A discrete element 3' of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 mRNA initiation sites mediates transcriptional activation by an HIV trans activator.

An important point of regulation in the reproductive growth and latency of the human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV, respectively) is provided by virally encoded trans-activators (tat), proteins capable of dramatically increasing viral gene expression. The mechanism of this autostimulatory pathway has remained unclear, however, with substantial effects having been reported at the level of either mRNA accumulation, translational efficiency, or both. Our previous findings indicated that trans-activation results primarily from induction of RNA levels but could not distinguish between the roles of transcriptional rate, RNA stabilization, and RNA transport in this event. In addition, the boundaries of tat-responding elements, which would be valuable in elucidating the mode of tat action, are not precisely known. In this study, HIV-1 and HIV-2 long terminal repeat-directed expression was characterized by using an in vitro nuclear transcription assay to clarify this mechanism, and a detailed mutational analysis was undertaken to localize precisely the sequences participating in this process. Two key findings were revealed: an increased transcription rate was the primary event in tat-mediated activation of HIV-1 and HIV-2, and trans-activation was impaired by mutations in two regions, the TATA box and sequences between +19 to +42, a region lacking enhancer activity. These results implicate a discrete 3' regulatory element in the transcriptional activation of the HIVs.