in human cells

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 Tat protein and human Cyclin T1 mediate transcriptional activation by enhancing the elongation efficiency of RNA polymerase II. Activation of transcription of the related equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) requires a similar protein known as eTat, which does not function in human cells. Expression of equine Cyclin T1 in human cells rescues eTat function, suggesting a general mechanism of transcription activation among lentiviruses. Here we present the cloning of Cyclin T1 from canine D17 osteosarcoma cells, which support EIAV transactivation, and show that canine Cyclin T1 confers eTat transactivation to human cells. A two-amino-acid change, from 79-proline-glycine-80 to 79-histidine-arginine-80, confers on the human Cyclin T1 the ability to cooperate with eTat in transcriptional activation. These findings suggested that the regions of Cyclin T1 that interact with lentiviral Tat proteins and TAR RNA elements form an extended domain, which very likely has a conserved fold.

Cell specificity of the transcription-factor repertoire used by a lentivirus: motifs important for expression of equine infectious anemia virus in nonmonocytic cells

The equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) long-terminal repeat (LTR) has been identified as highly variable, both in infected horses and in cell culture. This nucleotide hypervariation is localized to the LTR enhancer region. The EIAV LTR has been implicated in controlling both the cell tropism and virulence of the virus and it is postulated that the enhancer-region hypervariation may be responsible for the LTR effects. Our previous studies have demonstrated that the presence of DNA motifs bound by the ets transcription-factor family member PU.1 are critically important for EIAV expression in equine macrophages. Here we identify and characterize the EIAV LTR enhancer motifs PEA-2, Lvb, Oct, and CRE, that bind to fibroblast nuclear extracts. Three of these four motifs, PEA-2, Oct, and CRE, were determined to be important for expression of the LTR in a fibroblast cell line that supports productive infection of EIAV. These motifs that are important for expression of the LTR in fibroblasts were found to be interdigitated between the PU.1 sites. We hypothesize that the combination of motif interdigitation and cell-specific usage of these motifs may be responsible for the observed EIAV LTR enhancer-region hypervariation.

Interactions between equine cyclin T1, Tat, and TAR are disrupted by a leucine-to-valine substitution found in human cyclin T1

Transcriptional transactivators (Tat) from human immunodeficiency and equine infectious anemia viruses (HIV and EIAV) interact with their transactivation response elements (TAR) to increase the rates of viral transcription. Whereas the human cyclin T1 is required for the binding of Tat to TAR from HIV, it is unknown how Tat from EIAV interacts with its TAR. Furthermore, Tat from EIAV functions in equine and canine cells but not in human cells. In this study, we present sequences of cyclins T1 from horse and dog and demonstrate that their N-terminal 300 residues rescue the transactivation of Tat from EIAV in human cells. Although human and equine cyclins T1 bind to this Tat, only the equine cyclin T1 supports the binding of Tat to TAR from EIAV. Finally, a reciprocal exchange of the valine for the leucine at position 29 in human and equine cyclins T1, respectively, renders the human cyclin T1 active and the equine cyclin T1 inactive for Tat transactivation from EIAV. Thus, the collaboration between a specific cyclin T1 and Tat for their high-affinity interaction with TAR is a common theme of lentiviral transactivation.

Human anti-HIV-1 tat sFv intrabodies for gene therapy of advanced HIV-1-infection and AIDS

The early successes of highly active anti-retroviral therapies (HAART) for the treatment of HIV-1-infection and AIDS have raised the question as to whether there is a legitimate role for gene therapy in the treatment of this chronic infectious disease. However, in many patients the profound suppression of viral replication is short lived, particularly if patients have been treated with sequential monotherapies in the past, have been infected with a highly drug resistant isolate of HIV-1, or have temporarily discontinued therapy as a "holiday" or because of drug intolerance. In addition, life-long adherence to maintenance HAART will probably be required even in responding patients with undetectable viremia because of the reservoirs of latently infected cells that can persist for years. Gene therapy through the introduction of anti-retroviral "resistance" genes into CD4(+) T cells is one approach that could give long term protection to these HIV-1 susceptible cells in vivo. We have explored this approach by developing intrabodies to the critical HIV-1 transactivator protein, Tat that is absolutely required for HIV-1 replication. This provocative treatment approach, that will be tested in a clinical gene therapy trial, sets the groundwork for determining if anti-Tat intrabody gene therapy together with HAART can provide a treatment strategy for the immune reconstitution of HIV-1-infected patients with advanced disease.

Highly divergent lentiviral Tat proteins activate viral gene expression by a common mechanism

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat protein (hTat) activates transcription initiated at the viral long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter by a unique mechanism requiring recruitment of the human cyclin T1 (hCycT1) cofactor to the viral TAR RNA target element. While activation of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) gene expression by the EIAV Tat (eTat) protein appears similar in that the target element is a promoter proximal RNA, eTat shows little sequence homology to hTat, does not activate the HIV-1 LTR, and is not active in human cells that effectively support hTat function. To address whether eTat and hTat utilize similar or distinct mechanisms of action, we have cloned the equine homolog of hCycT1 (eCycT1) and examined whether it is required to mediate eTat function. Here, we report that expression of eCycT1 in human cells fully rescues eTat function and that eCycT1 and eTat form a protein complex that specifically binds to the EIAV, but not the HIV-1, TAR element. While hCycT1 is also shown to interact with eTat, the lack of eTat function in human cells is explained by the failure of the resultant protein complex to bind to EIAV TAR. Critical sequences in eCycT1 required to support eTat function are located very close to the amino terminus, i.e., distal to the HIV-1 Tat-TAR interaction motif previously identified in the hCycT1 protein. Together, these data provide a molecular explanation for the species tropism displayed by eTat and demonstrate that highly divergent lentiviral Tat proteins activate transcription from their cognate LTR promoters by essentially identical mechanisms.

Interaction of the transactivating protein HIV-1 tat with sulphated polysaccharides

Endogenous sulphated polysaccharides such as heparin have been shown to inhibit the infectivity of HIV-1 min vitro. However, these naturally occurring polymers, due to extensive microheterogeneity within their structure, are difficult to characterise accurately. In contrast, dextrin can be chemically sulphated to produce a series of compounds sulphated in the 2-, 3-, or 6- position, or in all 3 positions, and the use of these compounds provides an opportunity to investigate the anti-HIV-1 activity of sulphated polysaccharides. The mechanisms whereby sulphated polysaccharides exert their anti-HIV-1 activity have not been fully elucidated. The interaction of recombinant HIV-1 proteins with sulphated polysaccharides was investigated using a biotinylated derivative of dextrin 2-sulphate (D2S) in a solid phase binding system. D2S was found to bind strongly to HIV-1 tat (EC50 = 0.10 microg/mL), less strongly to CD4 (EC50 = 0.33 microg/mL), weakly to HIV-1 vif and gp160, and not at all to HIV-1 gp120 or p24. Other sulphated derivatives of dextrin, i.e. dextrin 3-sulphate, dextrin 6-sulphate and dextrin 2,3,6-trisulphate, as well as heparin and dextran sulphate, were also shown to bind to HIV-1 tat, whereas the unsulphated compound dextrin did not. Binding studies using a series of overlapping peptides representing the complete sequence of HIV-1 tat revealed that D2S bound most strongly to the core domain of HIV-1 tat, although there was also binding to the cysteine-rich domain; both of these regions are important for HIV-1 tat function. In assessing function, HIV-1 tat-mediated transactivation was measured using H938 cells, a cell line that contains the HIV-LTR (long terminal repeat) promoter linked to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. D2S significantly inhibited HIV-1 tat transactivation in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 0.5 microg/mL), whereas dextrin had no effect. The interaction between D2S and HIV-1 tat provides a potential mechanism of HIV-1 inhibition whereby tat is sequestered and its transactivating activity abolished, effectively inhibiting the replication cycle.

Equine infectious anemia virus transactivator is a homeodomain-type protein

Lentiviral transactivator (Tat) proteins are essential for viral replication. Tat proteins of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and bovine immunodeficiency virus form complexes with their respective RNA targets (Tat responsive element, TAR), and specific binding of the equine anemia virus (EIAV) Tat protein to a target TAR RNA is suggested by mutational analysis of the TAR RNA. Structural data on equine infectious anemia virus Tat protein reveal a helix-loop-helix-turn-helix limit structure very similar to homeobox domains that are known to bind specifically to DNA. Here we report results of gel-shift and footprinting analysis as well as fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy experiments that clearly show that EIAV Tat protein binds to DNA specifically at the long terminal repeat Pu.1 (GTTCCTGTTTT) and AP-1 (TGACGCG) sites, and thus suggest a common mechanism for the action of some of the known lentiviral Tat proteins via the AP-1 initiator site. Complex formation with DNA induces specific shifts of the proton NMR resonances originating from amino acids in the core and basic domains of the protein.

Inhibition of acute-, latent-, and chronic-phase human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication by a bistriazoloacridone analog that selectively inhibits HIV-1 transcription

Nanomolar concentrations of temacrazine (1,4-bis[3-(6-oxo-6H-v-triazolo[4,5,1-de]acridin-5-yl)amino-propyl ]piperazine) were discovered to inhibit acute human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections and suppress the production of virus from chronically and latently infected cells containing integrated proviral DNA. This bistriazoloacridone derivative exerted its mechanism of antiviral action through selective inhibition of HIV-1 transcription during the postintegrative phase of virus replication. Mechanistic studies revealed that temacrazine blocked HIV-1 RNA formation without interference with the transcription of cellular genes or with events associated with the HIV-1 Tat and Rev regulatory proteins. Although temacrazine inhibited the in vitro 3' processing and strand transfer activities of HIV-1 integrase, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of approximately 50 nM, no evidence of an inhibitory effect on the intracellular integration of proviral DNA into the cellular genome during the early phase of infection could be detected. Furthermore, temacrazine did not interfere with virus attachment or fusion to host cells or the enzymatic activities of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase or protease, and the compound was not directly virucidal. Demonstration of in vivo anti-HIV-1 activity by temacrazine identifies bistriazoloacridones as a new class of pharmaceuticals that selectively blocks HIV-1 transcription.

A dominant negative mutant of jun blocking 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced invasion in mouse keratinocytes

We previously reported that induced activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcriptional activity appears to be required for tumor promoter-induced transformation in mouse epidermal JB6 cells. To extend this investigation to a keratinocyte culture model and a transgenic mouse model, we constructed K14TAM67, a keratin 14 promoter-controlled version of the dominant negative jun mutant to directly block AP-1 activity and possibly indirectly block NF kappa B activity in basal squamous epithelia. This study was directed at characterizing TAM67 expression and biological activity in the mouse cell line 308, a keratinocyte model for studying carcinogenesis. Cotransfection of K14TAM67 with luciferase plasmid reporter DNAs produced inhibition of basal and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced AP-1 and NF kappa B activity but had no effect on p53-dependent transcriptional activity. In an in vitro invasion assay, stable expression of TAM67 in 308 cells blocked TPA-induced Matrigel invasion. This suggests that blocking TPA-induced AP-1- or NF kappa B-regulated gene expression by TAM67 inhibits TPA-induced progression. Recombinant tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 reduced TPA-induced in vitro invasion, thus implicating metalloproteinases at least in part in the transcription factor-dependent process. Analysis of mRNA levels for members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family, however, revealed that the expression of any single MMP family member did not correlate with regulation of AP-1 or NF kappa B activity. However, the combination of substantial levels of mRNA for stromelysin-1, stromelysin-2, collagenase, membrane type 1 MMP, and gelatinase A occurred only in TPA-treated cells in the absence of TAM67. These results suggest that the action of the dominant negative jun mutant on AP-1 and NF kappa B gene regulation results in complex alterations in the levels of downstream effector genes, such as the metalloproteinases, that effect TPA-induced cellular invasion.

Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2 Tat function by transdominant Tat protein localized to both the nucleus and cytoplasm

We introduced various mutations into the activation and RNA binding domains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat in order to develop a novel and potent transdominant Tat protein and to characterize its mechanism of action. The different mutant Tat proteins were characterized for their abilities to activate the HIV LTR and inhibit the function of wild-type Tat in trans. A Tat protein containing a deletion of the basic domain (Tat(delta)49-57) localized exclusively to the cytoplasm of transfected human cells was nonfunctional and inhibited both HIV-1 and HIV-2 Tat function in a transdominant manner. Tat proteins containing mutations in the cysteine-rich and core domains were nonfunctional but failed to inhibit Tat function in trans. When Tat nuclear or nucleolar localization signals were fused to the carboxy terminus of Tat(delta)49-57, the chimeric proteins localized to the nucleus or nucleolus, respectively, and remained capable of acting in a transdominant manner. Introduction of secondary mutations in the cysteine-rich and core domains of the various transdominant Tat proteins completely eliminated their abilities to act in a transdominant fashion. Our data best support a mechanism in which these transdominant Tat proteins squelch a cellular factor or factors that interact with the Tat activation domain and are required for Tat to function.

Genomic structure and nucleotide sequence analysis of a new HIV type 1 subtype A strain from Nigeria

We have isolated and characterized a new HIV-1 variant (HIV-1IbNg) from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of an inhabitant of Nigeria. This virus is highly cytopathic to PBMCs in culture, replicates in primary human T cells and macrophages/monocytes as well as in established human T cell and monocytic cell lines (i.e., it has a wide host range), and it does not induce syncytia in MT-2 cells.1 Because of these unusual infectivity parameters in vitro, we analyzed the genetic structure of the entire genome. Using cytoplasmic RNA from HIV-1IbNg-infected PBMCs, five overlapping DNA fragments were amplified by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique and cloned into pBluescript II SK(+). DNA sequencing of these fragments indicated that the entire HIV-1IbNg genome consisted of 9201 nucleotides and phylogenetic analysis of its env gene sequence revealed that this virus clustered with HIV-1 strains belonging to clade "A". In this article we present several genetic features unique to this virus, including (1) the presence of a 16-bp insert within the primer-binding site, (2) a large Rev open reading frame, (3) a Rev-responsive element that is predicted to form a different secondary structure than described for clade "B" viruses, (4) the potential to encode a heavily glycosylated Env protein, and (5) a frameshift, resulting in a stop codon, in the tat gene. This represents the first detailed analysis of the genetic structure of an HIV-1 strain from Nigeria.

Cooperation between herpes simplex virus type 1-encoded ICP0 and Tat to support transcription of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat in vivo can occur in the absence of the TAR binding site

Expression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) provirus can be stimulated by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection; the stimulation occurs at the level of transcriptional activation of the HIV long terminal repeat (LTR) and is mediated by both cellular and HSV-1-encoded transactivators. We have shown in this study that HSV-1 immediate-early gene ICP0 cooperates effectively with the HIV-1-encoded transactivator, Tat, in the stimulation of HIV-1 LTR-directed transcription. The cooperation between ICP0 and Tat is specific for the HIV-1 LTR and was not observed with other promoters (e.g., ICP0) that can be transactivated by ICP0 but not by Tat. Analyses of HIV-1 LTR deletion mutants have shown that ICP0 not only transactivates an HIV-1 LTR mutant that is unresponsive to NF-kappaB and Tat-mediated transactivation, such as the HIV-1 LTR with the enhancer deleted (-83 LTR) and TAR deleted (+20 to +81), but also restores responsiveness to Tat. ICP0 also showed cooperation with Gal4-Tat fusion protein-mediated transactivation of Gal4-HIV-1 LTR with TAR deleted. Enhancement of the transcriptional activation of ICP0 by Tat requires both the cysteine-rich and core domains of Tat and is inhibited by RO5-3335. ICP0 stimulates transcription of not only the HIV-1 LTR but also the TAR-defective HIV-1 provirus. We suggest that ICP0 can (i) recruit Tat to the vicinity of the HIV-1 promoter, thereby providing an alternative binding site for Tat, and (ii) substitute for the enhancer-binding proteins that are required for efficient Tat transactivation in T cells.

Structural studies of the equine infectious anemia virus trans-activator protein

Trans-activator (tat) proteins are necessary components for the completion of the T replication cycle of lentiviruses. The three-dimensional structure of the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) tat protein (e-tat) was studied with CD spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and restrained molecular-dynamics calculations. No stable elements of regular secondary structure were detected, but the sequence regions responsible for nucleic acid binding showed helix-forming tendency, e-tat exhibits a flexible tertiary structure, and only the amino acids comprising the core sequence region form a well-defined tertiary fold. The three-dimensional structure allows discussion of biochemical data as well as data from molecular biological investigations of lentiviral tat proteins.

The human immunodeficiency virus Tat proteins specifically associate with TAK in vivo and require the carboxyl-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II for function

Human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 encode closely related proteins, Tat-1 and Tat-2, that stimulate viral transcription. Previously, we showed that the activation domains of these proteins specifically interact in vitro with a cellular protein kinase named TAK. In vitro, TAK phosphorylates the Tat-2 but not the Tat-1 protein, a 42-kDa polypeptide of unknown identity, and the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II). We now show that the 42-kDa substrate of TAK cochromatographs with TAK activity, suggesting that this 42-kDa polypeptide is a subunit of TAK. We also show that the Tat proteins specifically associate with TAK in vivo, since wild-type Tat-1 and Tat-2 proteins expressed in mammalian cells, but not mutant Tat proteins containing a nonfunctional activation domain, can be coimmunoprecipitated with TAK. We also mapped the in vivo phosphorylation sites of Tat-2 to the carboxyl terminus of the protein, but analysis of proteins with mutations at these sites suggests that phosphorylation is not essential for Tat-2 transactivation function. We further investigated whether the CTD of RNAP II is required for Tat function in vivo. Using plasmid constructs that express an alpha-amanitin-resistant RNAP II subunit with a truncated or full-length CTD, we found that an intact CTD is required for Tat function. These observations strengthen the proposal that the mechanism of action of Tat involves the recruitment or activation of TAK, resulting in activated transcription through phosphorylation of the CTD.

Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication is enhanced by a combination of transdominant Tat and Rev proteins

Mutation of either of two critical human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) regulatory proteins, Tat and Rev, results in marked defects in viral replication. Thus, inhibition of the function of one or both of these proteins can significantly inhibit viral growth. In the present study, we constructed a novel transdominant Tat mutant protein and compared its efficiency in inhibiting HIV-1 replication with that of transdominant mutant Rev M10 when these proteins were stably expressed either alone or in combination in T-lymphocyte cell lines. The transdominant Tat mutant protein alone resulted in a modest inhibition of HIV replication, but it was able to enhance the ability of the M10 Rev mutant protein to inhibit HIV-1 replication. These results suggest a possible synergistic effect of these transdominant mutant proteins in inhibiting HIV-1 replication.

Inhibitory activity of the equine infectious anemia virus major 5' splice site in the absence of Rev

The major 5' splice site of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) conforms to the consensus 5' splice site in eight consecutive positions and is located immediately upstream of the gag AUG. Our results show that the presence of this 5' splice site on the EIAV gag mRNA decreases Gag production 30- to 60-fold. This is caused by inefficient nuclear mRNA export and inefficient mRNA utilization. Inhibition could be overcome by providing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Rev/Rev-responsive element, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Rex/Rex-responsive element, or simian retrovirus type 1 constitutive transport element. In addition, inhibition could be abolished by introducing single point mutations in the 5' splice site or by moving the 5' splice site away from its natural position immediately upstream of the gag AUG. This demonstrates that both maintenance of a perfect consensus 5' splice site and its proper location on the mRNA are important for inhibitory activity of the EIAV major 5' splice site.

NMR analysis of the trans-activation response (TAR) RNA element of equine infectious anemia virus

Transcription of lentiviral DNA in the host cell is regulated by an interaction between the viral TAR RNA stem-loop and the viral Tat protein. Here we present a model of the three-dimensional structure of the TAR RNA stem-loop of the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), derived from two- and three-dimensional NMR data. This 25 nucleotide RNA consists of an A-form helical stem capped by two U-G base pairs and a four-nucleotide loop. Two loop cytidines are stacked into the loop interior and likely form a non-Watson-Crick C-C base-pair. The two nucleotides at the top of the loop, U13 and G14, appear to be excluded from the interior of the loop and solvent exposed. It is significant that now for the EIAV TAR-Tat system, three-dimensional structures are now known for both the RNA and protein components.

Complementation of vif-defective human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by primate, but not nonprimate, lentivirus vif genes

The productive infection of many susceptible human cells, including lymphocytes and macrophages derived from peripheral blood, by the pathogenic lentivirus human immunodeficiency virus type 1 requires expression of the virally encoded vif (for virion infectivity factor) gene. Interestingly, this gene appears to have been conserved among all of the lentiviruses of primates and almost all of the lentiviruses of nonprimates. Using T cells constitutively expressing vif genes derived from diverse sources and virus replication assays, we show that the vif gene of a second primate lentivirus, simian immunodeficiency virus from macaques, complements vif-defective human immunodeficiency virus type 1 but that those of three distinct nonprimate lentiviruses do not. Although the molecular basis for Vif function has yet to be defined, the potential implications of this noted restriction of vif complementarity are discussed.

In vitro interaction of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat transactivator and the general transcription factor TFIIB with the cellular protein TAP

We have reported the molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a human cellular protein, TAP, which possesses a strong transcriptional activation domain and binds the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat transactivator in vitro and in vivo (L. Yu, Z. Zhang, P.M. Loewenstein, K. Desai, Q. Tang, D. Mao, J.S. Symington, and M. Green, J. Virol. 69:3007-3016, 1995). Here we show that TAP binds the general transcription factor TFIIB. Furthermore, we delineate the binding domains of TAP, Tat, and TFIIB, as well as measure the strengths and specificity of these protein-protein interactions. TAP binds strongly to Tat, with a Kd of (approximately 2 to 5) x 10(-7) M. The Tat activation region contains a 17-amino-acid conserved core domain which is the single contact site for TAP. Single-amino-acid substitutions within the Tat core domain inactivate transactivation in vivo and in vitro and greatly reduce binding of Tat to TAP in vitro. TAP binds strongly to TFIIB, with about the same Kd as for Tat. The interaction between TAP and TFIIB requires a sequence near the carboxy terminus of TFIIB which is also required for binding the strong acidic activator VP16. The contact sites for Tat and TFIIB map within the TAP C-terminal region, which contains the TAP activation domain. These combined results are consistent with the hypothesis that TAP is a cellular coactivator that bridges the Tat transactivator to the general transcription machinery via TFIIB.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cellular protein that interacts with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat transactivator and encodes a strong transcriptional activation domain

The mechanism by which human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat transactivates the long terminal repeat promoter is not understood. It is generally believed that Tat has one or more transcription factors as its cellular target. One might expect a cellular target for Tat to possess several properties, including (i) the ability to bind to the Tat activation region, (ii) the possession of a transcriptional activation domain, and (iii) the ability to contact the cellular transcription machinery. Here we describe the cloning, expression, and characterization of a human protein, termed TAP (Tat-associated protein), which possesses some of these properties. TAP is highly conserved in eukaryotes and is expressed in a variety of human tissues. The major intracellular species of TAP is a highly acidic 209-amino-acid protein that likely is formed by removal of a highly basic 70-amino-acid N-terminal segment from a primary translation product. By deletion analysis, we have identified a TAP C-terminal region rich in acidic amino acids and leucine residues which acts as a strong transcriptional activator when bound through GAL4 sites upstream of the core long terminal repeat promoter, as well as flanking sequences that mask the activation function. Amino acid substitution of two leucine residues within the core activation region results in loss of the TAP activation function. Two lines of evidence suggest that Tat interacts with TAP in vivo. First, promoter-bound Tat can recruit a TAP/VP16 fusion protein to the promoter. Second, transiently expressed Tat is found associated with endogenous TAP, as demonstrated by coimmuno-precipitation analysis. As shown in an accompanying report, the TAP activation region binds the Tat core activation region and general transcription factor TFIIB (L. Yu, P.M. Loewenstein, Z. Zhang, and M. Green, J. Virol. 69:3017-3023, 1995). These combined results suggest the hypothesis that TAP may function as a coactivator that bridges Tat to the general transcription machinery of the cell via TFIIB.

A Simple and Rapid TAR-Dependent in vitro Transcription Assay Using T Cell Nuclear Extracts and Synthetic tat1-86 Protein

A 'G-less' cassette was cloned downstream of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) long terminal repeat (LTR) to facilitate rapid identification of authentic LTR-directed transcription in T cell nuclear extracts. Despite a high constitutive level of transcription, addition of chemically synthesized full-length HIV-1(bru) tat (amino acids 1-86) stimulated transcription 3-fold but only if the template included the TAR region of the LTR. Suppression of basal transcription in T cell nuclear extracts by sodium citrate increased the relative level of tat stimulation, but neither potassium chloride nor histone H1 had an effect. A mutant synthetic tat polypeptide, lacking residues 22-32 in the cysteine-rich domain, was inactive in uptake assays and failed to stimulate transcription. Short basic peptides that competed full-length tat from complexes with TAR RNA also inhibited tat stimulation of transcription, whereas short basic peptide unable to bind TAR or compete tat from complexes were also unable to inhibit tat stimulation of transcription. These data confirm that active HIV-1 tat must first interact with TAR RNA via basic amino acid residues in order to stimulate transcription of downstream sequences. Copyright 1995 S. Karger AG, Basel

Delineating minimal protein domains and promoter elements for transcriptional activation by lentivirus Tat proteins

Lentivirus Tat proteins comprise a novel class of RNA-binding transcriptional activators that are essential for viral replication. In this study, we performed a series of protein fusion experiments to delineate the minimal protein domains and promoter elements required for Tat action. We show that a 15-amino-acid region of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) Tat protein, when fused to the GAL4 or LexA DNA binding domain, can activate transcription in appropriate promoter contexts. In the natural human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat, activation by Tat is dependent on multiple binding sites for the cellular transcription factor SP1. We delineate a 114-amino-acid region of the SP1 glutamine-rich activation domain that when fused to the GAL4 DNA binding domain can support transcription activation by Tat. Using these Tat and SP1 derivatives, we show that Tat activation can be reconstructed on a completely synthetic promoter lacking all cis-acting elements unique to the human immunodeficiency virus long terminal repeat. Our results indicate that lentivirus Tat proteins have essential properties of typical cellular transcriptional activators and define useful reagents for studying the detailed mechanism of Tat action.

Lentivirus Tat proteins specifically associate with a cellular protein kinase, TAK, that hyperphosphorylates the carboxyl-terminal domain of the large subunit of RNA polymerase II: candidate for a Tat cofactor

Efficient replication of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) requires the virus transactivator proteins known as Tat. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in Tat transactivation, it is essential to identify the cellular target(s) of the Tat activation domain. Using an in vitro kinase assay, we previously identified a cellular protein kinase activity, Tat-associated kinase (TAK), that specifically binds to the activation domains of Tat proteins. Here it is demonstrated that TAK fulfills the genetic criteria established for a Tat cofactor. TAK binds in vitro to the activation domains of the Tat proteins of HIV-1 and HIV-2 and the distantly related lentivirus equine infectious anemia virus but not to mutant Tat proteins that contain nonfunctional activation domains. In addition, it is shown that TAK is sensitive to dichloro-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylbenzimidazole, a nucleoside analog that inhibits a limited number of kinases and is known to inhibit Tat transactivation in vivo and in vitro. We have further identified an in vitro substrate of TAK, the carboxyl-terminal domain of the large subunit of RNA polymerase II. Phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal domain has been proposed to trigger the transition from initiation to active elongation and also to influence later stages during elongation. Taken together, these results imply that TAK is a very promising candidate for a cellular factor that mediates Tat transactivation.

Biological activity and intracellular location of the Tat protein of equine infectious anemia virus

The Tat protein of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) was synthesized in Escherichia coli using the inducible expression plasmid, pET16b, which contains a His.Tag leader, thus allowing for rapid and efficient enrichment of the histidine-tagged protein by metal affinity chromatography. Yields of up to 20 mg of Tat were obtained from 10(11) bacterial cells. The recombinant Tat protein was shown to potently trans-activate the EIAV long terminal repeat (LTR) following its introduction into canine cells by 'scrape loading'. The EIAV Tat protein was found to localize predominantly within the cytoplasm, in contrast to HIV-1 Tat. The availability of large amounts of purified functional EIAV Tat protein should greatly facilitate detailed structure-function analyses.

Exon2 of HIV-2 Tat contributes to transactivation of the HIV-2 LTR by increasing binding affinity to HIV-2 TAR RNA

Human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) express related Tat proteins that are encoded in two exons. Tat proteins bind directly to the TAR RNA element contained in the 5' ends of viral transcripts and thereby stimulate transcription through an as yet unidentified mechanism. We have investigated the functional significance of exon2 of the HIV-2 Tat protein by examining properties of proteins consisting of exon1 alone or exon1 + 2. In transactivation assays in vivo, exon2 modestly increased HIV-2 Tat stimulation of transcription from the HIV-2 long terminal repeat (LTR) but had no effect on transcription from the HIV-1 LTR. In HeLa cells, exon2 increased transactivation of the HIV-2 LTR by approximately three-fold, while in COS and Jurkat cells this value was less than two-fold. In binding assays in vitro, exon2 increased the binding affinity of the HIV-2 Tat protein to HIV-2 TAR RNA. Results with GAL4 fusion proteins and a synthetic promoter containing GAL4 DNA binding sites indicated that exon2 does not contribute to the HIV-2 Tat activation domain. These observations suggest that exon2 of HIV-2 Tat contributes to transactivation of the HIV-2 LTR by increasing the binding affinity to HIV-2 TAR RNA.

Structure of the equine infectious anemia virus Tat protein

Trans-activator (Tat) proteins regulate the transcription of lentiviral DNA in the host cell genome. These RNA binding proteins participate in the life cycle of all known lentiviruses, such as the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) or the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). The consensus RNA binding motifs [the trans-activation responsive element (TAR)] of HIV-1 as well as EIAV Tat proteins are well characterized. The structure of the 75-amino acid EIAV Tat protein in solution was determined by two- and three-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance methods and molecular dynamics calculations. The protein structure exhibits a well-defined hydrophobic core of 15 amino acids that serves as a scaffold for two flexible domains corresponding to the NH2- and COOH-terminal regions. The core region is a strictly conserved sequence region among the known Tat proteins. The structural data can be used to explain several of the observed features of Tat proteins.

Blocking of tumor promoter-induced AP-1 activity inhibits induced transformation in JB6 mouse epidermal cells

AP-1 transcriptional activity is stimulated by the transformation promoters phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate ("12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate," TPA) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in promotion-sensitive (P+) but not in promotion-resistant (P-) JB6 mouse epidermal cell lines. Although TPA stimulates expression of the jun and fos family genes, only c-jun expression shows higher elevation in P+ cells than in P- cells. The present study tests the hypothesis that induced AP-1 activity is required for tumor promoter-induced transformation in JB6 P+ cells. Both retinoic acid and the glucocorticoid fluocinolone acetonide inhibited basal and TPA-induced AP-1 activities that were tested with a stromelysin promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene in P+ cells. Since both retinoic acid and fluocinolone acetonide are active in inhibiting TPA-induced anchorage-independent transformation of P+ cells in the dose range that blocks TPA-induced AP-1 activity, their antipromoting effects may occur through inhibition of AP-1 activity. To test the hypothesis with a more specific inhibitor, stable clonal transfectants of P+ cells expressing dominant negative c-jun mutant encoding a transcriptionally inactive product were analyzed. All transfectants showed a block in TPA and EGF induction of AP-1 activity. All transfectants also showed inhibition of TPA-induced transformation, and most transfectants showed a block in EGF-induced transformation. These results indicate that AP-1 activity is required for TPA- or EGF-induced transformation. This work demonstrates that a specific block in induced AP-1 activity inhibits tumor promoter-induced transformation.