Uncoating of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 requires prolyl isomerase Pin1

The process by which the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) conical core dissociates is called uncoating, but not much is known about this process. Here, we show that the uncoating process requires the interaction of the capsid (CA) protein with the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Pin1 that specifically recognizes the phosphorylated serine/threonine residue followed by proline. We found that the HIV-1 core is composed of some isoforms of the CA protein with different isoelectric points, and one isoform is preferentially phosphorylated in the Ser(16)-Pro(17) motif. The mutant virus S16A/P17A shows a severely attenuated HIV-1 replication and an impaired reverse transcription. The S16A/P17A change increased the amount of particulate CA cores in the cytosol of target cells and correlated with the restriction of HIV-1 infection. Glutathione S-transferase pulldown assays demonstrated a direct interaction between Pin1 and the HIV-1 core via the Ser(16)-Pro(17) motif. Suppression of Pin1 expression by RNA interference in a target cell results in an attenuated HIV-1 replication and increases the amount of particulate CA cores in the cytosol of target cells. Furthermore, heat-inactivated, inhibitor-treated, or W34A/K63A Pin1 causes an attenuated in vitro uncoating of the HIV-1 core. The Pin1-dependent uncoating is inhibited by antisera raised against a CA peptide phosphorylated at Ser(16) or treatment of the HIV-1 core with alkaline phosphatase. These findings provide insights into this obscure uncoating process in the HIV-1 life cycle and a new cellular target for HIV-1 drug development.