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 Elliott, G D Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Elliott, G D

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Virol. 1994 August; 68(8): 4890-4897

The extreme carboxyl terminus of the equine herpesvirus 1 homolog of herpes simplex virus VP16 is essential for immediate-early gene activation.

Department of Microbiology, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.

ABSTRACT

Gene 12 of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), the homolog of herpes simplex virus (HSV) VP16 (alpha TIF, Vmw65), was cloned into a eukaryotic expression vector by PCR and used in transactivation studies of both the EHV-1 and HSV-1 IE1 promoters. Results demonstrated that the product of gene 12 is a potent transactivator of immediate-early gene expression of both viruses, which requires sequences in the upstream HSV-1 promoter for activity. Mutational analysis of the gene 12 open reading frame indicated that removal of the C-terminal 7 amino acids, which contain a short region of homology with the extreme C terminus of VP16, inactivated the protein. Within this region, only a single methionine residue appeared to be essential for activity, implying that gene 12 may have a modular array of organization similar to that of VP16. However, fusion of the gene 12 C terminus to a truncated form of VP16, which contained the complex formation domain, did not restore activity to the HSV-1 protein. These data demonstrate that the EHV-1 immediate-early transactivator may not be functionally colinear with VP16, with transactivation requiring both the C terminus and another region(s) present within the N-terminal portion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• von Einem, J., Schumacher, D., O'Callaghan, D. J., Osterrieder, N. (2006). The {alpha}-TIF (VP16) Homologue (ETIF) of Equine Herpesvirus 1 Is Essential for Secondary Envelopment and Virus Egress. J. Virol. 80: 2609-2620 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Boyer, J. L., Swaminathan, S., Silverstein, S. J. (2002). The Epstein-Barr Virus SM Protein Is Functionally Similar to ICP27 from Herpes Simplex Virus in Viral Infections. J. Virol. 76: 9420-9433 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Grapes, M., O'Hare, P. (2000). Differences in Determinants Required for Complex Formation and Transactivation in Related VP16 Proteins. J. Virol. 74: 10112-10121 [Abstract] [Full Text]