Reconstitution of reverse transcription in vitro.

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K15139
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Virology
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Masuda Takao 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 准教授 (80219336)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 逆転写 / 逆転写酵素 / レトロウイルス / RNA / HIV

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Reverse transcription of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was successfully reconstituted in vitro (cell-free) using recombinant HIV reverse transcriptase and in vitro synthesized HIV RNA. By using this in vitro assay, novel mechanisms to regulate HIV reverse transcription have revealed; 1) Critical role of guanosine (G) number at 5-end of virus RNA for successful 1st strand transfer, and (2) HIV has evolved to package the most efficient RNA into virus particle, providing novel mechanisms to regulate HIV reverse transcription and its coevolution history with viral genome transcription machinery.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学