Chromatin structure implicated in activation of HIV-1 gene expression by ultraviolet light

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · New Biologist; (USA)

OSTI ID:6053783

Valerie, K; Rosenberg, M ^[1]

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1. Smith Kline and French Laboratories, King of Prussia, PA (USA)

We have investigated the effects of different DNA-damaging agents on HIV-1 gene expression. We find that agents that produce bulky DNA lesions, similar to those induced by ultraviolet light (UV), all dramatically increase HIV-1 gene expression, whereas agents that produce primarily base damage and DNA breakage, such as ionizing radiation, have little or no effect. We show that these effects are independent of DNA synthesis per se and do not require DNA nucleotide excision repair. The drug novobiocin effectively prevents the UV activation process, consistent with the idea that a change in DNA chromatin structure may be required. We suggest that a transient decondensation of chromatin structure, an early step in DNA nucleotide excision repair but not in base excision repair, may be the triggering mechanism. The decondensation may allow the transcriptional machinery better access to the HIV-1 promoter region, thereby increasing gene expression.

• OSTI ID: 6053783
• Journal Information: New Biologist; (USA), Vol. 2:8; ISSN 1043-4674
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIDS VIRUS
GENE REGULATION
CHROMATIN
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
EXCISION REPAIR
GENETIC RADIATION EFFECTS
HELA CELLS
MAN
TRANSCRIPTION
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
X RADIATION
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RECOVERY
BIOLOGICAL REPAIR
DNA REPAIR
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
GENETIC EFFECTS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MAMMALS
MICROORGANISMS
PARASITES
PRIMATES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
REPAIR
VERTEBRATES
VIRUSES
560130* - Radiation Effects on Microorganisms