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Journal of Virology, March 1999, p. 2270-2279, Vol. 73, No. 3
0022-538X/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Assembly Properties of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag Protein Lacking the p6 Domain

Stephen Campbell* and Alan Rein

ABL-Basic Research Program, NCI-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, Maryland 21702

Received 5 October 1998/Accepted 8 December 1998

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) normally assembles into particles of 100 to 120 nm in diameter by budding through the plasma membrane of the cell. The Gag polyprotein is the only viral protein that is required for the formation of these particles. We have used an in vitro assembly system to examine the assembly properties of purified, recombinant HIV-1 Gag protein and of Gag missing the C-terminal p6 domain (Gag Delta p6). This system was used previously to show that the CA-NC fragment of HIV-1 Gag assembled into cylindrical particles. We now report that both HIV-1 Gag and Gag Delta p6 assemble into small, 25- to 30-nm-diameter spherical particles in vitro. The multimerization of Gag Delta p6 into units larger than dimers and the formation of spherical particles required nucleic acid. Removal of the nucleic acid with NaCl or nucleases resulted in the disruption of the multimerized complexes. We conclude from these results that (i) N-terminal extension of HIV-1 CA-NC to include the MA domain results in the formation of spherical, rather than cylindrical, particles; (ii) nucleic acid is required for the assembly and maintenance of HIV-1 Gag Delta p6 virus-like particles in vitro and possibly in vivo; (iii) a wide variety of RNAs or even short DNA oligonucleotides will support assembly; (iv) protein-protein interactions within the particle must be relatively weak; and (v) recombinant HIV-1 Gag Delta p6 and nucleic acid are not sufficient for the formation of normal-sized particles.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: ABL-Basic Research Program, NCI-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, P.O. Box B, Frederick, MD 21702. Phone: (301) 846-1844. Fax: (301) 846-7146. E-mail: campbells{at}mail.ncifcrf.gov.

Journal of Virology, March 1999, p. 2270-2279, Vol. 73, No. 3
0022-538X/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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