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Mutations in the central polypurine tract of HIV-1 result in delayed replication
O Hungnes1, E Tjøtta, B Grinde
1Department of Virology, National Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Virology
|September 1, 1992
Abstract:
The reverse transcription of HIV-1 generates a linear genomic DNA with a single-stranded gap. The gap is believed to be the result of plus-strand priming from a second, centrally located, polypurine tract (PPT). A mutant containing four amino-acid-neutral purine-to-pyrimidine changes within the central PPT did not replicate as fast as wild-type virus. Another mutant with the entire 15-bp PPT deleted was replication-deficient. The results indicate that plus-strand priming at the central PPT is important for viral replication, possibly by ensuring efficient DNA synthesis.