4th International AIDS Conference Stockholm, Sweden. — June 12-16, 1988

Int Conf AIDS. 1988 Jun 12-16;4:1.116 (abstract no. 1013)

Melnikov A.A., Kopylova-Sviridova T.N. Tchernov A.P., Fodor I.
Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Microorganisms, USSR Academy of Sciences, Pushchino 142292, USSR

Pol gene of mammalian retroviruses codes for a large polypeptide precursor of reverse transcriptase (RT) containing domains of protease, RNase H, reverse transcriptase itself and endonuclease activities. The viral protease of avian retroviruses, like Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), is encoded by the gag gene. Detailed characterization of these activities and screening for efficient inhibitors may open new prospects in repression of viral growth and anti-viral therapy. In this work we have cloned and expressed the-entire pol gene of RSV and human HIV-1 in bacterial cells of E.coli. Induction of pol gene expression in some cases causes the sharp reduction of growth of transformed E.coli cells. The lethal effect arises upon synthesis of recombinant α- and β- subunits of RSV and HIV-1 protease domain. Purified recombinantRT's are susceptible to proteolitic processing similar to that observed during the maturation of viriousin animal and human cells. Recombinant RT's have been purified to essential homogeneity and characterized in terms of enzymatic properties.

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