J Virol. 1995 Jan;69(1):579-84. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
The nef gene product of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)
promotes more-rapid kinetics of viral replication in primary peripheral
blood mononuclear cells. We have previously shown that these enhancing
effects of Nef on HIV-1 replication reflect an increase in viral
infectivity detectable both in limiting dilution assays and through a
single-cycle infection of the HeLa-CD4-long terminal
repeat-beta-galactosidase indicator cell line. We now demonstrate that
nef-defective HIV-1 can be rescued to near wild-type levels of
infectivity by coexpressing Nef in trans in the cell line producing the
virus. This observation indicates that HIV-1 virions produced in the
presence of Nef are intrinsically different. However, we show that the
major viral structural proteins are quantitatively similar in purified
viral preparations. We also demonstrate the functional equivalence of
the gp120-gp41 envelope glycoprotein complexes of Nef+ and Nef- HIV-1
through an assay for viral entry. Finally, we show that env-defective
Nef+ HIV-1 pseudotyped with an amphotropic envelope is also more
infectious than similarly pseudotyped Nef- HIV-1. Thus, the production
of HIV-1 in the presence of Nef results in viral particles that are more
infectious, and this increased infectivity is manifested at a stage
after viral entry but prior to or coincident with HIV-1 gene expression.
Cells, Cultured Gene Products, env/*PHYSIOLOGY *Genes, nef Genetic
Complementation Test Hela Cells Human
HIV-1/*GENETICS/PHYSIOLOGY/PATHOGENICITY *Membrane Fusion Protein
Precursors/*PHYSIOLOGY Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Virion/*PATHOGENICITY
Virus Replication/*GENETICS JOURNAL ARTICLE