3rd Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections Washington, DC - January 28-February 1, 1996

Conf Retroviruses Opportunistic Infect 1996 Jan 28-Feb 1; 3rd:61 (abstract no. 45)

Kubota S¹, Duan L¹, Furuta R², Hatanaka M², Pomerantz RJ^1
1 The Dorrance H. Hamilton Laboratories, Center for Human Retrovirology, Thomas Jefferson University, 1020 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107., USA and ² Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, Japan §.

Rev, a major regulatory protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1(HIV-1), has been demonstrated to shuttle between the nucleus andcytoplasm of infected cells. The fate of the Rev protein in living cells was evaluated by pulse-chase experiments using a transient Rev expression system. Sixteen hours after chasing with unlabeled amino acids, 45% of the labeled Rev was still present, which clearly indicates a long half-life of Rev in living cells. A Rev mutant, which is deficient in the ability to migrate from the nucleus to cytoplasm, was degraded slower than the wild-type Rev protein. As well, another Rev mutant protein, which is unable to enter the cell nucleus, was rapidly degraded and undetectable 16 hours after chasing. Moreover, co-expression of an intracellular anti-Rev single-chain antibody, which has been shown to interfere with the nuclear translocation of Rev, accelerated the degradation of the wild-type Rev protein. Differential degradation of Rev in the nucleus and cytoplasm may play a critical role in determining and maintaining different stages of HIV-1 infection, in conjunction with the shuttling properties of the Rev protein.

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Copyright © 1996 - Foundation for Retrovirology and Human Health . Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Foundation for Retrovirology and Human Health.