Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026
11:12
Protocols for Investigating the Host-tissue Distribution, Transmission-mode, and Effect on the Host Fitness of a Densovirus in the Cotton Bollworm
Published on: April 12, 2017
Yeast and the AIDS virus: the odd couple
Marie-Line Andréola1, Simon Litvak
1Laboratoire Microbiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire et Pathogénicité, UMR 5234-CNRS, Université Bordeaux Segalen, 146 Rue Leo Saignat, SFR TransBioMed, 33076 Bordeaux, France. marie-line.andreola@reger.u-bordeaux2.fr
Journal of Biomedicine & Biotechnology
|July 11, 2012
Summary
Simple yeasts like Saccharomyces cerevisiae are powerful models for studying human diseases and viruses. Research using yeast helps uncover functions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) proteins and identify potential therapeutic targets for AIDS.
Area of Science:
- * Molecular biology and virology research utilizing eukaryotic model organisms.
- * Investigating human pathologies and viral replication mechanisms.
Background:
- * Yeast, particularly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, serves as a model organism due to its simple eukaryotic nature and conserved genes.
- * Over 40% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae genes share conserved sequences with human genes, facilitating the study of human orthologs.
- * Yeast has a history of being used to study RNA plant viruses.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To explore the utility of the yeast model for dissecting human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protein functions.
- * To identify cellular partners of HIV-1 proteins within a yeast system.
- * To discover novel therapeutic targets for AIDS by identifying conserved host factors.
Main Methods:
- * Utilizing Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system to study viral protein function.
- * Investigating protein-protein interactions between viral proteins and yeast cellular partners.
- * Leveraging genetic homology between yeast and humans to infer functional insights.
Main Results:
- * Demonstrated the feasibility of using yeast to analyze the functions of specific HIV-1 proteins.
- * Identified potential cellular factors in yeast that interact with HIV-1 proteins.
- * Highlighted conserved pathways and factors between yeast and human cells relevant to HIV-1 infection.
Conclusions:
- * The yeast model is effective for dissecting HIV-1 protein functions and identifying host-pathogen interactions.
- * Discovering conserved cellular partners in yeast can lead to the identification of potential therapeutic targets for AIDS.
- * This approach offers a pathway toward developing more effective and long-lasting treatments for HIV/AIDS.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Retrovirus Life Cycles
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
00:57Viral Recombination
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
01:28Yeast Signaling
Yeasts are single-celled organisms, but unlike bacteria, they are eukaryotes (cells with a nucleus). Cell signaling in yeast is similar to signaling in other eukaryotic cells. A ligand, such as a protein or a small molecule released from a yeast cell, attaches to a receptor on the cell surface. The binding stimulates second-messenger kinases to activate or inactivate transcription factors that further regulate gene expression. Many of the yeast intracellular signaling cascades have similar...
00:36Viral Mutations
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
02:33Retroviruses
Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
01:25Immunodeficiency Diseases
Immunodeficiency disorders are conditions in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. The immune system comprises a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from potentially harmful invaders. When this system is deficient or not functioning properly, it leaves the body susceptible to infections, diseases, or other complications.
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency disorders...
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency disorders...