N-terminal hemagglutinin tag renders lysine-deficient APOBEC3G resistant to HIV-1 Vif-induced degradation by reduced polyubiquitination

J Virol. 2011 May;85(9):4510-9. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01925-10. Epub 2011 Feb 23.

Abstract

APOBEC3G, a potent HIV-1 host restriction factor, is overcome by HIV-1 viral infectivity factor (Vif), which induces its polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Here we show that lysine-deficient APOBEC3G with an N-terminal hemagglutinin (HA) tag fusion (HA-A3G20K/R) was resistant to HIV-1 Vif-induced proteasomal degradation. HA-A3G20K/R molecules were packaged into wild-type HIV-1 particles, and HA-A3G20K/R drastically decreased wild-type HIV-1 reverse transcription products and infectivity. We also showed that the N terminus of A3G was a target of polyubiquitination induced by HIV-1 Vif. Thus, fusion of the HA tag to the N terminus of A3G20K/R reduced its polyubiquitination, the likely mechanism for the resistance of this protein to HIV-1 Vif-induced proteasomal degradation. Finding such ways to induce resistance of A3G to Vif may provide new approaches to anti-HIV/AIDS therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • APOBEC-3G Deaminase
  • Cell Line
  • Cytidine Deaminase / genetics
  • Cytidine Deaminase / metabolism*
  • Hemagglutinins / genetics
  • Hemagglutinins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lysine / genetics*
  • Polyubiquitin / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / metabolism*

Substances

  • Hemagglutinins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • vif Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • vif protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
  • Polyubiquitin
  • APOBEC-3G Deaminase
  • APOBEC3G protein, human
  • Cytidine Deaminase
  • Lysine