Quantitative four-dimensional tracking of cytoplasmic and nuclear HIV-1 complexes

Nat Methods. 2006 Oct;3(10):817-24. doi: 10.1038/nmeth928.

Abstract

Emerging real-time techniques for imaging viral infections provide powerful tools for understanding the dynamics of virus-host cell interactions. Here we labeled human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) integrase with a small tetracysteine tag, which preserved the virus' infectivity while allowing it to be labeled with the bis-arsenical fluorescein derivative FlAsH. This labeling allowed us to image both intracytoplasmic and intranuclear HIV-1 complexes in three dimensions over time (4D) in human cells and enabled us to analyze HIV-1 kinetics by automated 4D quantitative particle tracking. In the cytoplasm, HIV-1 complexes underwent directed movements toward the nuclear compartment, kinetically characteristic of both microtubule- and actin-dependent transport. The complexes then adopted smaller movements in a very confined volume once associated with the nuclear membrane and more diffuse movements once inside the nucleus. This work contributes new insight into the various movements of HIV-1 complexes within infected cells and provides a useful tool for the study of virus-host cell interactions during infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport / physiology
  • Cell Membrane / physiology
  • Cell Membrane / virology
  • Cell Nucleus / physiology
  • Cell Nucleus / virology*
  • Cysteine / chemistry
  • Cytoplasm / physiology
  • Cytoplasm / virology*
  • HIV Integrase / chemistry*
  • HIV-1 / enzymology*
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Confocal / methods
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • HIV Integrase
  • Cysteine