Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 cDNA integration: new aromatic hydroxylated inhibitors and studies of the inhibition mechanism.

Integration of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) cDNA is a required step for viral replication. Integrase, the virus-encoded enzyme important for integration, has not yet been exploited as a target for clinically useful inhibitors. Here we report on the identification of new polyhydroxylated aromatic inhibitors of integrase including ellagic acid, purpurogallin, 4,8, 12-trioxatricornan, and hypericin, the last of which is known to inhibit viral replication. These compounds and others were characterized in assays with subviral preintegration complexes (PICs) isolated from HIV-1-infected cells. Hypericin was found to inhibit PIC assays, while the other compounds tested were inactive. Counterscreening of these and other integrase inhibitors against additional DNA-modifying enzymes revealed that none of the polyhydroxylated aromatic compounds are active against enzymes that do not require metals (methylases, a pox virus topoisomerase). However, all were cross-reactive with metal-requiring enzymes (restriction enzymes, a reverse transcriptase), implicating metal atoms in the inhibitory mechanism. In mechanistic studies, we localized binding of some inhibitors to the catalytic domain of integrase by assaying competition of binding by labeled nucleotides. These findings help elucidate the mechanism of action of the polyhydroxylated aromatic inhibitors and provide practical guidance for further inhibitor development.

Modulation of activity of Moloney murine leukemia virus preintegration complexes by host factors in vitro.

We have explored the requirements for host proteins in the integration of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) cDNA in vitro. Following infection, it is possible to lyse cells and obtain preintegration complexes (PICs) capable of integrating the MoMuLV cDNA into an added target DNA in vitro (intermolecular integration). PICs can be stripped of required proteins by gel filtration in high-salt buffers (600 mM KCI), allowing the nature of the removed factors to be investigated by in vitro reconstitution. In a previous study of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) PICs, the host protein HMG I(Y) was found to be able to restore activity to salt-stripped PICs. In contrast, salt stripping and reconstitution of MoMuLV PICs led to the proposal that a host factor is important for a different activity, blocking integration into the cDNA itself (autointegration). In this report, we investigated reconstitution of salt-stripped MoMuLV PICs and found that addition of cellular extract from uninfected NIH 3T3 cells could block autointegration and also restore intermolecular integration. Isolation of the intermolecular integration-complementing activity yielded HMG I(Y), as in the HIV-1 case. However, HMG I(Y) could not block autointegration, implicating a different host factor in this process. Additionally, when MoMuLV PICs were partially purified but not salt stripped, the intermolecular integration activity was reduced but could be stimulated by the addition of any of several purified DNA binding proteins. In summary, three activities were detected: (i) the intermolecular integration cofactor HMG I(Y), (ii) an autointegration barrier protein, and (iii) stimulatory DNA binding proteins.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 preintegration complexes: studies of organization and composition.

We have investigated the organization and function of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) preintegration complexes (PICs), the large nucleoprotein particles that carry out cDNA integration in vivo. PICs can be isolated from HIV-1-infected cells, and such particles are capable of carrying out integration reactions in vitro. We find that although the PICs are large, the cDNA must be condensed to fit into the measured volume. The ends of the cDNA are probably linked by a protein bridge, since coordinated joining of the two ends is not disrupted by cleaving the cDNA internally with a restriction enzyme. cDNA ends in PICs were protected from digestion by added exonucleases, probably due to binding of proteins. The intervening cDNA, in contrast, was susceptible to attack by endonucleases. Previous work has established that the virus-encoded integrase protein is present in PICs, and we have reported recently that the host protein HMG I(Y) is also present. Here we report that the viral matrix and reverse transcriptase (RT) proteins also cofractionated with PICs through several steps whereas capsid and nucleocapsid proteins dissociated. These data support a model of PIC organization in which the cDNA is condensed in a partially disassembled remnant of the viral core, with proteins tightly associated at the apposed cDNA ends but loosely associated with the intervening cDNA. In characterizing the structure of the cDNA ends, we found that the U5 DNA ends created by RT were ragged, probably due to the terminal transferase activity of RT. Only molecules correctly cleaved by integrase protein at the 3' ends were competent to integrate, suggesting that one role for terminal cleavage by integrase may be to create a defined end at otherwise heterogeneous cDNA termini.

HIV-1 cDNA integration: requirement of HMG I(Y) protein for function of preintegration complexes in vitro.

We present data indicating that a host protein is important for function of HIV-1 preintegration complexes (PICs) in vitro. PICs partially purified from infected cells were subjected to gel filtration in 600 mM KCl, which removed a factor required for integration without fully disrupting PICs. Addition of an extract from uninfected cells restored activity. Fractionation of the complementing activity yielded HMG I(Y), a nonhistone chromosomal protein important for transcriptional control and chromosomal architecture. Complementing activity could be isolated from PICs, and activity could be depleted from such fractions with an antibody against HMG I(Y). Recombinant HMG I(Y) also complemented salt-stripped complexes. The finding that a host protein is required for integration by HIV PICs parallels findings in several well-studied transposition and site-specific recombination systems.

Differential inhibition of HIV-1 preintegration complexes and purified integrase protein by small molecules.

To replicate, HIV-1 must integrate a cDNA copy of the viral RNA genome into a chromosome of the host. The integration system is a promising target for antiretroviral agents, but to date no clinically useful integration inhibitors have been identified. Previous screens for integrase inhibitors have assayed inhibition of reactions containing HIV-1 integrase purified from an Escherichia coli expression system. Here we compare action of inhibitors in vitro on purified integrase and on subviral preintegration complexes (PICs) isolated from lymphoid cells infected with HIV-1. We find that many inhibitors active against purified integrase are inactive against PICs. Using PIC assays as a primary screen, we have identified three new anthraquinone inhibitors active against PICs and also against purified integrase. We propose that PIC assays are the closest in vitro match to integration in vivo and, as such, are particularly appropriate for identifying promising integration inhibitors.

DNA end-joining in extracts from human cells.

DNA end-joining is a central feature of several DNA recombination processes. A DNA end-joining activity present in extracts prepared from cells of the human SupT1 lymphocyte cell line was characterised. Joining of blunt ends and ends having complementary single-strand extensions (SSEs) were precise with no insertion or deletion of substrate base pairs. DNA sequencing analysis showed that molecules having non complementary ends of the same polarity, or molecules having one blunt end and one end with a SSE, were joined without loss of nucleotide sequences in the double-stranded region of the substrate molecule. The joining patterns observed have several features that are consistent with DNA end-joining activities previously observed in vitro in extracts from Xenopus eggs and in vivo in mammalian cells and yeast.

Integrase mutants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 with a specific defect in integration.

A previous genetic analysis of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase protein failed to identify single amino acid substitutions that only block the integration of viral DNA (C.-G. Shin, B. Taddeo, W.A. Haseltine, and C.M. Farnet, J. Virol. 68:1633-1642, 1994). Additional substitutions of amino acids that are highly conserved among retroviral integrases were constructed in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and analyzed for their effects on viral protein synthesis and processing, virion morphology, and viral DNA synthesis and integration in an attempt to identify mutants with a specific defect in integration. Four single amino acid substitutions resulted in replication defective viruses. Conservative, single amino acid substitutions of the two invariant aspartic acid residues found in all retroviral integrases prevented the integration of viral DNA and had no detectable effect on the other stages in the viral replication cycle, indicating that these mutants exhibited a specific defect in integration. Mutations at two positions, S-81 and P-109, blocked the integration of viral DNA but also resulted in the production of viral particles that exhibited reduced reverse transcriptase activity, suggesting additional defects in viral replication. Substitution of the highly conserved amino acid T66 had no effect on viral replication in a CD4+ human T-cell line. This analysis extends the range of possible phenotypes that may be produced by single amino acid substitutions in conserved residues of the integrase protein.

Nucleotide binding by the HIV-1 integrase protein in vitro.

Recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase was shown to bind ATP and other nucleoside triphosphates and nucleotide analogs in vitro. Cross-linking of ATP and the photoaffinity analog 8-azido-ATP to integrase occurred in a UV dose-dependent manner. Covalent binding of ATP to integrase was also achieved without UV irradiation when the nucleotide was oxidized to the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative (oxidized ATP) prior to incubation with the protein, indicating the presence of a reactive lysine residue in the nucleotide binding region of the protein. A number of experimental observations indicate that nucleotides and DNA substrates bind at the same or overlapping site(s) on the integrase protein. For example, the binding of nucleotides or nucleotide analogs to integrase was blocked by prior incubation with DNA substrates, and the covalent cross-linking of 8-azido-ATP to integrase inhibited the DNA binding and oligonucleotide cleavage activities of the protein. Oxidized ATP inhibited the oligonucleotide cleavage activity of integrase at concentrations that had no effect on DNA binding, suggesting that oxidized nucleotides may specifically target the catalytic center of the enzyme. These studies indicate that nucleotide analogs may serve as probes for the DNA binding and catalytic sites of the enzyme and may serve as models for the design of active site inhibitors of retroviral integrase.

Genetic analysis of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase protein.

Single-amino-acid changes in a highly conserved central region of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) integrase protein were analyzed for their effects on viral protein synthesis, virion morphogenesis, and viral replication. Alteration of two amino acids that are invariant among retroviral integrases, D116 and E152 of HIV-1, as well as a mutation of the highly conserved amino acid S147 blocked viral replication in two CD4+ human T-cell lines. Mutations of four other highly conserved amino acids in the region had no detectable effect on viral replication, whereas mutations at two positions, N117 and Y143, resulted in viruses with a delayed-replication phenotype. Defects in virion precursor polypeptide processing, virion morphology, or viral DNA synthesis were observed for all of the replication-defective mutants, indicating that changes in integrase can have pleiotropic effects on viral replication.

Circularization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 DNA in vitro.

Linear viral DNA present in cytoplasmic extracts of cells newly infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 can be induced to form 1-LTR and 2-LTR circles by incubation of the extracts in the presence of added nucleoside triphosphates. No circular DNA forms are detected when extracts are incubated in the absence of added nucleoside triphosphates. Restriction enzyme analysis and polymerase chain reaction analysis with selected primers, as well as DNA sequence analysis of the polymerase chain reaction products, show that most of the 2-LTR circles are the result of autointegration reactions, while 1-LTR circles result from recombination between the long terminal repeats on the linear viral DNA. In addition, a small amount of simple 2-LTR circles, formed by end-to-end joining of the linear viral DNA, is formed in vitro. Integration of the linear viral DNA into heterologous DNA competes effectively with the formation of 2-LTR circles by autointegration. However, concentrations of target DNA which completely block autointegration have no effect on the formation of 1-LTR circles or simple 2-LTR circles. Factors present in extracts of uninfected cells can mediate the formation of 1-LTR circles and simple 2-LTR circles from purified deproteinated linear viral DNA, indicating that viral proteins are not necessary for the formation of these two types of circular viral DNA. These experiments demonstrate that all the transformations of linear viral DNA which occur in the nuclei of cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 can be reproduced in vitro.

Determination of viral proteins present in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 preintegration complex.

Cytoplasmic extracts prepared from cells infected with metabolically radiolabeled virions of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 contain viral DNA in association with labeled viral proteins. Viral DNA can be purified from these extracts by gel filtration chromatography and sucrose gradient sedimentation as a part of a nucleoprotein complex containing integrase as the only viral protein detectable by immunoprecipitation and gel electrophoretic analysis. The purified complex contains no detectable gag gene products, including p17, p24, p7, or p6, and contains no additional pol gene products, including the p10 protease, p66 and p51 polymerase, or the p15 RNase H. Nearly all of the purified nucleoprotein complexes are capable of integrating into heterologous DNA targets in vitro. These observations demonstrate that integrase is a component of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 preintegration complex and suggest that integrase may be the only viral protein necessary for the integration of retroviral DNA.

Transepithelial transport of HIV-1 by intestinal M cells: a mechanism for transmission of AIDS.

This study was designed to determine whether human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) might enter the host by penetrating epithelial barriers through antigen-transporting M cells in lymphoid follicle-associated epithelia. Interaction of HIV-1 with epithelial cells was examined using mucosal explants from Peyer's patches of mice and rabbits. HIV-1 adhered to the luminal membranes of M cells of both species, and was endocytosed and delivered to intraepithelial spaces containing lymphocytes and macrophages. These observations suggest that M cells, which are numerous in the human rectal mucosa, may efficiently deliver HIV-1 to target cells in mucosal lymphoid tissue, and that such transport may contribute to sexual transmission of AIDS.

Integration of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 DNA in vitro.

A highly efficient cell-free system for the integration of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 DNA is described. Linear viral DNA synthesis occurs in the cytoplasm of newly infected cells, reaching peak levels 4 hr after infection. The linear viral DNA molecules present in cytoplasmic extracts are capable of integrating into heterologous DNA targets in vitro. The viral DNA resides in a high molecular weight nucleoprotein structure that can be separated from the bulk of cellular protein and nucleic acid without a detectable decrease in the ability to integrate in vitro.

Molecular analysis of X-ray-induced alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) null mutations in Drosophila melanogaster.

We have attempted to analyze at the molecular level mutants previously determined as having intragenic lesions caused by X-ray mutagenesis. C.S. Aaron isolated 33 null mutations at the Adh locus and in collaboration with other investigators classified 23 as deletions. Of the eight mutants analyzed here, only two produced a detectable ADH protein using the two-dimensional electrophoresis technique. Restriction endonuclease and Southern blot analysis showed that three of the mutants were normal compared to the wild-type restriction pattern, with one of the three producing a mutant ADH protein. Among the five mutants that had altered restriction patterns, only one mutant produced a detectable mutant ADH protein. All the mutants produced a hybridizable mRNA when probed with the genomic clones, suggesting that the mutant phenotype was not due to transcriptional inhibition. Two probable explanations proposed for these observations are (1) mutations may be due to deletions of one or a few bases resulting in frameshifts to nonsense codons and premature termination of ADH peptide synthesis or (2) mutations may be a result of transitions to nonsense codons, again producing shortened ADH proteins. Those mutants producing a mutant polypeptide may have resulted from mutations to missense rather than nonsense codons. The five mutants showing an abnormal endonuclease Southern blot along with the 23 mutants previously shown to be deletions (28/33 or 85%) are associated with multiple DNA chain breaks. Although all of the DNA chain breaks are not necessarily associated with the mutant phenotype of the Adh locus, multiple DNA chain breaks are the most consistent characteristic of ionizing radiation damage to DNA.

Ligation of highly modified bacteriophage DNA.

After digestion by TaqI or nicking by DNAase I, five highly modified bacteriophage DNAs were tested as substrates for T4 DNA ligase. The DNAs used were from phages T4, XP12, PBS1, SP82, and SP15, which contain as a major base either glucosylated 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, uracil, 5-hydroxymethyluracil, or phosphoglucuronated, glucosylated 5-(4',5'-dihydroxypentyl)uracil, respectively. The relative ability of cohesive-ended TaqI fragments of these DNAs and of normal, lambda DNA to be ligated was as follows: lambda DNA = XP12 DNA greater than SP82 DNA approximately equal to nonglucosylated T4 DNA greater than T4 DNA = PBSI1 DNA much greater than SP15 DNA. Taq I-T4 DNA fragments were also inefficiently ligated by Escherichia coli DNA ligase. However, annealing-independent ligation of DNAase I-nicked T4, PBS1, and lambda DNAs was equally efficient. We conclude that the poor ligation of Taq I fragments of T4 and PBS1 DNAs was due to the hydroxymethylation (and glucosylation) of cytosine residues at T4's cohesive ends and the substitution of uracil residues for thymine residues adjacent to PBS1's cohesive ends destabilizing the annealing of the restriction fragments. Only SP15 DNA with its negatively charged, modified base was unable to serve as a substrate for T4 DNA ligase in an annealing-independent reaction; therefore, its modification directly interfered with enzyme binding or catalysis.

Digestion of highly modified bacteriophage DNA by restriction endonucleases.

The ability of thirty Type II restriction endonucleases to cleave five different types of highly modified DNA has been examined. The DNA substrates were derived from relatively large bacteriophage genomes which contain all or most of the cytosine or thymine residues substituted at the 5-position. These substituents were a proton (PBS1 DNA), a hydroxymethyl group (SP01 DNA), a methyl group (XP12 DNA), a glucosylated hydroxymethyl group (T4 DNA), or a phosphoglucuronated, glucosylated 4,5-dihydroxypentyl group (SP15 DNA). Although PBS1 DNA and SP01 DNA were digested by most of the enzymes, they were cleaved much more slowly than was normal DNA by many of them. 5-Methylcytosine-rich XP12 DNA and the multiply modified T4 and SP15 DNAs were resistant to most of these endonucleases. The only enzyme that cleaved all five of these DNAs was TaqI, which fragmented them extensively.