• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.342-347
• /
• 2007

Bacteriophage ${\Phi}FC1$ integrase (MJ1) was previously shown to perform a site-specific recombination between a phage attachment site (attP) and a host attachment site (attB) in its host, Enterococcus faecalis, and also in a non-host bacterium, Escherichia coli. Here, we investigated biochemical features of MJ1 integrase. First, MJ1 integrase could perform in vitro recombination between attP and attB in the absence of additional factors. Second, MJ1 integrase interacted with att sites. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting revealed that MJ1 integrase could efficiently bind to all the att sites and that MJ1 integrase recognized relatively short sequences (${\sim}50bp$) containing an overlapping region within attB and attP. These results demonstrate that MJ1 integrase indeed catalyzes an integrative recombination between attP and attB, the mechanism of which might be simple and unidirectional, as found in serine integrases.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.246-255
• /
• 2005

Retroviral integrases insert viral DNA into target DNA. In this process they recognize their own DNA specifically via functional domains. In order to analyze these functional domains, we constructed six chimeric integrases by swapping domains between HIV-1 and HFV integrases, and two point mutants of HFV integrase. Chimeric integrases with the central domain of HIV-1 integrase had strand transfer and disintegration activities, in agreement with the idea that the central domain determines viral DNA specificity and has catalytic activity. On the other hand, chimeric integrases with the central domain of HFV integrase did not have any enzymatic activity apart from FFH that had weak disintegration activity, suggesting that the central domain of HFV integrase was defective catalytically or structurally. However, these inactive chimeras were efficiently complemented by the point mutants (D164A and E200A) of HFV integrase, indicating that the central domain of HFV integrase possesses potential enzymatic activity but is not able to recognize viral or target DNA without the help of its homologous N-terminal and C-terminal domains.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.165-170
• /
• 1995

The 356 amino acid long lambda integrase protein of bacteriophage .lambda. constains two autonomous DNA binding domains with distinct sequence specificities. The amino terminal domain of integrase is implicated to bind to the arm-type sequences and the carboxyl domain interacts with the coretype sequencess. As a first step to understand the molecular mechanism of the integrase-DNA interaction at the arm-type site, the int(am)94 gene carrying an amber mutation at the 94th codon of the int was cloned under the control of the P$\_$tac/ promoter and the lacI$\_$q/ gene. The Int(am)94 mutant protein of amino terminal 93 amino acid residues can be produced at high level from a suppressor free strain harboring the plasmid pInt(am)94. The arm-type binding activity of Int(am)94 were measured in vivo and in vitro. A comparison of the arm-type binding properties of the wild-type integrase and the truncated Int(am)94 mutant indicated that the truncated fragment containing 93 amino acid residues carry all the determinants for DNA binding at the arm-type sites.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.784-788
• /
• 1995

The lambda Integrase (Int) carries out site-specific recombination between the two partner DNA sequences, attachment P (attP) and attachment B (attB). In order to study the recombination mechanism, a large quantity of pure integrase is required. Then, we constructed an int gene inserted recombinant plasmid (pNYL3) by using the pQE31 HIS-Tag vector, and produced the fusion protein, 6xHIS-Int from the E. coli TG1 strain carrying the pNYL3 plasmid. The recombinant protein produced was purified by phosphocellulose and Ni$^{++}$-NTA affinity column chromatographies. The result of the in vitro recombination assay using the standard reaction mixture containing 6xHIS-Int and partially purified integration host factor (IHF) showed that the 6xHIS-Int tagged recombination Integrase had the full recombination activity.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.13-19
• /
• 2004

A bacterial expression vector for the human foamy virus (HFV) integrase was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli. By two-step purification using a nickel-chelated column and a SP-sepharose chromatography; the HFV into-grase protein of 43 kDa was purified to near homogeneity, and used to investigate biochemical characteristics of the enzymatic activities, such as endonucleolytic and disintegration activities. Oligonucleotide substrates were specifically and efficiently cleaved by the purifed HFV integrase in the presence of Mn $^{+2}$, but not in the presence of Mg $^{+2}$, indicating that the HFV integrase is not able to use Mg $^{+2}$ as a cofactor Endonucleolytic reaction was almost completed in 60 min at 37 $^{\circ}C$. In addition, the maximum enzymatic activities were observed at 5 mM Mn $^{+2}$ in the buffer of which pH was from 7.0 to 9.0. The endonucleolytic activities were dose-dependently blocked in the addition of baicalein or chicolic acid which is a well-known inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus integrase.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.1273-1281
• /
• 2020

Due to the broad host suitability of viral vectors and their high gene delivery capacity, many researchers are focusing on viral vector-mediated gene therapy. Among the retroviruses, foamy viruses have been considered potential gene therapy vectors because of their non-pathogenicity. To date, the prototype foamy virus is the only retrovirus that has a high-resolution structure of intasomes, nucleoprotein complexes formed by integrase, and viral DNA. The integration of viral DNA into the host chromosome is an essential step for viral vector development. This process is mediated by virally encoded integrase, which catalyzes unique chemical reactions. Additionally, recent studies on foamy virus integrase elucidated the catalytic functions of its three distinct domains and their effect on viral pathogenicity. This review focuses on recent advancements in biochemical, structural, and functional studies of foamy virus integrase for gene therapy vector research.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2006

Human foamy virus (HFV) integrase mediates integration of viral c-DNA into cellular DNA. In this process, HFV prointegration complex (PIC) in which integrase is a key component moves to nuclei of the infected cells and leads to integration of viral DNA to the cellular genome, which is essential in viral life cycle. In general nuclear localization signals (NLS) have been suggested to be involved in localizing retroviral PIC to nuclei, but the mechanisms for nuclear localization of the HFV PIC remains unclear. To functionally identify the NLS of HFV integrase, various subdomains of the protein were expressed as GFP fusions and their subcellular locations were analyzed with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Wild type HFV integrase was karyophilic by targeting the fusion protein to nuclei of the COS-1 and 293T cells. Our results showed that strong NLS of HFV integrase was mapped to the C-terminal regions. In addition the karyophilic properties of N-terminal and central regions are not individually strong enough to direct localization of the fusion proteins to nuclei, but their cooperative activity for nuclear import was confirmed.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.520-523
• /
• 1999

We have been screening anti-HIV integrase compounds from Korean medicinal plants by using an in vitro assay system which is mainly composed of recombinant human immunodeficency virus type 1 integrase and radiolabeled oligonucleotides. From the above screening, the aqueous methanolic extract of the roots of Agastache rugosa exhibited a significant activity. Bioactivity-guided chromatographic fractionation of the methanolic extract resulted in the isolation of rosmarinic acid. The structure of the compound was determined by spectroscopic data and by the comparison with the reported values. The $IC_{50}$ of the rosmarinic acid was approximately $10{\mu}g/ml$ against HIV integrase.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.46-51
• /
• 2003

Baicalein and baicalin are flavonoid compounds isolated from medicinal herb Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Labiatae) and have been known to possess antiviral activities. In the present study, we investigated the in vitro effects of baicalein and baicalin on the three distinctive enzymatic activities of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) integrase-endonucleolytic, integration, and disintegration activities. Both compounds inhibited the three enzymatic activities in a dose-dependent manner. The 50％ inhibitory concentrations of baicalein and baicalin for endonucleolytic activities of HIV-1 integrase were 4.4$\pm$3.3 and 25.9$\pm$4.0$\mu$M, respectively. In general, baicalein exhibited nearly 6- to 10-fold stronger inhibition than baicalin for the three enzymatic activities. These data demonstrate that baicalein or baicalin can be used as a leading compound to develop anti-AIDS chemotherapeutic agents targeting to the HIV-1 integrase.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.46-52
• /
• 1998

Retroviral integrase is required for integration of viral DNA into the host cell chromosome. Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 integrase was partially purified as a part of a fusion protein linked to a maltose-binding protein and characterized in terms of an endonucleolytic activity. The concentration of the fusion protein purified through an amylose column was about 12mg/ml. Indicating that the solubility of the fusion protein is highly increased by the presence of a maltose-binding protein, considering that the integrase protein alone is poorly solubilized. The endonucleolytic activity of the fusion protein was detected at 0.1 to 1.OmM $Mn^{++}$ ion, but not at any concentrations tested of $Mn^{++}$ ion.