Duplication of the primary encapsidation and dimer linkage region of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA results in the appearance of monomeric RNA in virions.

The dimerization initiation site (DIS) and the dimer linkage sequences (DLS) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 have been shown to mediate in vitro dimerization of genomic RNA. However, the precise role of the DIS-DLS region in virion assembly and RNA dimerization in virus particles has not been fully elucidated, since deletion or mutation of the DIS-DLS region also abolishes the packaging ability of genomic RNA. To characterize the DIS-DLS region without altering packaging ability, we generated mutant constructs carrying a duplication of approximately 1,000 bases including the encapsidation signal and DIS-DLS (E/DLS) region. We found that duplication of the E/DLS region resulted in the appearance of monomeric RNA in virus particles. No monomers were observed in virions of mutants carrying the E/DLS region only at ectopic positions. Monomers were not observed when pol or env regions were duplicated, indicating an absolute need for two intact E/DLS regions on the same RNA for generating particles with monomeric RNA. These monomeric RNAs were most likely generated by intramolecular interaction between two E/DLS regions on one genome. Moreover, incomplete genome dimerization did not affect RNA packaging and virion formation. Examination of intramolecular interaction between E/DLS regions could be a convenient tool for characterizing the E/DLS region in virion assembly and RNA dimerization within virus particles.