APOBEC3G expression is restricted to neurons in the brains of pigtailed macaques.

The Vif protein of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) has been shown to interact with members of the APOBEC family of cytidine deaminases, particularly APOBEC3G/F. In this study, we isolated RNA from 12 regions of the brain from two pigtailed macaques that were exsanguinated and perfused with saline. Our results indicate that APOBEC3G was detected in all regions of the brain analyzed.

Substitution of the transmembrane domain of Vpu in simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIVKU1bMC33) with that of M2 of influenza A results in a virus that is sensitive to inhibitors of the M2 ion channel and is pathogenic for pig-tailed macaques.

The Vpu protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 has been shown to shunt the CD4 receptor molecule to the proteasome for degradation and to enhance virus release from infected cells. The exact mechanism by which the Vpu protein enhances virus release is currently unknown but some investigators have shown that this function is associated with the transmembrane domain and potential ion channel properties. In this study, we determined if the transmembrane domain of Vpu could be functionally substituted with that of the prototypical viroporin, the M2 protein of influenza A virus.

Scrambling of the amino acids within the transmembrane domain of Vpu results in a simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIVTM) that is less pathogenic for pig-tailed macaques.

Previous studies have shown that the transmembrane (TM) domain of the subtype B Vpu enhances virion release from cells and some studies have shown that this domain may form an oligomeric structure with properties of an ion channel. To date, no studies have been performed to assess the role of this domain in virus pathogenesis in a macaque model of disease. Using a pathogenic molecular clone of simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIVKU-1bMC33), we have generated a novel virus in which the transmembrane domain of the Vpu protein was scrambled but maintained hydrophobic in nature (SHIVTM), which presumably would disrupt any ion channel TM properties of this protein.

Identification of a region within the cytoplasmic domain of the subtype B Vpu protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) that is responsible for retention in the golgi complex and its absence in the Vpu protein from a subtype C HIV-1.

The structure of the Vpu protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is composed of a short Nterminal domain (NTD), a transmembrane domain (TM), and a cytoplasmic domain (CD). Previous studies have shown that the Vpu protein from subtype B HIV-1 is transported predominantly to the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)/Golgi complex compartments of the cell and is not incorporated into virions. Using a previously described VpuEGFP reporter system in which the Vpu protein was fused to the gene for enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), we showed that the subtype B Vpu fusion protein was localized to the RER/Golgi region of the cell, similar to the native protein.

Vpu-mediated CD4 down-regulation and degradation is conserved among highly divergent SIV(cpz) strains.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) along with simian immunodeficiency viruses from chimpanzees (SIV(cpz)) and three species of Old World monkeys from the genus Cercopithecus have been shown to encode a Vpu protein. To date, the functional characterization of Vpu has been limited to a small number of subtype B and more recently subtype C Vpu proteins. Using a recently developed VpuEGFP reporter system, we have shown that the subtype B and C Vpus are capable of preventing CD4 from being expressed on the cell surface.

Vpu: a multifunctional protein that enhances the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

The Vpu protein is the smallest of the proteins encoded by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). This transmembrane protein interacts with the CD4 molecule in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), resulting in its degradation via the proteasome pathway. Vpu also has been shown to enhance virion release from infected cells.

Fusion of the upstream vpu sequences to the env of simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV(KU-1bMC33)) results in the synthesis of two envelope precursor proteins, increased numbers of virus particles associated with the cell surface and is pathogenic for pig-tailed macaques.

Previous studies have shown that the gene coding for the Vpu protein of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is 5' to the env gene, is in a different reading frame, and overlaps the env by 90 nucleotides. In this study, we examined the processing of the Env protein as well as the maturation and infectivity of a virus (SHIV(Vpenv)) in which a single nucleotide was removed at the vpu-env junction, fusing the first 162 bases of vpu to the env ORF. Pulse-chase analysis revealed that SHIV(Vpenv)-infected cells gave rise to two precursor glycoprotein species (gp160 and gp175).