N myristylation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag polyprotein precursor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract

A semisynthetic gene precisely encoding the 502 amino acids of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag precursor (Pr53gag) was expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Amino acid sequence analysis of the recombinant Pr53gag showed that the amino terminus was fully blocked. Labeling of Pr53gag with [3H]myristic acid demonstrated that, as with Pr53gag isolated from virus-infected cells, the yeast-derived protein was demethionylated and N myristylated on glycine, the second amino acid residue.