Epigenetic Regulation of HIV-1 Transcription

Abstract

After entry into the target cell and reverse transcription, HIV-1 genes are integrated into the host genome. It is now well established that the viral promoter activity is directly governed by its chromatin environment. Nuc-1, a nucleosome located immediately downstream of the HIV-1 transcriptional initiation site directly impedes long-terminal repeat (LTR) activity. Epigenetic modifications and disruption of Nuc-1 are a prerequisite to the activation of LTR-driven transcription and viral expression. The compaction of chromatin and its permissiveness for transcription are directly dependent on the post-translational modifications of histones such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying HIV-1 transcriptional silencing and activation is thus a major challenge in the fight against AIDS and will certainly lead to new therapeutic tools.

KEYWORDS::

• HIV
• latency
• transcription

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by institutional funds from the Franche-Comte University (to Georges Herbein). Wasim Abbas is a recipient of doctoral scholarships from the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by institutional funds from the Franche-Comte University (to Georges Herbein). Wasim Abbas is a recipient of doctoral scholarships from the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.