A functional interaction between Rev and yeast pre-mRNA is related to splicing complex formation

Abstract

The HIV-1 Rev protein regulates viral gene expression by enhancing the export of partially spliced or non-spliced viral transcripts to the cytoplasm. This activity is mediated by the interaction of Rev with a highly structured viral RNA sequence, the Rev response element (RRE). In this paper, Rev regulation has been recapitulated in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The data show that Rev enhances yeast pre-mRNA translation in an RRE-dependent manner and requires intact RNA binding and effector domains. In addition, reporter gene mutations in the 5' splice site and in the branch point are epistatic to and eliminate Rev responsiveness, i.e. some spliceosome assembly pathway steps precede a functional interaction with Rev. The results indicate that some of the Rev-interacting components are conserved between yeast and mammals and suggest that Rev acts on yeast pre-mRNA in the context of the spliceosome.