Mutational Analysis of Two Zinc Finger Motifs in HIV Type 1 Nucleocapsid Proteins: Effects on Proteolytic Processing of Gag Precursors and Particle Formation

To clarify the physiological function of two zinc finger motifs in the nucleocapsid (NC) domain of the Gag protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), we changed cysteine to serine in either of the two motifs or both by site-directed mutagenesis. Viral infectivity was lost by any of the mutations, but their effects appeared differently in the respective mutants. Northern blot analysis showed that the first finger mutant was far less efficient (approximately 10% of the wild type) in genomic RNA encapsidation and that the dual mutant of both fingers completely failed to encapsidate the RNA. In contrast, the second finger mutant retained its ability for RNA encapsidation with an efficiency similar to that of the wild type. Immunoblot analysis of the lysates of CD4-positive M8166 cells transfected with the mutant proviral DNAs showed that the processing of Gag precursors was delayed in two mutant viruses having alterations in the first finger sequence, whereas the processing of the second finger mutant appeared to be normal. On the other hand, immunoblot analysis of the virus particles showed that the second finger mutant particles contained some proteins that were thought to be degradation products of p24^CA. Electron microscopic observation showed that all particles of these mutant viruses were morphologically alike except that they had a slightly larger diameter than that of the wild type. These results indicate that these finger motifs of HIV-1 NC protein do not function equivalently. Namely, the first finger is primarily responsible for RNA encapsidation and the second is required for stabilization of virus particles.