Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1938855 Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2006 11 Pages PDF
Abstract

Reverse transcription of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 is characterized by the formation of a DNA flap at the center of the viral cDNA in between the central polypurine tract (cPPT) and the central termination sequence (CTS). The importance of the DNA flap for HIV-1 replication has been questioned, whereas its importance for lentiviral vector performance is well accepted. To investigate this controversy, we re-evaluated the importance of the DNA flap for HIV-1 replication. A flap negative HIV-1 virus showed a 10- to 100-fold replication defect in comparison with a WT strain. Further characterization of the DNA flap in the context of lentiviral vectors showed that mutations in the DNA-flap sequence did not affect the transduction efficiency. Finally, introduction of a second cPPT/CTS sequence resulted in the presence of two DNA flaps but no higher transduction efficiency.

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Life Sciences Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Biochemistry
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