M. Kitano et al., Effective suppression of HIV-1 gene expression by a mammalian tRNA 3 ' processing endoribonuclease and external guide sequence oligozymes, NUCLEOS NUC, 20(4-7), 2001, pp. 719-722
We examined the suppression of virus expression by cleaveage of the HIV-1 R
NA gene using a mammalian tRNA 3' processing endoribonuclease and an Extern
al Guide Sequence Oligozyme (EGS) in vivo. We constructed an EGS expression
vector that used the tRNA(met) promoter as an expression cassette for EGS.
The EGS expression vector was targeted to the upstream region of gag, regi
on. The EGS expression vector was co-transfected into COS cells with the HI
V-1 gene plasmid vector. As compared with the EGS non-expressing cells and
the EGS expressing cells, the EGS expressing cells with the targeted gag st
art codon had a clearly decreased amount of the HIV-1 gag p24 protein. The
EGS expressing cells with the targeted gag start codon showed effective sup
pression of HIV-1 gene expression. Thus, these studies describe novel gene
targeting agents for the inhibition of gene expression and antiviral activi
ty.