Berkhout B, Jeang K T
Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Nucleic Acids Res. 1990 Dec 11;18(23):6903-7. doi: 10.1093/nar/18.23.6903.
The coat protein of the single stranded RNA bacteriophages acts as a translational repressor by binding with high affinity to a target RNA that encompasses the ribosomal binding site of the replicase gene. We have expressed this procaryotic RNA-binding protein in mammalian cells. Using the coat protein binding site attached to the HIV-1 5' leader RNA, we tested for the biological effect of co-expressed bacteriophage protein. We found that HIV-1 LTR-directed expression within this context was inhibited in trans by the coat protein. This example suggests the feasibility of using procaryotic RNA-binding proteins as genetic modulators in eucaryotic cells.
