Regulation of HIV-1 envelope protein synthesis by Tat and Rev in 293 cells

A plasmid expression vector (B2) with the HIV-1 envelope sequence downstream of the adenovirus type 5 early region 3 promoter could direct the synthesis of envelope protein in the absence of Rev when transfected into 293 cells. We investigated this further using pNL4.3 delta TR, and HIV-1 mutant which lacks the first exon of Tat and Rev and pNL4.3 delta R, an HIV-1 mutant with a premature termination codon in the second coding exon of Rev. In cells transfected with pNL4.3 delta TR and a Tat-expressing vector or with pNL4.3 delta R alone, analysis of RNA revealed the accumulation of cytoplasmic Env mRNA in the absence of Rev. However, envelope protein synthesis was observed in the absence of Rev only in cells transfected with pNL4.3 delta TR and a Tat-expressing vector, not in cells transfected with pNL4.3 delta R. The Env mRNAs synthesized from pNL4.3 delta R can have 536 to 548 nucleotides of 5' non coding sequence, whereas the Env mRNA from pNL4.3 delta TR will have a shortened noncoding sequence of 321 nucleotides. These results indicate that the mRNA sequences 5' to the Env protein initiation codon have a role in Env expression.