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Journal of Virology, July 2007, p. 7805-7810, Vol. 81, No. 14
0022-538X/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.02388-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Murine Cytomegalovirus Major Immediate-Early Enhancer Region Operating as a Genetic Switch in Bidirectional Gene Pair Transcription{triangledown}

Christian O. Simon, Birgit Kühnapfel, Matthias J. Reddehase,* and Natascha K. A. Grzimek

Institute for Virology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany

Received 31 October 2006/ Accepted 30 April 2007

Enhancers are defined as DNA elements that increase transcription when placed in any orientation relative to a promoter. The major immediate-early (MIE) enhancer region of murine cytomegalovirus is flanked by transcription units ie1/3 and ie2, which are transcribed in opposite directions. We have addressed the fundamental mechanistic question of whether the enhancer synchronizes transcription of the bidirectional gene pair (synchronizer model) or whether it operates as a genetic switch, enhancing transcription of either gene in a stochastic alternation (switch model). Clonal analysis of cytokine-triggered, transcription factor-mediated MIE gene expression from latent viral genomes provided evidence in support of the switch model.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute for Virology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Hochhaus am Augustusplatz, 55101 Mainz, Germany. Phone: 49-6131-39-33650. Fax: 49-6131-39-35604. E-mail: Matthias.Reddehase{at}uni-mainz.de

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 9 May 2007.

Journal of Virology, July 2007, p. 7805-7810, Vol. 81, No. 14
0022-538X/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JVI.02388-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

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  • Bohm, V., Simon, C. O., Podlech, J., Seckert, C. K., Gendig, D., Deegen, P., Gillert-Marien, D., Lemmermann, N. A. W., Holtappels, R., Reddehase, M. J. (2008). The Immune Evasion Paradox: Immunoevasins of Murine Cytomegalovirus Enhance Priming of CD8 T Cells by Preventing Negative Feedback Regulation. J. Virol. 82: 11637-11650 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
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