Human immunodeficiency virus-1 induces host genomic R-loops and preferentially integrates its genome near the R-loop regions
Although HIV-1 integration sites favor active transcription units in the human genome, high-resolution analysis of individual HIV-1 integration sites has shown that the virus can integrate into a variety of host genomic locations, including non-genic regions. The invisible infection by HIV-1 integra...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2024-12-01
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| Series: | eLife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/97348 |
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| Summary: | Although HIV-1 integration sites favor active transcription units in the human genome, high-resolution analysis of individual HIV-1 integration sites has shown that the virus can integrate into a variety of host genomic locations, including non-genic regions. The invisible infection by HIV-1 integrating into non-genic regions, challenging the traditional understanding of HIV-1 integration site selection, is more problematic because they are selected for preservation in the host genome during prolonged antiretroviral therapies. Here, we showed that HIV-1 integrates its viral genome into the vicinity of R-loops, a genomic structure composed of DNA-RNA hybrids. VSV-G-pseudotyped HIV-1 infection initiates the formation of R-loops in both genic and non-genic regions of the host genome and preferentially integrates into R-loop-rich regions. Using a HeLa cell model that can independently control transcriptional activity and R-loop formation, we demonstrated that the exogenous formation of R-loops directs HIV-1 integration-targeting sites. We also found that HIV-1 integrase proteins physically bind to the host genomic R-loops. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying retroviral integration and the new strategies for antiretroviral therapy against HIV-1 latent infection. |
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| ISSN: | 2050-084X |