Strand selections resulting from the combined template-independent DNA synthesis and clamp activities of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

Iris Oz-Gleenberg; Amnon Hizi

doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.04.063

Strand selections resulting from the combined template-independent DNA synthesis and clamp activities of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2011 May 13;408(3):482-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.04.063. Epub 2011 Apr 19.

Authors

Iris Oz-Gleenberg¹, Amnon Hizi

Affiliation

¹ Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.

PMID: 21527243
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.04.063

Abstract

The reverse transcriptase (RT) of HIV-1 has a non-templated addition (NTA) activity and can perform template switches with a very short (even two nucleotides) complementarity between the 3'-ends of the primer donor strand and the template acceptor strands. We have studied how the combination of several pivotal parameters can all lead to strand switches during DNA synthesis by HIV-1 RT. These include dNTP bias in the NTA step, the availability of acceptor strands with 3'-end sequences complementary to the de novo-generated primer tails and the stabilities of the clamped duplexes formed between these primer tails and the acceptor strands.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

DNA, Viral / biosynthesis*
HIV Reverse Transcriptase / metabolism*
HIV-1 / genetics
HIV-1 / physiology
Humans
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Templates, Genetic
Virus Replication

Substances

DNA, Viral
reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
HIV Reverse Transcriptase