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HIV‐1 auxiliary regulatory protein Vpr promotes ubiquitination and turnover of Vpr mutants containing the L64P mutation
Author(s) -
Zhao Ling-Jun,
Jian Heng,
Zhu Henghu
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(04)00299-6
Subject(s) - mutant , ubiquitin , proteasome , microbiology and biotechnology , mutation , biology , protein turnover , mutant protein , gene , protein biosynthesis , genetics
The auxiliary regulatory protein Vpr of HIV‐1 possesses several biological activities which are believed to facilitate HIV‐1 replication and pathogenesis. In this report, experimental evidence suggests a novel biological activity of Vpr: facilitation of the turnover of Vpr mutants bearing the L64P mutation. This novel activity of Vpr was shared by Vpr molecules from different subtypes of HIV‐1. Co‐expression of the wild type Vpr with the VprW54A/L64P mutant resulted in normal synthesis of the mutant mRNA but enhanced ubiquitination and turnover of the mutant protein. These results suggest that Vpr may interact with the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway to regulate the stability of viral or cellular proteins.