Identification of Peptide Ligands for Target RNA Structures Derived from the HIV‐1 Packaging Signal <i>ψ</i> by Screening Phage‐Displayed Peptide Libraries

Abstract

Tying up the package: The HIV-1 RNA packaging signal ψ is a complex RNA structure located within the 5′-end of unspliced HIV-1 RNAs (see picture). Upon binding of the viral polyprotein Gag to the ψ RNA, a process mediated by the nucleocapsid protein NCp7, two RNA genomes are packaged into the assembling virions. By using phage display technology peptides were selected that bind specifically to different RNA structures derived from the ψ RNA.