Protein Rev, HIV2 (Rev)

RNA processing is an important facet of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication. The interaction between the viral protein Rev and the RNA motifs is known as Rev response elements (RREs) and is required for the transport of unspliced and partially spliced HIV-1 and HIV-2 RNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm during the later stages of virus replication. During early infection, HIV RNA transcribed from the integrated provirus is multiply spliced, exported from the nucleus via the Nxf1 export pathway, and translated into viral accessory proteins such as Rev. The Rev protein re-enters the nucleus, binds to viral RRE, a conserved structural element embedded in the env gene in singly or unspliced HIV RNA, and the resulting nucleoprotein complex is diverted from the cellular splicing machinery to nuclear export via the Exportin-1 pathway. Rev-mediated RNA export is essential for both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections.