Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
RETROVIRUSES: CURRENT CONCEPTS OF STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and other Manifestations of HIV Infection. Wormser GP et al, eds. Park Ridge, NJ, Noyes Publications, p. 130-59, 1987.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/88646999 Coffin JM; Dept. of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts Univ. Sch. of; Medicine, Boston, MA
Abstract:
The discovery that infection with a retrovirus (RV), now called human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is intimately associated with the causation of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is revitalizing interest in studies which consider RVs as infectious pathogens, rather than as transducing agents. Background information is provided on RV-host interactions, with an emphasis on virion and genome structure and the molecular mechanisms of replication and pathogenesis. Topics include definition, natural history and taxonomy of RVs, virion structure and assembly, the RV genome, replication (initial events, viral DNA synthesis, integration, expression, processing, and transactivation), pathogenesis (malignancy and cell killing), and evolution of HIV. RVs are defined as those viruses with RNA genomes that replicate via a DNA intermediate. RVs are widespread among vertebrates, and infectious virus has been isolated from fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. RVs can induce a wide variety of different diseases in natural and experimental hosts. RV genomes are synthesized and processed by the same mechanisms used for the synthesis of normal cellular mRNA. The replication of RVs can be divided into two phases: Phase I includes synthesis and integration of the provirus and is carried out principally by enzymes found in the virion; Phase II includes synthesis of progeny mRNAs and genomes, entirely by cellular systems. They have adapted to a wide variety of niches, and have done so despite their very low rate of transmission and the lability of the virion. The outbreak of AIDS has provided renewed impetus for obtaining a deeper knowledge of RV biology. As understanding of the virology of AIDS has increased, many new and fascinating retrovirological problems have appeared, and many old problems (such as antigenic variation and the mechanism of cell killing) have moved into the forefront. Just as AIDS is quite different from all other diseases, HIV is quite different from all other RVs. (64 Refs)
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/MICROBIOLOGY Animal Base Sequence DNA, Viral/GENETICS Gene Expression Regulation Genetic Code Human HIV/GENETICS Retroviridae/CLASSIFICATION/*GENETICS Retroviridae Infections/*MICROBIOLOGY RNA, Viral/GENETICS Tumor Virus Infections/MICROBIOLOGY Virus Replication MONOGRAPH REVIEW REVIEW, TUTORIAL
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1988. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
