Mutation rates and intrinsic fidelity of retroviral reverse transcriptases

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that replicate through a DNA intermediate, in a process catalyzed by the viral reverse transcriptase (RT). Although cellular polymerases and host factors contribute to retroviral mutagenesis, the RT errors play a major role in retroviral mutation. RT mutations that affec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Viruses 2009-12, Vol.1 (3), p.1137-1165
Main Author: Menéndez-Arias, Luis
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
DNA polymerase
fidelity
HIV
mutation
retroviruses
reverse transcriptase
Review
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Summary:Retroviruses are RNA viruses that replicate through a DNA intermediate, in a process catalyzed by the viral reverse transcriptase (RT). Although cellular polymerases and host factors contribute to retroviral mutagenesis, the RT errors play a major role in retroviral mutation. RT mutations that affect the accuracy of the viral polymerase have been identified by in vitro analysis of the fidelity of DNA synthesis, by using enzymological (gel-based) and genetic assays (e.g., M13mp2 lacZ forward mutation assays). For several amino acid substitutions, these observations have been confirmed in cell culture using viral vectors. This review provides an update on studies leading to the identification of the major components of the fidelity center in retroviral RTs.
ISSN:1999-4915
1999-4915
DOI:10.3390/v1031137