HIV RTC accumulation in the nucleus (top) fails without tRNA (bottom).

FASSATI/PLOS

HIV rides the tRNA train to the nucleus, according to Lyubov Zaitseva, Richard Myers, and Ariberto Fassati (University College, London, UK).

For HIV to propagate inside cells, it must first enter the nucleus and, using its reverse transcription complex (RTC), integrate into the host genome. Fassati and his team previously showed that a nuclear import protein called importin 7 was partly responsible for HIV RTC transport to the nucleus.

The team has now set about an unbiased task to find other nuclear import factors. Through multiple cell fractionation steps, they identified an RNA component capable of supporting nuclear import of HIV RTC. Sequencing revealed that the component was tRNA. Sure that tRNAs—instrumental for cytoplasmic protein translation—could not be responsible, Fassati thought, “Oh no! It's all wrong, we've got to start all over again.”...

The Rockefeller University Press
2006
The Rockefeller University Press
2006
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