Nuclear Trafficking of the Retroviral Gag Protein

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Retroviruses cause incurable malignancies and immunodeficiency diseases in animals and humans. The avian pathogen Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), the first virus linked to cancer, is the prototypic oncoretrovirus, and its use as a model system has led to significant advances in understanding the human retroviruses HIV and HTLV-I. All retroviruses must gain access to the nucleus in order to establish infection. Following reverse transcription of the RNA genome in the cytoplasm, the preintegration complex (PIC) enters the nucleus. In RSV and lentiviruses including HIV, nuclear entry appears to be an active process, as mitosis is not absolutely required. This process of nuclear import is one of the least understood aspects of the viral life cycle. In the previous funding period, we identified a nuclear import signal in the matrix (MA) domain of the RSV Gag protein, raising the possibility that MA might play a role in nuclear import of the PIC. In addition, we found that the nuclear import signal in MA mediates nuclear localization of the Gag polyprotein during the assembly phase of the replication cycle, and a CRMl-dependent nuclear export signal in the p10 sequence returns Gag to the cytosol. Interestingly, a mutant Gag protein that is defective in viral RNA packaging bypasses the nuclear compartment, suggesting a functional link between the nuclear trafficking of Gag and encapsidation of viral RNA. The major goal of the current proposal is to capitalize on these pivotal findings as a means to elucidate (1) the viral factors that control nucleocytoplasmic trafficking of Gag, (2) host cofactors that mediate nuclear entry and egress of Gag, and (3) the functional significance of transient nuclear localization of Gag. In the first Specific Aim, we propose to define the NLS in MA, the mechanism of nuclear entry, and the cellular pathways used for import. In Aim 2, the Gag NES will be characterized and host factors that mediate export will be identified. Specific Aim 3 focuses on testable hypotheses that address the role of MA and Gag proteins in nuclear import of the PIC and selection of genomic viral RNA for packaging into virions. Through these studies, we expect to gain insight into the essential but poorly understood mechanisms underlying viral nuclear entry and RNA encapsidation. By elucidating a fundamental pathway critical for virus replication, we hope to find targets for a new class of agents to combat retroviral diseases.