The Bel-1 protein of human foamy virus activates human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gene expression via a novel DNA target site

Abstract

The Bel-i protein of human foamy virus can activate transcription directed by the long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The target sequence for Bel-i is shown to lie within the HIV-1 LTR U3 region but does not coincide with any previously described factor-binding site. Gene expression directed by an HIV-1 LTR lacking functional sites for the inducible cellular transcription factor NF-KB was activated over 100-fold by coexpression of Bel-1. These observations sugges…