Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 pX-I and pX-II open reading frames are dispensable for the immortalization of primary lymphocytes

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infects and transforms CD4⁺ T-lymphocytes both in vivo and in vitro. Although the Tax protein of HTLV-1 has been strongly implicated as a transforming agent, other virally encoded proteins may also play a role in the transformation process. In addition to the rex and tax genes, the pX region of the HTLV-1 genome contains two open reading frames (pX-I and pX-II) which encode the putative viral accessory proteins known as p12(I), p30(II), and p13(II). Mutations in the ACH molecular clone of HTLV-1 that are predicted to abrogate the expression of p12(I), p13(II) and p30(II) were constructed. These mutations had no effect on viral replication or the immortalization of primary lymphocytes. Although these proteins are dispensable for viral replication and immortalization in vitro, it remains possible that they alter infection in vivo.