Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.1.26.4 (RNase H)
 2,751 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Recombinant HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) was stably overproduced as a soluble protein in Escherichia coli using a double-plasmid expression system in which an RT precursor protein was expressed and processed in vivo by HIV-1 protease produced in trans. The RT thus produced consisted of an equimolar mixture of two polypeptides, p66 and p51, which were copurified to greater than 90% homogeneity and were found to share a common NH2 terminus as judged by sequence analysis of the polypeptide mixture. The observed sequence confirmed correct in vivo cleavage by protease at the protease-RT polyprotein junction to yield an NH2 terminus identical to that of genuine viral RT (M. M. Lightfoote et al. (1986) J. Virol. 60, 771-775; F. diMarzo Veronese et al. (1986) Science 231, 1289-1291). The bacterially expressed RT had a specific activity similar to that of viral RT and inhibition studies with phosphonoformate confirmed that it was indistinguishable from the viral enzyme with respect to sensitivity to this inhibitor. Polymerase activated gel analysis of the mixture indicated that p66 was associated with a higher level of RT activity than p51. RNase H activated gel analysis suggested that the purified preparation of recombinant RT was free of endogenous E. coli RNase H, and that the RNase H activity of RT was exclusively associated with the p66 polypeptide, supporting the hypothesis that the RNase H domain is located in the COOH-terminal region of the molecule.
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PMID:Recombinant HIV-1 reverse transcriptase: purification, primary structure, and polymerase/ribonuclease H activities. 247 69

A strategy to genetically select Escherichia coli ribonuclease HI mutants with enhanced thermostability is described. E. coli strain MIC3001, which shows an RNase H-dependent, temperature-sensitive growth phenotype, was used for this purpose. Introduction of the rnhA gene permits the growth of this temperature-sensitive strain, whereas the gene for the truncated protein, 142-RNase HI, which lacks the carboxyl-terminal 13 residues, cannot. Analyses of the production levels and the stability of a series of mutant proteins with COOH-terminal truncations suggested that 142-RNase HI is nonfunctional in vivo because of a dramatic decrease in the protein stability. Polymerase chain reaction-mediated random mutagenesis of the rnhA142 gene, encoding 142-RNase HI, followed by selection of revertants, allowed us to isolate 11 single amino acid substitutions that render 142-RNase HI functional in vivo. Of them, eight substitutions were shown to enhance the thermal stability of the wild-type RNase HI protein, and of these, six were novel. The genetic selection strategy employed in this experiment was thus shown to be effective for identifying amino acid substitutions that enhance the thermal stability of E. coli RNase HI. Such a strategy would be versatile if a protein of interest could be destabilized by a deletion or a truncation and a conditional-lethal strain were available.
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PMID:A novel strategy for stabilization of Escherichia coli ribonuclease HI involving a screen for an intragenic suppressor of carboxyl-terminal deletions. 792 30

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNase H activity is essential for the synthesis of viral DNA by HIV reverse transcriptase (HIV-RT). RNA cleavage by RNase H requires the presence of divalent metal ions, but the role of metal ions in the mechanism of RNA cleavage has not been resolved. We measured HIV RNase H activity associated with HIV-RT protein in the presence of different concentrations of either Mg2+, Mn2+, Co2+ or a combination of these divalent metal ions. Polymerase-independent HIV RNase H was similar to or more active with Mn2+ and Co2+ compared with Mg2+. Activation of RNase H by these metal ions followed sigmoidal dose-response curves suggesting cooperative metal ion binding. Titration of Mg2+-bound HIV RNase H with Mn2+ or Co2+ ions generated bell-shaped activity dose-response curves. Higher activity could be achieved through simultaneous binding of more than one divalent metal ion at intermediate Mn2+ and Co2+ concentrations, and complete replacement of Mg2+ occurred at higher Mn2+ or Co2+ concentrations. These results are consistent with a two-metal ion mechanism of RNA cleavage as previously suggested for a number of polymerase-associated nucleases. In contrast, the structurally highly homologous RNase HI from Escherichia coli is most strongly activated by Mg2+, is significantly inhibited by submillimolar concentrations of Mn2+ and most probably cleaves RNA via a one-metal ion mechanism. Based on this difference in active site structure, a series of small molecule N-hydroxyimides was identified with significant enzyme inhibitory potency and selectivity for HIV RNase H.
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PMID:Two-metal ion mechanism of RNA cleavage by HIV RNase H and mechanism-based design of selective HIV RNase H inhibitors. 1462 18

Nucleic acid aptamers to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) are potent inhibitors of DNA polymerase function in vitro, and they have been shown to inhibit viral replication when expressed in cultured T-lymphoid lines. We monitored RT inhibition by five RNA pseudoknot RNA aptamers in a series of biochemical assays designed to mimic discrete steps of viral reverse transcription. Our results demonstrate potent aptamer inhibition (IC50 values in the low nanomolar range) of all RT functions assayed, including RNA- and DNA-primed DNA polymerization, strand displacement synthesis, and polymerase-independent RNase H activity. Additionally, we observe differences in the time dependence of aptamer inhibition. Polymerase-independent RNase H activity is the most resistant to long term aptamer suppression, and RNA-dependent DNA polymerization is the most susceptible. Finally, when DNA polymerization was monitored in the presence of an RNA aptamer in combination with each of four different small molecule inhibitors, significant synergy was observed between the aptamer and the two nucleoside analog RT inhibitors (azidothymidine triphosphate or ddCTP), whereas two non-nucleoside analog RT inhibitors showed either weak synergy (efavirenz) or antagonism (nevirapine). Together, these results support a model wherein aptamers suppress viral replication by cumulative inhibition of RT at every stage of genome replication.
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PMID:Differential susceptibility of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase to inhibition by RNA aptamers in enzymatic reactions monitoring specific steps during genome replication. 1679 47

Pre-rRNA transcription by RNA Polymerase I (Pol I) is very robust on active rDNA repeats. Loss of yeast Topoisomerase I (Top1) generated truncated pre-rRNA fragments, which were stabilized in strains lacking TRAMP (Trf4/Trf5-Air1/Air2-Mtr4 polyadenylation complexes) or exosome degradation activities. Loss of both Top1 and Top2 blocked pre-rRNA synthesis, with pre-rRNAs truncated predominately in the 18S 5' region. Positive supercoils in front of Pol I are predicted to slow elongation, while rDNA opening in its wake might cause R-loop formation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed substantial levels of RNA/DNA hybrids in the wild type, particularly over the 18S 5' region. The absence of RNase H1 and H2 in cells depleted of Top1 increased the accumulation of RNA/DNA hybrids and reduced pre-rRNA truncation and pre-rRNA synthesis. Hybrid accumulation over the rDNA was greatly exacerbated when Top1, Top2, and RNase H were all absent. Electron microscopy (EM) analysis revealed Pol I pileups in the wild type, particularly over the 18S. Pileups were longer and more frequent in the absence of Top1, and their frequency was exacerbated when RNase H activity was also lacking. We conclude that the loss of Top1 enhances inherent R-loop formation, particularly over the 5' region of the rDNA, imposing persistent transcription blocks when RNase H is limiting.
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PMID:Loss of Topoisomerase I leads to R-loop-mediated transcriptional blocks during ribosomal RNA synthesis. 2063 20

In a search for new potential multitarget anti-HIV compounds from natural products, we have identified in Hypericum scruglii, an endemic and exclusive species of Sardinia (Italy), a potent plant lead. The phytochemical study of the hydroalcoholic extract obtained from its leaves led to the isolation of its most abundant secondary metabolites, belonging to different chemical classes. In particular, three phloroglucinols derivatives were identified, confirming their significance as chemotaxonomic markers of the Hypericum genus. Among them, the 3-(13-hydroxygeranyl)-1-(2'-methylbutanoyl)phloroglucinol was reported here for the first time. All six isolated compounds have been evaluated firstly for the inhibition of both Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-associated DNA Polymerase (RDDP) and Ribonuclease H (RNase H) activities, for the inhibition of HIV-1 integrase (IN) in biochemical assays, and also for their effect on viral replication. Among the isolated metabolites, three phloroglucinol derivatives and quercitrin were effective on both RT-associated RDDP and RNase H activities in biochemical assays. The same active compounds affected also HIV-1 IN strand transfer function, suggesting the involvement of the RNase H active site. Furthermore, phloroglucinols compounds, included the newly identified compound, were able to inhibit the HIV-1 replication in cell based assays.
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PMID:Prenylated phloroglucinols from Hypericum scruglii, an endemic species of Sardinia (Italy), as new dual HIV-1 inhibitors effective on HIV-1 replication. 2960 1