Preferential interaction of human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase with two regions of primer tRNA(Lys) as evidenced by footprinting studies and inhibition with synthetic oligoribonucleotides.

Primer tRNA regions involved in the interactions between human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase (HIV RT) and tRNA(Lys) were studied by digestion of primer with pancreatic ribonuclease in the presence or absence of HIV RT. The acceptor stem of tRNA(Lys) is not noticeably protected against nuclease action in the presence of HIV RT, while this enzyme clearly protects part of the anticodon and dihydrouridine loops of tRNA(Lys). The acceptor stem of primer tRNA was digested by RNase A only in the presence of the retroviral enzyme, suggesting a partial destabilization of this region by the HIV RT. Synthetic oligoribonucleotides, corresponding to the anticodon and the dihydrouridine loops, inhibited strongly reverse transcription, confirming the strong interaction of these tRNA regions with the enzyme.