Mutant HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Research Articles

Current knowledge of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mutations selected during nucleoside analogue therapy: the potential to use resistance data to guide clinical decisions.

Massive viral turnover and the high error rate of reverse transcriptase create the potential for drug-resistant viral variants to appear rapidly under the selective pressure of antiretroviral therapy. Loss of antiviral effect in treatment compliant persons is most commonly coincident with the appearance of viral mutants with reduced drug sensitivity. Thus, detection of viral resistance may represent an early marker of therapy failure. Similarly, substantial reduction in viral replication in the plasma compartment, to below quantification of a viral load assay, is associated with a sustained therapeutic response and delayed development of viral resistance. Information on patterns of resistance to and cross-resistance between antiretroviral agents are increasingly well characterized and represents an important consideration when deciding how to combine and/or sequence antiretrovirals to achieve optimal antiviral effects. When switching therapy, the change of several agents in the treatment regimen is currently recommended. The use of novel means of evaluating resistance, such as a genotypic probe, may guide clinicians in choosing an agent to which the patient's dominant viral quasispecies remains sensitive, potentially increasing the chances of achieving a therapeutic response. However, no studies using resistance to guide clinical decision making have yet been reported and available sequencing studies have focused largely on switching or adding therapies to patients who have received zidovudine monotherapy. Thus, no resistance driven treatment algorithm is currently available.

Single-step kinetics of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mutants responsible for virus resistance to nucleoside inhibitors zidovudine and 3-TC.

Two mutants of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) associated with high-level resistance of the virus to AZT (RT-AZT: D67N, K70R, T215Y, K219Q, and M41L) or 3-TC (RT-3TC: M184V) were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. None of these mutants showed significant changes in the affinity and kinetics of binding to a DNA/DNA primer/template. RT-AZT was investigated in detail with respect to its kinetics of incorporation of nucleotides. No change in the relative rates of TMP and AZTMP incorporation could be detected for RT-AZT with respect to wild type RT. These results imply that there is no increased discrimination against AZTTP in the mutant. This was found for DNA/DNA and DNA/RNA primer/template. Additionally, rapid kinetics of incorporation of 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidine 5'-monophosphate (a possible metabolite of AZT) were investigated and compared with TMP incorporation, but no difference in its relative rates of incorporation between wild type RT and RT-AZT was detected. In contrast, the already very slow rate of incorporation of 3-TCMP seen with wild type enzyme was drastically reduced (by a factor of 23 and 36 with DNA/DNA primer/template and DNA/RNA primer/template, respectively) for RT-3TC, showing a clear correlation between in vitro and in vivo effects. The affinity of 3-TCTP to the RT-3TC-primer/template complex was not affected by the mutation M184V. A 1.6-fold cross-resistance to ddATP, the converted form of the prodrug ddI, could also be shown for RT-3TC, but no cross-resistance to ddCTP was detected. Additionally, rapid kinetics of AZTMP incorporation by RT-3TC were investigated. There was an indication of a slightly higher rate of incorporation of AZTMP by RT-3TC than wild type RT.

Mechanism of polyoxometalate-mediated inactivation of DNA polymerases: an analysis with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase indicates specificity for the DNA-binding cleft.

The anti-DNA polymerase activity of a structural family of polyoxometalates has been determined. Two representative compounds of this family, possessing a saddle-like structure [(O3POPO3)4W12O36]16- (polyoxometalate I) and [(O3PCH2PO3)4W12O36]16- (polyoxometalate II) were found to inhibit all the DNA polymerases tested, with IC50 values ranging from 2 to 10 microM. A comparative study with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and Klenow polymerase as representative DNA polymerases indicated that protection from inactivation was achieved by inclusion of DNA but not by deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs). Kinetic analysis revealed that the mode of HIV-1 RT inhibition is competitive with respect to DNA, and non-competitive with respect to dNTP binding. Cross-linking experiments confirmed that the inhibitors interfere with the DNA-binding function of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. Interestingly, a number of drug-resistant mutants of HIV-1 RT exhibit a sensitivity to polyoxometalate comparable to the wild-type HIV-1 RT, suggesting that these polyoxometalates interact at a novel site. Because different polymerases contain DNA-binding clefts of various dimensions, it should be possible to modify polyoxometalates or to add a link to an enzyme-specific drug so that more effective inhibitors could be developed. Using a computer model of HIV-1 RT we performed docking studies in a binary complex (enzyme-polyoxometalate I) to propose tentatively a possible interacting site in HIV-1 RT consistent with the available biochemical results as well as with the geometric and charge constraints of the two molecules.

Use of chimeric human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 reverse transcriptases for structure-function analysis and for mapping susceptibility to nonnucleoside inhibitors.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) reverse transcriptases (RTs) are evolutionary related. To study the effect of homologous sequence replacements on polymerase function and to map the determinants of the lack of susceptibility of HIV-2 RT to nonnucleoside drugs, a series of chimeric HIV-1/HIV-2 RTs were constructed. Analysis of the chimeric RTs showed that wild-type levels of RNA-dependent DNA polymerase activity were retained when both finger and palm subdomains were exchanged as a unit between the two parental RTs. Analysis of enzymatically active chimeras for inhibition by the thiobenzimidazolone derivative TIBO R82150 showed that a segment of HIV-2 RT at 212-250, when placed in the HIV-1 RT context, conferred a 40-fold decrease in susceptibility to TIBO R82150. Site-directed mutagenesis of this segment found Tyr227 to be a key residue in this segment for the natural resistance of HIV-2 RT to TIBO R82150.

Reduced Frameshift Fidelity and Processivity of HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Mutants Containing Alanine Substitutions in Helix H of the Thumb Subdomain

We have analyzed two human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase mutants of helix H in the thumb subdomain suggested by x-ray crystallography to interact with the primer strand of the template-primer. These enzymes, G262A and W266A, were previously shown to have greatly elevated dissociation rate constants for template-primer and to be much less sensitive to inhibition by 3'-azidodeoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate. Here we describe their processivity and error specificity. The results reveal that: (i) both enzymes have reduced processivity and lower fidelity for template-primer slippage errors, (ii) they differ from each other in sequence-dependent termination of processive synthesis and in error specificity, and (iii) the magnitude of the mutator effect relative to wild-type enzyme for deletions in homopolymeric sequences decreases as the length of the run increases. Thus amino acid substitutions in a subdomain thought to interact with the duplex template-primer confer a strand slippage mutator phenotype to a replicative DNA polymerase. This suggests that interactions between specific amino acids and the primer stem at positions well removed from the active site are critical determinants of processivity and fidelity. These effects, obtained in aqueous solution during catalytic cycling, are consistent with and support the existing crystallographic structural model.

Resistance to nucleoside analogs of selective mutants of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 reverse transcriptase.

We have studied selected mutants of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) reverse transcriptase (RT) in a cell-free system in order to assess whether the mutant proteins exhibit a reduction in the sensitivity to nucleoside analog inhibitors similar to that of HIV-1 RT. We have modified, by site-directed mutagenesis, several of those amino acid residues so that their equivalent substitutions in HIV-1 RT have led to the formation of HIV-1 RT variants with the highest degree of resistance to dideoxynucleoside triphosphates (i.e., Glu-89-->Gly, Leu-74-->Val, and Ser-215-->Tyr [which is comparable to the Thr-215-->Tyr mutation of HIV-1 RT] and the double mutations Glu-89-->Gly/Ser-215-->Tyr and and Leu-74-->Val/Ser-215-->Tyr). The similarity found between resistance of the newly generated HIV-2 RT mutants to nucleoside analogs and that of the comparable mutants of HIV-1 RT can support the notion that the overall protein folding around the DNA polymerase active site in HIV-2 RT is quite similar to that of HIV-1 RT.

Enzymatic properties of two mutants of reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (tyrosine 181-->isoleucine and tyrosine 188-->leucine), resistant to nonnucleoside inhibitors.

A number of structurally diverse compounds have been shown to be potent inhibitors of the DNA polymerase activity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT). The compounds can be grouped into two broad classes: nucleoside analogs and nonnucleoside inhibitors. The nonnucleoside inhibitors are quite specific for the polymerase activity of HIV-1 RT; they do not affect the polymerase activity of HIV-2 RT or the ribonuclease H (RNase H) activity of either HIV-1 RT or HIV-2 RT. Structural, biochemical, and genetic analyses showed that this group of inhibitors binds in a hydrophobic pocket near the polymerase active site. Mutations in amino acids that line this hydrophobic pocket, for example at tyrosine 181, tyrosine 188, or lysine 103, lead to enzymes that are resistant to the nonnucleoside inhibitors. We have investigated the enzymatic properties of two mutants of HIV-1 RT in which residues 181 and 188 were replaced by the corresponding amino acids in HIV-2 RT (tyrosine 181-->isoleucine and tyrosine 188-->leucine). The two tyrosine mutants closely resemble the wild-type HIV-1 RT in almost all the catalytic functions tested, including the heat stability, sensitivity of the DNA polymerase activity to inhibition by deoxynucleoside analogs, inhibition by the zinc chelator o-phenanthroline, and the Km values calculated for the DNA polymerase activity. There is, however, a slight difference in the effect of orthophenanthroline on the RNase H activity. In addition, there is a subtle disparity in the fidelity of DNA synthesis (analyzed by a mispair extension assay), thus indicating that these mutant RTs are not likely to confer any selective advantages or disadvantages to the variant virions over wild-type virus.

143b Antiviral drug resistance mutations in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase occur in specific RNA structural regions: E. W. Taylor, C. S. Ramanathan, R. M. Lloyd Jr., R. F. Schinazi. Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Computational Center for Molecular Structure and Design, The University of Georgia, GA 30602, USA (E.W.T., C.S.R.), and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University and Veterans Administration Medical Center,

143b Antiviral drug resistance mutations in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase occur in specific RNA structural regions: E. W. Taylor, C. S. Ramanathan, R. M. Lloyd Jr., R. F. Schinazi. Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Computational Center for Molecular Structure and Design, The University of Georgia, GA 30602, USA (E.W.T., C.S.R.), and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University and Veterans Administration Medical Center,

Enzymatic analysis of two HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mutants with mutations in carboxyl-terminal amino acid residues conserved among retroviral ribonucleases H.

The reverse transcriptase (RT) of HIV-1 has been mutagenized within the carboxyl-terminal domain which harbors the RNase H. Two amino acids highly conserved among all 14 known RT sequences but not in the bacterial RNase H have been mutagenized resulting in the mutant proteins N494D and Q475E. They were expressed as recombinant proteins, purified, and analyzed for their in vitro properties in comparison to the p66 homodimeric wild-type and a previously described H539N mutant. The N494D mutant closely resembles the wild-type RNase H, exhibits an endonuclease activity and a processive RNase H activity, gives rise to small RNA hydrolysis products, and acts in concert with the RT. The Q475E mutant is more defective and resembles the H539N mutant, exhibits a retarded endonuclease activity and an impaired 3'-->5' processive RNA cleavage activity, gives rise to predominantly larger RNA hydrolysis products, is less processive in the presence of competitor substrate, and is defective in its ability to hydrolyze the polypurine tract and homopolymeric hybrids. Short homopolymeric stretches cause a pausing of the RT of wild-type and mutants which results in a coordinated action of the RNase H. Pausing of the RT correlates with RNase H cleavages about 20 nucleotides behind the point of synthesis. The defects of the mutant enzymes can be interpreted on the basis of the known crystallography data.

A possible role for cysteine residues in the fidelity of DNA synthesis exhibited by the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency viruses type 1 and type 2

HIV reverse transcriptases (RTs) have few cysteine residues relative to other RTs and retain their DNA polymerization functions following chemical modification by thiol-specific reagents. The functional role of the cysteines in the fidelity of the DNA-dependent DNA synthesis of HIV RTs has been addressed by chemical modification of the wild-type enzymes in combination with the analysis of an enzymatically active mutant HIV-1 RT in which all cysteines were modified to serines. We have observed an increase in 3′-terminal mispair extension efficiency exhibited by chemically modified HIV-1 and HIV-2 RTs. The possible involvement of cysteine residues was further substantiated using the cysteine-free mutant HIV-1 RT that displays an increased efficiency of mispair extension. These results provide evidence for a possible role of cysteine residues in the fidelity of DNA synthesis catalyzed by HIV RTs.

The effects of cysteine mutations on the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2.

Chemical modification of HIV-1 and HIV-2 (human immunodeficiency virus, types 1 and 2) reverse transcriptases (RT) with three thiol reactive compounds selectively inhibits the RNase H function of the enzyme. HIV-1 RT has 2 cysteines (at positions 38 and 280); HIV-2 RT has 3 (38, 280, 445). Both of the cysteines in HIV-1 RT are in the polymerase domain. To investigate the role of the cysteines in the structure and function of the HIV RTs, we have converted each cysteine to serine and made combinations of the mutations. Since HIV-1 RT has alanine at position 445, we have also substituted alanine for serine at this position in HIV-2 RT. Neither of the single mutations in HIV-1 RT nor the double mutation mimics the effects of the chemical modification. The serine 280 mutation has little effect on either polymerase or RNase H; the serine 38 mutation affects both activities, as does the 38/280 double mutant. The 38 and 280 serine mutations in HIV-2 RT resemble the equivalent mutations in HIV-1 RT. Substitution of serine or alanine at position 445 (which lies in the RNase H domain) diminishes, but does not abolish, the RNase H activity of HIV-2 without affecting polymerase activity. The RNase H activity of a mutant HIV-1 RT with serine at position 280 is completely resistant to inactivation by the three thiol reactive compounds we tested, which demonstrates that cysteine 280 is the critical residue. We suggest that the reason the mutation (cysteine 280 to serine) does not mimic the chemical modification is because the chemical modification produces a greater change in the structure of the protein. We also suggest that position 280 lies at or near the important points of contact between the RNase H and polymerase domains, so that chemical modification of this position, which lies within the polymerase domain, distorts the RNase H domain.

Analysis of the RNA- and DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities of point mutants of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase lacking ribonuclease H activity

The RNA- and DNA-dependent DNA polymerase activities of two point mutants of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase lacking ribonuclease H activity have been compared to the wild-type enzyme activities using substrates consisting of an oligodeoxynucleotide primer hybridized to either a RNA or a DNA template. The RNase H phenotype had a negligible effect on the steady-state kinetics and processivity of reverse transcription of a homopolymer template-primer [poly(A).oligo(dT)]. However, analysis of the distribution of DNA products indicated that the ability of the mutants to reverse-transcribe a specifically primed 345-nucleotide heteropolymeric RNA template derived from the gag region of HIV-1 was impaired relative to the wild-type enzyme. Although the wild-type and mutant enzymes shared the same pause sites of synthesis along the RNA template, certain prematurely terminated nascent primer chains were poorly extended by the mutant enzymes and hence accumulated, suggesting that a catalytically functional RNase domain facilitated reinitiation of DNA synthesis at specific pause sites along a heteropolymer template. In contrast, the processivity and product distribution of DNA synthesis directed by a heteropolymer gag DNA template of the same nucleotide sequence were not significantly influenced by the RNase H phenotype of the mutants.