Cellular Proteins and HIV-1 Rev Function

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) differentially controls viral protein expression at the level of splicing as well as nuclear export of incompletely spliced viral RNA. This process, mediated by the Rev protein, interfaces with cellular components involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation. While a number of reviews have focused on the host proteins (i.e., Crm1, importin-β and nucleoporins) that specifically regulate shuttling of Rev between the nucleus and cytoplasm, we could find no systematic review of other cellular proteins implicated in Rev function. Therefore, we will here focus on other Rev cofactors (eIF5a, hRIP, Sam68, RNA helicases, etc) and the role they play in Rev/RRE function and HIV-1 replication.