Hsu M, Wainberg M A
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, McGill University AIDS Centre, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada.
J Hum Virol. 2000 Jan-Feb;3(1):16-26.
An early step in the life cycle of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is the reverse transcription of the viral RNA genome into double-stranded DNA, which is subsequently translocated to the cell nucleus. It is then integrated into host DNA and serves as a template for viral gene expression. Reverse transcription is catalyzed by the viral enzyme reverse transcriptase and is a complex process comprising a series of RNA-dependent DNA polymerization, DNA-dependent DNA polymerization, and RNase H reactions. Strand transfer reactions are required to complete the process. Reverse transcription is initiated when a molecule of host cell tRNA(lys3), which serves as a primer, is bound to the primer binding site of viral genomic RNA. The viral nucleocapsid protein is involved in each of the initiation of reverse transcription and in subsequent strand transfer or template-switching events. We review the interactions among reverse transcriptase, viral genomic RNA, the tRNA primer of reverse transcription, and viral nucleocapsid protein in the various steps of reverse transcription, including primer placement, initiation, and processive synthesis.
1型人类免疫缺陷病毒生命周期的早期步骤是将病毒RNA基因组逆转录为双链DNA，随后该双链DNA被转运至细胞核。然后它被整合到宿主DNA中，并作为病毒基因表达的模板。逆转录由病毒酶逆转录酶催化，是一个复杂的过程，包括一系列RNA依赖性DNA聚合、DNA依赖性DNA聚合和核糖核酸酶H反应。链转移反应是完成该过程所必需的。当作为引物的宿主细胞tRNA(lys3)分子与病毒基因组RNA的引物结合位点结合时，逆转录开始。病毒核衣壳蛋白参与逆转录的起始以及随后的链转移或模板转换事件。我们综述了逆转录酶、病毒基因组RNA、逆转录的tRNA引物和病毒核衣壳蛋白在逆转录各个步骤中的相互作用，包括引物定位、起始和持续合成。
