: Biotechnology Articles
Research: Small-molecule inhibition of HIV-1 VifThe HIV-1 protein Vif, essential for in vivo viral replication, targets the human DNA-editing enzyme, APOBEC3G (A3G), which inhibits replication of retroviruses and hepatitis B virus. As Vif has no known cellular homologs, it is an attractive, yet unrealized, target for antiviral intervention. Although zinc chelation inhibits Vif and enhances viral sensitivity to A3G, this effect is unrelated to the interaction of Vif with A3G. We identify a small molecule, RN-18, that antagonizes Vif function and inhibits HIV-1 replication only in the presence of A3G. RN-18 increases cellular A3G levels in a Vif-dependent manner and increases A3G incorporation into virions without inhibiting general proteasome-mediated protein degradation. RN-18 enhances Vif degradation only in the presence of A3G, reduces viral infectivity by increasing A3G incorporation into virions and enhances cytidine deamination of the viral genome. These results demonstrate that the HIV-1 Vif-A3G axis is a valid target for developing small molecule–based new therapies for HIV infection or for enhancing innate immunity against viruses. Nature Biotechnology, vol. 26 #10, pp1187-1192 |
News and Views: New β-cells from old aciniPancreatic acinar cells have been reprogrammed in vivo into insulin-expressing cells by adenoviral delivery of three transcription factors. Nature Biotechnology, vol. 26 #10, pp1092-1093 |
News and Views: Enhancing immunity to HIV through APOBECA small molecule that interferes with HIV Vif promotes the antiviral activity of the human protein APOBEC3G. Nature Biotechnology, vol. 26 #10, pp1089-1090 |
News and Views: Unveiling viral enablersGlobal RNA interference screens uncover the host genes that support infection by HIV, West Nile virus and influenza virus. Nature Biotechnology, vol. 26 #10, pp1093-1094 |
News and Views: From biomarkers to integrated network responsesThe ability to quantify carbon fluxes in mammalian cells is a step toward elucidating the dynamic metabolic networks associated with health and disease. Nature Biotechnology, vol. 26 #10, pp1090-1092 |
Editorial: Defusing a time bombResearchers and their institutions need to dispel a myth about 'independent' research before the media does it for them. Nature Biotechnology, vol. 26 #10, pp1051-1051 |
Editorial: Prepare for the delugeThe gobs of data produced by next-generation sequencing are a key problem limiting wider adoption. Nature Biotechnology, vol. 26 #10, pp1099-1099 |