HIV Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about HIV, including details on human immunodeficiency virus, testing, treatment, prevention, vaccines, aids.

Structure of the RNA signal essential for translational frameshifting in HIV-1.

Gaudin C, Mazauric MH, Traïkia M, Guittet E, Yoshizawa S, Fourmy D

Laboratoire de RMN, ICSN-CNRS 1 ave de la terrasse, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.

Many pathogenic viruses use a programmed -1 translational frameshifting mechanism to regulate synthesis of their structural and enzymatic proteins. Frameshifting is vital for viral replication. A slippery sequence bound at the ribosomal A and P sites as well as a downstream stimulatory RNA structure are essential for frameshifting. Conflicting data have been reported concerning the structure of the downstream RNA signal in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Here, the solution structure of the HIV-1 frameshifting RNA signal was solved by heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. This structure reveals a long hairpin fold with an internal three-nucleotide bulge. The internal loop introduces a bend between the lower and upper helical regions, a structural feature often seen in frameshifting pseudoknots. The NMR structure correlates with chemical probing data. The upper stem rich in conserved G-C Watson-Crick base-pairs is highly stable, whereas the bulge region and the lower stem are more flexible.

Published 1 June 2005 in J Mol Biol, 349(5): 1024-35.
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