The tRNALys packaging complex in HIV-1.

The major human tRNALys isoacceptors, tRNALys1,2 and tRNALys3, are selectively packaged into HIV-1 during assembly, where tRNALys3 acts as the primer for initiating reverse transcription. In this report, we shall review the evidence that supports a model for the formation of a tRNALys packaging complex, whose components include the precursor proteins Gag and Gag-Pol, viral genomic RNA, tRNALys, and lysyl-tRNA synthetase (LysRS). In the model proposed, the tRNALys packaging complex is formed when a Gag/Gag-Pol/viral RNA complex interacts with a tRNALys/LysRS complex, with Gag interacting with LysRS, and Gag-Pol interacting with tRNALys. The incorporation of Gag-Pol into HIV-1 requires its interaction with Gag multimers whose polymerization is promoted by RNA. Reverse transcriptase sequences within Gag-Pol also bind to tRNALys, and this binding is required for tRNALys packaging into viruses. LysRS, the enzyme that aminoacylates tRNALys, is also incorporated into HIV-1, and this protein is a strong candidate for being the signal that specifically targets tRNALys for viral incorporation. Newly-synthesized LysRS is a main source of viral LysRS, and its incorporation into viruses occurs via its interaction with Gag and independently of tRNALys packaging. While tRNALys incorporation into viruses depends upon its interaction with LysRS, tRNALys aminoacylation is not a requirement for viral packaging. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.