R. Fujii et al., A role of RNA helicase A in cis-acting transactivation response element-mediated transcriptional regulation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, J BIOL CHEM, 276(8), 2001, pp. 5445-5451
RNA helicase A (RHA) has two double-stranded (ds) RNA-binding domains (dsRB
D1 and dsRBD2). These domains are conserved with the cis-acting transactiva
tion response element (TAR)-binding protein (TRBP) and dsRNA-activated prot
ein kinase (PKR). TRBP and PKR are involved in the regulation of HIV-1 gene
expression through their binding to TAR RNA. This study shows that RHA als
o plays an important role in TAR-mediated HIV-1 gene expression. Wild-type
RHA preferably bound to TAR RNA in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression of wil
d type RHA strongly enhanced viral mRNA synthesis and virion production as
well as HIV-1 long terminal repeat-directed reporter (luciferase) gene expr
ession. Substitution of lysine for glutamate at residue 236 in dsRBD2 (RHA(
K236E)) reduced its affinity for TAR RNA and impaired HIV-1 transcriptional
activity. These results indicate that TAR RNA is a preferred target of RHA
dsRBDs and that RHA enhances HIV-1 transcription in vivo in part through t
he TAR-binding of RHA.