This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Deyerle, K L Articles by Subramani, S Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Deyerle, K L Articles by Subramani, S

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Virol. 1988 September; 62(9): 3378-3387

Linker scan analysis of the early regulatory region of human papovavirus BK.

Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.

ABSTRACT

BK virus (BKV) is a human papovavirus which latently infects a majority of the world population. Reactivation of this virus is associated with acute hemorrhagic cystitis, and BKV DNA has been found in human tumor tissue. BKV is one of many highly homologous papovaviruses, including simian virus 40 and JC virus, which display distinct host and cell-type specificities, transformation potentials, and pathologies. These differences are thought to be determined, in part, by the noncoding regulatory region of each virus, which contains the origin of replication and regulatory elements for both early and late gene expression. We have used linker scan mutants to map functional elements of a truncated BKV early promoter and enhancer and have studied the stereospecific requirements of these elements. We have also identified protein-binding regions through DNase protection studies. Our results show that a minimum of four elements are necessary for efficient early transcription, at least three of which correspond to DNase-protected domains. These protein-binding elements map to the TATA box and two nuclear factor 1 consensus sequences, one located within the enhancer repeat unit and the other located to the late side of the enhancer. The sequence of the fourth element is similar to the transcription factor Sp1 consensus sequence. Additional DNase-protected sites are centered over AP-1 and Sp1 consensus sequences. Finally, we find that the functional elements of the BKV early promoter and enhancer lack strict stereospecific requirements for efficient transcription.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Gorrill, T., Feliciano, M., Mukerjee, R., Sawaya, B. E., Khalili, K., White, M. K. (2006). Activation of early gene transcription in polyomavirus BK by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat. J. Gen. Virol. 87: 1557-1566 [Abstract] [Full Text]