A non-canonical base pair within the human immunodeficiency virus Rev-responsive element is involved in both Rev and small molecule recognition

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication depends on the interaction of an HIV regulatory protein, Rev, with a viral RNA element (the Rev-responsive element, RRE). The high affinity RRE core region contains a non-canonical base pair (G48:G71) that is important for Rev recognition. Aminoglycoside antibiotics, specifically neomycin B, bind to the RRE and selectively block Rev-RRE interactions in vivo and in vitro. We attempted to …