Peter R. Meyer

Effects of Specific Zidovudine Resistance Mutations and Substrate Structure on Nucleotide-Dependent Primer Unblocking by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase

ABSTRACT Nucleotide-dependent unblocking of chain-terminated DNA by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (RT) is enhanced by the presence of mutations associated with 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) resistance. The increase in unblocking activity was greater for mutant combinations associated with higher levels of in vivo AZT resistance. The difference between mutant and wild-type activity was further enhanced by introduction of a methyl group into the nucleotide substrate and was decreased for a nonaromatic substrate, suggesting that π-π interactions between RT and an aromatic structure may be facilitated by these mutations.

Relationship between 3′-Azido-3′-Deoxythymidine Resistance and Primer Unblocking Activity in Foscarnet-Resistant Mutants of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase

ABSTRACT Phosphonoformate (foscarnet) is a pyrophosphate (PPi) analogue and a potent inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT), acting through the PPi binding site on the enzyme. HIV-1 RT can unblock a chain-terminated DNA primer by phosphorolytic transfer of the terminal residue to an acceptor substrate (PPi or a nucleotide such as ATP) which also interacts with the PPi binding site. Primer-unblocking activity is increased in mutants of HIV-1 that are resistant to the chain-terminating nucleoside inhibitor 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT). We have compared the primer-unblocking activity for HIV-1 RT containing various foscarnet resistance mutations (K65R, W88G, W88S, E89K, S117T, Q161L, M164I, and the double mutant Q161L/H208Y) alone or in combination with AZT resistance mutations. The level of primer-unblocking activity varied over a 150-fold range for these enzymes and was inversely correlated with foscarnet resistance and directly correlated with AZT resistance. Based on published crystal structures of HIV-1 RT, many of the foscarnet resistance mutations affect residues that do not make direct contact with the catalytic residues of RT, the incoming deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP), or the primer-template. These mutations may confer foscarnet resistance and reduce primer unblocking by indirectly decreasing the binding and retention of foscarnet, PPi, and ATP. Alternatively, the binding position or orientation of PPi, ATP, or the primer-template may be changed in the mutant enzyme complex so that molecular interactions required for the unblocking reaction are impaired while dNTP binding and incorporation are not.

Effects of dipeptide insertions between codons 69 and 70 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase on primer unblocking, deoxynucleoside triphosphate inhibition, and DNA chain elongation

ABSTRACT Finger insertion mutations of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) (T69S mutations followed by various dipeptide insertions) have a multinucleoside resistance phenotype that can be explained by decreased sensitivity to deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) inhibition of the nucleotide-dependent unblocking activity of RT. We show that RTs with SG or AG (but not SS) insertions have three- to fourfold-increased unblocking activity and that all three finger insertion mutations have threefold-decreased sensitivity to dNTP inhibition. The additional presence of M41L and T215Y mutations increased unblocking activity for all three insertions, greatly reduced the sensitivity to dNTP inhibition, and resulted in defects in in vitro DNA chain elongation. The DNA chain elongation defects were partially repaired by additional mutations at positions 210, 211, and 214. These results suggest that structural communication between the regions of RT defined by these mutations plays a role in the multinucleoside resistance phenotype.

Intracellular Substrates for the Primer-Unblocking Reaction by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase: Detection and Quantitation in Extracts from Quiescent- and Activated-Lymphocyte Subpopulations

ABSTRACT Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients with 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) selects for mutant forms of viral reverse transcriptase (RT) with increased ability to remove chain-terminating nucleotides from blocked DNA chains. We tested various cell extracts for the presence of endogenous acceptor substrates for this reaction. Cell extracts incubated with HIV-1 RT and [32P]ddAMP-terminated DNA primer/template gave rise to 32P-labeled adenosine 2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine 5′,5′′′−P1,P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4ddA), ddATP, Gp4ddA, and Ap3ddA, corresponding to the transfer of [32P]ddAMP to ATP, PPi, GTP, and ADP, respectively. Incubation with [32P]AZT monophosphate (AZTMP)-terminated primer/template gave rise to the analogous 32P-labeled AZT derivatives. Based on the rates of formation of the specific excision products, ATP and PPi levels were determined: ATP was present at 1.3 to 2.2 mM in H9 cells, macrophages, and unstimulated CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, while PPi was present at 7 to 15 μM. Under these conditions, the ATP-dependent reaction predominated, and excision by the AZT-resistant mutant RT was more efficient than wild type RT. Activated CD4+ or CD8+ T cells contained 1.4 to 2.7 mM ATP and 55 to 79 μM PPi. These cellular PPi concentrations are lower than previously reported; nonetheless, the PPi-dependent reaction predominated in extracts from activated T cells, and excision by mutant and wild-type RT occurred with similar efficiency. While PPi-dependent excision may contribute to AZT resistance in vivo, it is likely that selection of AZT-resistant mutants occurs primarily in an environment where the ATP-dependent reaction predominates.

Chain-Terminating Dinucleoside Tetraphosphates Are Substrates for DNA Polymerization by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase with Increased Activity against Thymidine Analogue-Resistant Mutants

ABSTRACT Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are an important class of drugs for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Resistance to these drugs is often the result of mutations that increase the transfer of chain-terminating nucleotides from blocked DNA termini to a nucleoside triphosphate acceptor, resulting in the generation of an unblocked DNA chain and synthesis of a dinucleoside polyphosphate containing the chain-terminating deoxynucleoside triphosphate analogue. We have synthesized and purified several dinucleoside tetraphosphates (ddAp4ddA, ddCp4ddC, ddGp4ddG, ddTp4ddT, Ap4ddG, 2′(3′)-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl)-Ap4ddG, and AppNHppddG) and show that these compounds can serve as substrates for DNA chain elongation and termination resulting in inhibition of DNA synthesis. Thymidine analogue-resistant mutants of reverse transcriptase are up to 120-fold more sensitive to inhibition by these compounds than is wild-type enzyme. Drugs based on the dinucleoside tetraphosphate structure could delay or prevent the emergence of mutants with enhanced primer unblocking activity. In addition, such drugs could suppress the resistance phenotype of mutant HIV-1 that is present in individuals infected with resistant virus.

A Role of Template Cleavage in Reduced Excision of Chain-Terminating Nucleotides by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase Containing the M184V Mutation.

ABSTRACT Resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors is conferred on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 through thymidine analogue resistance mutations (TAMs) that increase the ability of RT to excise chain-terminating nucleotides after they have been incorporated. The RT mutation M184V is a potent suppressor of TAMs. In RT containing TAMs, the addition of M184V suppressed the excision of 3′-deoxy-3′-azidothymidine monophosphate (AZTMP) to a greater extent on an RNA template than on a DNA template with the same sequence. The catalytically inactive RNase H mutation E478Q abolished this difference. The reduction in excision activity was similar with either ATP or pyrophosphate as the acceptor substrate. Decreased excision of AZTMP was associated with increased cleavage of the RNA template at position −7 relative to the primer terminus, which led to increased primer-template dissociation. Whether M184V was present or not, RT did not initially bind at the −7 cleavage site. Cleavage at the initial site was followed by RT dissociation and rebinding at the −7 cleavage site, and the dissociation and rebinding were enhanced when the M184V mutation was present. In contrast to the effect of M184V, the K65R mutation suppressed the excision activity of RT to the same extent on either an RNA or a DNA template and did not alter the RNase H cleavage pattern. Based on these results, we propose that enhanced RNase H cleavage near the primer terminus plays a role in M184V suppression of AZT resistance, while K65R suppression occurs through a different mechanism.

Interactions between HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase and the Downstream Template Strand in Stable Complexes with Primer-Template

Background Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase (HIV-1 RT) forms stable ternary complexes in which RT is bound tightly at fixed positions on the primer-template (P/T). We have probed downstream interactions between RT and the template strand in the complex containing the incoming dNTP (+1 dNTP•RT•P/T complex) and in the complex containing the pyrophosphate analog, foscarnet (foscarnet•RT•P/T complex). Methods and Results UV-induced cross-linking between RT and the DNA template strand was most efficient when a bromodeoxyuridine residue was placed in the +2 position (the first template position downstream from the incoming dNTP). Furthermore, formation of the +1 dNTP•RT•P/T complex on a biotin-containing template inhibited binding of streptavidin when biotin was in the +2 position on the template but not when the biotin was in the +3 position. Streptavidin pre-bound to a biotin residue in the template caused RT to stall two to three nucleotides upstream from the biotin residue. The downstream border of the complex formed by the stalled RT was mapped by digestion with exonuclease RecJF. UV-induced cross-linking of the complex formed by the pyrophosphate analog, foscarnet, with RT and P/T occurred preferentially with bromodeoxyuridine in the +1 position on the template in keeping with the location of RT one base upstream in the foscarnet•RT•P/T complex (i.e., in the pre-translocation position). Conclusions For +1 dNTP•RT•P/T and foscarnet•RT•P/T stable complexes, tight interactions were observed between RT and the first unpaired template nucleotide following the bound dNTP or the primer terminus, respectively.