Figure 1

Schematic representation of Vif and APOBEC3G interactions during the HIV-1 replication cycle. Red arrows represent Vif action during the HIV-1 viral replication in non-permissive cells. Green arrows represent APOBEC3G/3F action in viral HIV-1 Vif defective virus. Broken arrows represent inhibition of APOBEC3G activity by Vif. Question marks (?) represent unresolved questions about Vif and APOBEC interactions. Box1: Schematic representation of minus-strand DNA and/or viral RNA deamination by APOBEC3G/3F [48]. Box2: Degradation model of APOBEC3G induced by Vif; Vif interacts with APOBEC3G as part of a Vif-Cul5-SCF complex resulting in the polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of APOBEC3G. Vif may have been derived from a cellular SOCS box protein that targets APOBEC 3G to the ECS ubiquitin ligase [49]. Two possible pathways of APOBEC3G regulation by Vif are represented.