Silencing of tripartite motif protein (TRIM) 5α mediated anti-HIV-1 activity by truncated mutant of TRIM5α

Tripartite motif protein (TRIM) 5α is a restriction factor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in Old World monkey cell. It was found that both naturally occurring and artificial TRIM5α variants lacking the SPRY domain could silence TRIM5α activity. Specifically, the artificial TRIM5α mutant could suppress TRIM5α activity of various primate species with even higher efficiency than could small interfering RNAs. The findings indicate that TRIM5α variants lacking the SPRY domain are useful for silencing TRIM5α activity.