Role of RNA helicases in HIV-1 replication

Jeang, Kuan-Teh; Yedavalli, Venkat

Although the precise substrate for most helicases awaits definition, DEAD helicases are generally thought to participate pleiotropically in many aspects of RNA metabolism including transcription, mRNA splicing, mRNA export, translation, RNA stability and mitochondrial gene expression (5) (6) (7) (8) . Some examples of helicases and their attributed functions include the following. UAP56, Brr2, Prp16, Prp22 and Prp43 play roles in RNA-splicing (4, 9) , while Dbp5 (10, 11) and DDX3 (12) chaperone RNAs from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. eIF4a and Ded1 serve for translation of mRNAs while Rh1B, Ski2, Dob1, Dhh1 helicases contribute to mRNA stability (4) . Other DEAD helicases act in ribosome biogenesis through regulation of small nucleolar RNAs and ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) interactions (13, 14) . Finally, Neurospora and Trypanosoma DEAD proteins contribute to mitochondrial gene expression (15, 16) ; a Cryptococcus DEAD helicase is required for cryptococcosis pathogenesis (17) , and the dipteran Chironomus tentans uses a hrp84 DEAD helicase to regulate mRNA transport from the nucleus into the cytoplasm onto polyribosomes (18) .