RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Baraz, Lea A1 Hutoran, Marina A1 Blumenzweig, Immanuel A1 Katzenellenbogen, Mark A1 Friedler, Assaf A1 Gilon, Chaim A1 Steinitz, Michael A1 Kotler, Moshe YR 2002 T1 Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Vif binds the viral protease by interaction with its N-terminal region JF Journal of General Virology, VO 83 IS 9 SP 2225 OP 2230 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-83-9-2225 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB The vif gene, one of the six auxiliary genes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is essential for virus propagation in peripheral blood lymphocytes and macrophages and in certain T-cell lines. Previously, it was demonstrated that Vif inhibits the autoprocessing of truncated HIV type 1 (HIV-1) Gag–Pol polyproteins expressed in bacterial cells, as well as the protease-mediated cleavage of synthetic peptides in vitro. Peptides derived from the aa 78–98 region in the Vif molecule specifically inhibit and bind the HIV-1 protease in vitro and arrest the production of infectious viruses in HIV-1-infected cells. This study demonstrates that (i) purified recombinant Vif protein and HIV-1 but not avian sarcoma leukaemia virus protease specifically bind each other and (ii) the interaction between these two proteins takes place at the N terminus of the protease (aa 1–9) and the central part of Vif (aa 78–98). The data presented in this report suggest a model in which Vif interacts with the dimerization sites of the viral protease., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-83-9-2225