An in vitro transcription system that recapitulates equine infectious anemia virus Tat-mediated inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat activity demonstrates a role for positive transcription elongation factor b and associated proteins in the mechanism of Tat activation

Carlos Suñé, Aaron C. Goldstrohm, Junmin Peng, David H. Price, Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) activates transcription via a Tat protein, a TAR element, and the equine elongation factor positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb). In human cells, EIAV Tat (eTat) can inhibit the ability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat (hTat) to activate transcription from the HIV-1 long terminal repeat, demonstrating that EIAV Tat can interact nonproductively with human P-TEFb. To study the mechanism of EIAV Tat and HIV-1 Tat activation, we developed an in vitro elongation assay that recapitulates EIAV Tat-mediated inhibition of HIV-1 Tat trans-activation. We found that eTat specifically inhibits activation of elongation by HIV-1 Tat while having no effect on basal transcription elongation. The competitive inhibition of hTat activation was reversed by an activity present in HeLa cell nuclear extracts, most likely a form of P-TEFb. Recombinant P-TEFb (cyclin T1 and CDK9) overcame the inhibition of transcription by eTat but in a nonspecific manner. EIAV Tat affinity chromatography was used to purify the activity present in nuclear extract that was capable of reversing eTat inhibition. We characterized the protein components of this activity, which include cyclin T1, CDK9, Tat-SF1, and at least three unidentified proteins. These data suggest that additional factors are involved in the mechanism of Tat activation. (C) 2000 Academic Press.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)356-366
Number of pages11
JournalVirology
Volume274
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2000
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Virology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'An in vitro transcription system that recapitulates equine infectious anemia virus Tat-mediated inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat activity demonstrates a role for positive transcription elongation factor b and associated proteins in the mechanism of Tat activation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this