APOBEC3G

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apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G
Identifiers
Symbol	APOBEC3G
Entrez	60489
HUGO	17357
OMIM	607113
RefSeq	NM_021822
UniProt	Q9HC16
Other data
Locus	Chr. 22 q13.1-13.2

APOBEC3G is a human protein belonging to the APOBEC superfamily of proteins^[1]that interferes with the replication of HIV and other retroviruses. This family of proteins has been suggested to play an important role in innate anti-viral immunity.^[2]

APOBEC3G and other proteins in the same family are able to act as a cytidine deaminase, inducing numerous C to U mutations in the negative strand of the HIV DNA. This results in many inviable virions. HIV appears to have evolved the Vif gene in order to counteract this effect. Vif does not halt APOBEC activity: it only down-regulates it, perhaps increasing overall HIV success by elevating the mutation rate. It is also able to function as anti-viral protein when its active site has been mutated so it can no longer mutate retroviral DNA.

It was first identified in 2002 as a cellular factor able to restrict replication of HIV-1 lacking the viral accessory protein Vif. Soon after, it was shown that APOBEC3G belonged to a family of proteins grouped together due to their homology with the cytidine deaminase APOBEC1.

[edit] References

1. ^ Sheehy AM, Gaddis NC, Choi JD, Malim MH.Isolation of a human gene that inhibits HIV-1 infection and is suppressed by the viral Vif protein. Nature. 2002 Aug 8;418(6898):646-50.
2. ^ Takaori A.Antiviral defense by APOBEC3 family proteins.Uirusu. 2005 Dec;55(2):267-72.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-12/uosc-utr122206.php

[edit] Bibliography

Sheehy AM, Gaddis NC, Choi JD, Malim MH. Isolation of a human gene that inhibits HIV-1 infection and is suppressed by the viral Vif protein. NATURE 418 (6898): 646-650 AUG 8 2002