Honors Program
Date of this Version
Fall 2021
Document Type
Thesis
Citation
Griggs, E. 2021. HIV-1 Transcription Elongation by Tat-mediated Recruitment of P-TEFb. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Abstract
Over 38.0 million people live with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as of 462019. HIV hijacks the host's cellular machinery to replicate its viral DNA and transcribe the corresponding RNA. HIV-1 transcription relies on both cellular and viral transcription factors for proper regulation. The viral transcriptional activator Tat is a primary regulator. Transcription activation and elongation is controlled through the interaction of Tat with Positive Transcription Elongation Factor b (P-TEFb), a cellular transcriptional activator. The focus of this paper is 1) an in-depth understanding of the interaction between P-TEFb and Tat in HIV transcription, and 2) a review of recent therapeutic approaches for controlling HIV. First, I will describe the P-TEFb/Tat interaction involved in the activation of HIV-1 transcription and the post-translational modifications of Tat and P-TEFb that either inhibit or activate the complex. Then, I will discuss therapeutic approaches used to control HIV transcription and prevent cells from remaining in latency, and provide possible future studies for determining the efficacy of an experimental long-acting drug.
Comments
Copyright Elizabeth Griggs 2021.