| Function |
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which the
immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic
infections. HIV mainly infects vital cells in the human immune system such
as helper T cells (specifically CD4+ T cells), macrophages and dendritic
cells. Two species of HIV infect humans: HIV-1 and HIV-2, with HIV-1 being
the more virulent strain. p17 is a structural matrix protein of HIV-1 that
enters the nucleus rapidly after viral synthesis. HIV-1 Rev is an RNA-binding,
transactivator protein that is readily phosphorylated at separate regions by
protein kinase CK2 and MAP kinase. Rev plays a role in viral replication, and
it specifically induces the accumulation in the cytoplasm of intron-containing
mRNAs normally kept in the nucleus. |
