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Journal of Virology, September 2003, p. 9758-9768, Vol. 77, No. 18
0022-538X/03/$08.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.77.18.9758-9768.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Tumor Virology Program, Childrens Cancer Research Institute,1 Departments of Pediatrics,2 Microbiology and Immunology,3 Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio,4 San Antonio Cancer Institute, San Antonio, Texas 782295
Received 10 January 2003/ Accepted 12 June 2003
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KSHV is closely related to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a lymphotropic herpesvirus associated with Burkitt's lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and posttransplant lymphoproliferative diseases, and leiomyosarcomas in immunosuppressed persons (16). EBV latent infection and the expression of viral latent antigens are essential for the development of EBV-related malignancies (16). Similar to EBV, KSHV establishes latent infection in the majority of tumor cells in KS lesions and expresses a limited number of viral latent genes, suggesting that KSHV latent infection has a crucial role in the development of KS lesions (32).
Latent nuclear antigen (LNA) encoded by KSHV open reading frame 73 (ORF73) is the immunodominant major latent antigen expressed in KS lesions (8, 12, 13, 22-24, 36). LNA is a doublet of 222- to 234-kDa proteins identified in KSHV-infected cell lines by Western blot assay using hyperimmune sera from KS patients (12, 13). In KSHV-infected cells, LNA has a punctate nuclear distribution pattern (12, 13, 23). LNA has been shown to be a multifunctional protein. It maintains the stability of KSHV genomes (3, 4, 7, 15, 26, 33, 39-41), and supports latent replication (18, 19). LNA is also a transcriptional regulator and has dual function in both activating and repressing transcription. LNA acts as a transcriptional activator of several promoters such as telomerase reverse transcriptase, interleukin-6, and E2F-regulated promoters (1, 25, 35). LNA's effects on EBV latent promoters are controversial, activating LMP-1 and Cp promoters in one occasion (17), while repressing EBNA-1 Cp and Qp promoters in another occasion (27). LNA also modulates the transcriptional activity of the long terminal repeat of HIV-1 (20, 37), and its own promoter (21, 37), although there is no evidence showing that LNA binds to its promoter (15). LNA interacts with tumor suppressor protein p53 and pRb, repressing p53-dependent transcription (10) as well as E2F-dependent transcription (35). LNA interacts with ATF4/CREB2 (30), CBP (29), and mSin3 corepressor complex (27) and modulates the transcriptional activities mediated by these proteins. LNA induces and relocates RING3 to nuclear heterochromatin regions (31, 34). In a stably transfected B cell line, LNA was shown to modulate the expression of six known cellular genes and nine-expressed sequence tags (37). In human endothelial cells, LNA was found to induce the expression of helix-loop-helix protein Id-1 (42). LNA also transforms rat primary fibroblasts in cooperation with oncogene Hras (35). Thus, similar to EBV latent proteins, LNA plays an important role in KSHV latent infection and cellular transformation.
The C terminus of LNA contains a sequence-specific DNA-binding domain that binds to a 20-bp imperfect palindrome within the terminal repeat region of KSHV genome (14, 39). LNA binding to the imperfect palindrome inhibits gene transcription in a reporter assay (15). Nevertheless, no specific binding site has been identified for LNA within cellular gene promoters.
Considering the complexity and multifunctional nature of LNA, we speculated that LNA might interact with more cellular proteins to modulate the expression of cellular genes and promote KSHV latent infection. Here, we report the identification of a novel cellular protein interacting with LNA by yeast two-hybrid screening, and subsequent characterization of this protein. The novel protein was named KLIP1, and found to be a nuclear protein involved in transcriptional repression.
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Yeast two-hybrid screening. To identify LNA-interacting proteins, yeast two-hybrid screening was carried out using pAS2-1-LNA as bait, as previously described with minor modifications (9). Briefly, the yeast Y190 trp+ transformant expressing the LNA GAL4 DBD fusion protein was transformed with a human B-cell cDNA library expressing the GAL4 activation domain (AD) fusion proteins (America Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Md.). The interacting clones were selected by measuring ß-galactosidase activity in a colony lift assay and a liquid CPRG assay, using X-Gal and chlorophenyl-red-ß-D-galactopyranoside as substrates, respectively (Roche, Indianapolis, Ind.). Clones with high ß-galactosidase activity were selected for further examination.
GST pull down assay. A GST pull down assay was performed as previously reported (28). 35S-labeled LNA was generated using the pBSKF-LNA construct via in vitro translation using a TNT T3 system kit according to the manufacturer's instructions (Promega, Madison, Wis.). The reaction was carried out in the presence of [35S]methionine with pBSKF-LNA DNA as template. KLIP1 GST fusion protein GST-KLIP1C was induced with IPTG in E. coli transformed with the pGEX-3X-KLIP1C plasmid. Glutathione-Sepharose beads (Amersham Biosciences, San Francisco, Calif.) were incubated with lysate from bacteria expressing GST-KLIP1C and control GST protein, and washed to eliminate unspecific binding proteins. The beads were then incubated with 35S-labeled LNA, washed, and analyzed in a SDS-PAGE. The images were captured with a GS-525 PhosphorImager and analyzed with a Multi-Analysis Program (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Richmond, Calif.).
In vivo coimmunoprecipitation assay.
GFP-KLIP1 DNA was transfected into BCBL-1 cells by electroporation, as described previously (33). At 48 h posttransfection, the cells were harvested and lysed in ice-cold lysis 250 buffer (50 mM Tris, 250 mM NaCl, 5 mM EDTA, 0.1% NP-40) containing a cocktail of protease inhibitors including 100 µM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, leupeptin (1 µg/ml), TLCK (N
-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone) (10 µg/ml), and pepstatin A (1 µg/ml). After removal of the debris by centrifugation, the supernatant was incubated with a mouse anti-GFP monoclonal antibody B-2 (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, Calif.) or a rat anti-LNA monoclonal antibody (ABI Advanced Biotechnologies, Columbia, Md.), and followed by incubation with protein G Sepharose beads (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.). The beads were washed 5 times with Lysis 250. The attached proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE, transferred to nitrocellulose membrane, and specific proteins were detected with anti-GFP and anti-LNA antibodies, respectively. BCBL-1 cells transfected with only the GFP vector were used as the negative control.
RNA isolation and Northern blot hybridization. Total RNA was isolated from 107 cells with TRIzol reagent, following the manufacturer's instructions (Invitrogen). For Northern blot hybridization, 20 µg total RNA from each sample were separated in an 1% agarose gel containing 18% formaldehyde and transferred to a nylon membrane, which was hybridized with a radiolabeled riboprobe (43). Following hybridization, the image was captured and quantified with a GS-525 Molecular Imager (Bio-Rad).
cDNA library screening and DNA sequencing. Screening of a cDNA library constructed from BC-3 cells was performed as previously reported (38). Briefly, plaques appearing on 150-mm-diameter agar plates at about 50,000 PFU/plate were transferred onto nitrocellulose membranes. The membranes were hybridized with a radiolabeled KLIP1 probe. Selected plaques were further subjected to secondary and tertiary screenings to confirm the specificity. KLIP1-specific plaques were then isolated, excised in vivo as pBluescript phagemids, and sequenced using both T3 and T7 primers. The DNA sequences were assembled and analyzed with Lasergene 99 program (DNASTAR Inc., Madison, Wis.).
RNA ligase-mediated 5'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE). Sequences from the 5' ends of full-length, capped mRNA were obtained by RLM-RACE using a commercial kit (Ambion, Inc., Austin, Tex.), as previously described (45). RNA isolated from BC-3 cells was used as template for RLM-RACE. The primers used in the first round PCR were 5'-RACE outer primer from the kit and KLIP1-R1 (5'AGAGGGCTGGGCACTAAG3'). The primers used for the second round PCR were 5'-RACE inner primer from the kit and KLIP1-R2 (5'GTCGAACACGTCAATAGG3'). For high-temperature reverse transcription, MasterAmp Tth DNA polymerase and MasterAmp PCR Enhancer containing betaine (trimethyl glycine) (Epicentre Technologies Corporation, Madison, Wis.) were used. PCR products were separated in an agarose gel, purified and sequenced. The DNA sequences were assembled and analyzed with the Lasergene 99 program.
Transient transfection and reporter assay. For HeLa, COS-7, and 293 cells, transfection experiments were performed with Lipofectamine 2000 reagent according to the instructions of the manufacturer (Invitrogen). For primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), transfection experiments were carried out with Lipofectin according to the instructions of the manufacturer (Invitrogen). For BJAB and BCBL-1 cells, transfection experiments were performed by electroporation, as described previously (33). A chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) assay was performed as previously reported (11). In all reporter assays, total amount of DNA was equalized by addition of salmon sperm carrier DNA. Transfection efficiencies were normalized by cotransfection with a reporter plasmid, pSV-ß-galactosidase, and the ß-galactosidase activity was determined following the instructions of the manufacturer (Promega). The conversion rate of the modified 14C-labeled chloramphenicol was calculated with the Multi-Analysis Program.
Confocal microscopy. COS-7 cells transfected with GFP-KLIP1 alone or together with pDsRed-LNA constructs were fixed with 2% paraformaldehyde at 36 h posttransfection, and observed with a laser scan confocal microscope (Olympus FV-500). Cells with green and red florescence were visualized under 488 nm and 543 nm laser line, respectively. Digital photos were taken with the aid of the FluoView program (version 3.5), using a PlanApo 60 x 1.4 NA objective lens.
Generation of KLIP1 antibody. A synthetic peptide from a highly antigenic region (aa 3 to 23) of KLIP1 protein was commercially synthesized and conjugated to KLH by a standard method (2). The peptide was used to prepare a mouse polyclonal antibody named anti-KLIP1-N according to standard procedures (2).
Western blot assay. Western blot assays were performed as described previously (12). Proteins from yeast or mammalian cells were resolved on an SDS-PAGE and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane. To detect LNA expression, the membrane was reacted with an anti-LNA monoclonal antibody (ABI Advanced Biotechnologies) or a well-characterized LNA-positive hyper-immune serum from a KS patient (12). Specific bands were revealed with an anti-rat or anti-human IgG alkaline phosphatase conjugate using NBT/BCIP as substrate (Invitrogen). To detect KLIP1 protein expression, the membrane was reacted with anti-KLIP1-N antibody, and specific signals were revealed with an anti-mouse IgG alkaline phosphatase conjugate. Similarly, GFP was detected with a mouse monoclonal antibody B-2 to GFP and GST protein was detected with a mouse monoclonal antibody GST-2 (Sigma).
GenBank accession numbers. The cDNA sequence of the new protein KLIP1 was deposited in GenBank (AF469667), including the 5'-untranslated sequence.
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FIG. 1. Identification of LNA-interacting proteins by yeast two-hybrid screening. Full-length LNA (KSHV ORF73) was cloned into pAS2-1 vector (A). Detection of LNA GAL4 DBD fusion protein in Y190 yeast cells transformed with pAS2-1-LNA by Western blot assay (B). The arrowhead indicates the LNA band (lane 3). Y190 alone (lane1) and Y190 transformed with a recombinant pAS2-1 plasmid containing vIRF (KSHV ORF-K9) gene (lane 2) were used as negative controls. (C) The prey DNA was extracted from the positive clones after initial screening and transformed with either LNA bait construct or negative control vIRF construct to confirm the interaction. The novel clone was shown as a representative result.
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FIG. 2. Confirmation of LNA and KLIP1 interaction by GST pull down assay. (A) Purified GST (lane 1), GST-KLIP1C (lane 2) fusion proteins visualized by SDS-PAGE and Coomassie blue staining. (B) [35S]methionine-labeled LNA protein was pulled-down by the GST-KLIP1C fusion protein (lane 3) but not by GST (lane 2). Lane 1 showed the amount of input LNA.
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FIG. 3. Mapping of LNA domain interacting with KLIP1 protein by yeast-two hybrid assay. Schematic diagram of the full-length LNA and different truncated LNA fragments fused to GAL4 DBD, and their abilities to activate reporter after cotransfection with pACT-KLIP1 plasmid isolated through the initial yeast two-hybrid screening.
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FIG. 4. Expression of KLIP1 transcripts in different cell lines detected by Northern blot hybridization. Total RNA from cells was separated in a denaturing agarose gel, transferred to a membrane, and probed with a KLIP1 riboprobe. ß-actin probe was used to hybridize the same membrane after striping of the membrane to calibrate the RNA loading.
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Analysis of the KLIP1 cDNA sequences identified the largest potential ORF of KLIP1, which was 1,257 bp in size (Fig. 5A). All of the clones except the clones with 2.1-kb insert contained the full-length sequence of the ORF. A GenBank database search with the KLIP1 cDNA sequence failed to identify any homologous genes with known functions, except several expressed sequence tags, a human cDNA sequence with unknown function (FJ23468) that was 195 nucleotides (nt) shorter at its 5' end than that of KLIP1 cDNA, and a mouse gene with unknown function (AK006479) that had 56% identity to KLIP1 at the amino acid level (Fig. 5B).
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FIG. 5. cDNA sequence of the major KLIP1 transcript, deduced amino acid sequence of KLIP1 protein, and its structural features. (A) cDNA sequence of the major KLIP1 transcript and deduced amino acid sequence. There are 73 nt at the 5' end and 294 nt at the 3' end of the untranslated regions of KLIP1 transcript, respectively. (B) Sequence alignment of the KLIP1 deduced amino acid sequence with a mouse homologous sequence (AK006479). Identical amino acids in the homologous mouse sequence are indicated. (C) The deduced 418 aa protein contains two putative nuclear localization signals (NLS) and two Leucine zipper motifs.
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Alignment of the 3' end of KLIP1 cDNA with the cDNA sequence (FJ23468) in GenBank showed that the poly(A) sequence of KLIP1 cDNA started at 294 nt downstream of the stop codon. Thus, the full-length KLIP1 transcript is 1,624 nt excluding the poly(A) sequence, which is consistent with the 1.8-kb KLIP1 major transcript identified by Northern blot hybridization (Fig. 4). Two of the KLIP1 cDNA clones had 143 and 915 nt longer sequences downstream of the poly(A) signal sequence, respectively. These clones might correspond to the 2.8-kb KLIP1 transcript, or were merely due to artifacts generated during the construction of the cDNA library.
The entire KLIP1 cDNA sequences could be aligned with sequences from chromosome 4, indicating that the authentic KLIP1 gene is located on this chromosome. The 5' end (700 bp) of KLIP1 cDNA also had 99 to 100% sequence identity with chromosome 3 while most of KLIP1 cDNA sequences had 84 to 85% sequence identity with sequences from chromosomes 11 and 12, suggesting the presence of KLIP1 pseudogenes or other members from the same gene family on these chromosomes. Sequence alignment with the incomplete chromosome 4 sequences indicated that KLIP1 had at least 13 exons. Several cancer-related genes such as interferon regulatory factor 2, FAT tumor suppressor (Drosophila) homolog, and apoptosis-related cystine protease were found in the proximity of KLIP1 gene.
KLIP1 ORF has 40.33% G+C content, and encodes a 418-aa polypeptide with a theoretical molecular mass of 47.5 kDa and an isoelectric point of 9.14. There are two putative nuclear localization signals (NLS) located at aa 6 to 23 and 303 to 320, respectively (Fig. 5C). Protein analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences showed that the protein is highly hydrophilic and antigenic, which is consistent with the characteristics of nuclear proteins. At the C-terminal domain, there are two leucine zipper motifs at aa 330 to 358 and 390 to 411, respectively (Fig. 5C). Using the gene family identification system, the predicted secondary structure of KLIP1 protein was found to be similar to the kinesin motor domain pattern and the myosin heavy chain superfamily.
Antibody to KLIP1 detects a doublet of two bands by Western blot assay. To identify the cellular protein(s) encoded by the KLIP1 gene, a polyclonal antibody, named anti-KLIP1-N, was generated using a synthetic polypeptide corresponding to a highly antigenic region (aa 3 to 23) in KLIP1 protein. To determine the specificity of the antibody, we overexpressed KLIP1 as a GFP fusion protein by transient transfection in 293 cells, and used the fusion protein as a positive control in immunoprecipitation and Western blot assay (Fig. 6A). Antibody to GFP detected both GFP and GFP-KLIP1 proteins in cells transfected with control GFP and GFP-KLIP1, respectively. Anti-KLIP1-N detected the GFP-KLIP1 fusion protein, but not GFP alone, while preimmune serum did not detect GFP-KLIP1, suggesting that the anti-KLIP1-N peptide antibody specifically recognized KLIP1 protein (Fig. 6A). The anti-KLIP1-N peptide antibody was then used to examine the expression of KLIP1 in different cell lines. As shown in Fig. 6B, preimmune serum again failed to detect any protein band in T24 cells, while anti-KLIP1-N detected a doublet of two bands of 58 and 63 kDa in all cell lines tested, including T24, BC-1, BC-3, PK-1, and P3HR-1 (Fig. 6B).
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FIG. 6. Detection of KLIP1 protein in different cell lines by immunoprecipitation and Western blot assay. (A) GFP vector (lane 1 and 3) or GFP-KLIP1 (lanes 2, 4, and 5) were transfected into 293 cells. The cell lysate was immunoprecipitated with an anti-GFP monoclonal antibody and further immunoblotted with the anti-GFP monoclonal antibody (lanes 1 and 2), anti-KLIP1-N peptide antibody (lanes 3 and 4), or preimmune serum (lane 5). Anti-KLIP1 peptide antibody detected the fusion protein GFP-KLIP1 but not GFP alone, while preimmune serum failed to detect GFP-KLIP1 protein band. (B) In Western blot assay, the anti-KLIP1-N synthetic peptide antibody, but not the preimmune serum detected a doublet of 58 and 63 kDa in all cell lines examined.
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FIG. 7. KLIP1 is a nuclear protein. Speckle fluorescence distribution was observed in the nucleus of COS-7 cells transiently transfected with GFP-KLIP1 plasmid DNA. COS-7 cells transfected with GFP vector control had whole cell fluorescence distribution.
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FIG. 8. KLIP1 interacts with LNA in vivo. (A) Lysate from GFP-KLIP1-transfected BCBL-1 cells was immunoprecipitated with either anti-GFP (lane 3) or anti-LNA (lane 4) antibodies and then subjected to Western blotting with these two antibodies, respectively. The cell lysate was also precipitated with preimmune serum (lane 2, denoted Pre-im.) as a negative control. Lysates that were equal to 35% of those used in immunoprecipitation were run in PAGE and detected by Western blotting with anti-GFP and anti-LNA antibodies (lane 1). (B) Reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation was performed with GFP-transfected BCBL-1 cells to verify the specificity of the interaction between LNA and KLIP1. (C) Speckle green and red fluorescence distribution was observed in the nucleus of COS-7 cells transiently transfected with GFP-KLIP1 and pDsRed-LNA plasmid DNA. The distribution of both KLIP1 and LNA fusion proteins was identical and overlapped with each other, indicating colocalization of both proteins.
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KLIP1 has transcriptional repression activity. In previous studies, it was demonstrated that LNA regulates the expression of cellular genes through interaction with cellular transcriptional factors such as p53, pRb, ATF4, and proteins of the mSin3 complex, etc. Since KLIP1 is a nuclear protein, has two leucine zipper motifs, and interacts with LNA, we speculated that KLIP1 might be a transcriptional factor. To test this hypothesis, we performed a mammalian yeast one-hybrid assay. The full-length KLIP1 ORF was fused in-frame with GAL4 DBD into PM2 vector. The resulting PM2-KLIP1 construct was cotransfected with the G5ELUC reporter vector, in which the sequence recognized by GAL4-DBD was placed upstream of the luciferase reporter gene (44), into 293 cells to test KLIP1's transactivation activity. As shown in Fig. 9A, no transactivation activity was observed. The same results were also obtained in HeLa, COS-7, and NIH 3T3 cells (data not shown).
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FIG. 9. KLIP1 repressed TK promoter activity in a dose-dependent fashion in a mammalian one-hybrid assay. (A) Luciferase activity in 293 cells either transfected with 1 µg G5Eluc vector alone or cotransfected with 1 µg G5Eluc and 1 µg PM2-KLIP1. GAL4-VP16 was cotransfected with G5Eluc as a positive control. (B) Relative CAT activity in 293 cells cotransfected with 1 µg of GAL4-TK-CAT reporter plasmid and 0, 0.25, 0.5, 075, 1, or 2 µg of PM2-KLIP1. At 2 µg, KLIP1 repressed up to 87% of TK promoter activity. (C) Western blotting assay was carried out with anti-GAL4 DBD antibodies to examine the expression of PM2-KLIP1 fusion protein in 293 cells transfected with different doses of the plasmid DNA cited in (B). -tubulin expression was used as loading control. (D to F) Relative CAT activity in HeLa (D), BJAB (E) and HUVEC (F) cells cotransfected with 1 µg of GAL4-TK-CAT reporter and 0, 0.5, 1, or 2 µg of PM2-KLIP1 plasmid DNA. Percentage denotes the ratio between the acetylated substrate and the whole amount of substrate used in the assay. Results are the averages and standard deviations from three independent experiments except in panels A and F, which are the averages and the high and low values from two independent experiments.
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LNA abolishes the transcriptional repression activity of KLIP1. To examine whether LNA-KLIP1 interaction interferes with KLIP1's transcriptional repression function, we cotransfected LNA mammalian expression plasmid pcDNA3.1His-LNA into the above reporter system, in which the TK promoter activity was repressed by PM2-KLIP1. Figure 10A showed that LNA relieved TK promoter activity repressed by KLIP1, resulting in an increase in the reporter activity in 293 cells. The expression of KLIP1 and LNA protein was detected in the transfected cells (Fig. 10B). Similar results were also obtained in HeLa cells (Fig. 10C), BJAB cells (Fig. 10D), and HUVEC (Fig. 10E).
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FIG. 10. LNA alleviates KLIP1's transcriptional repression effect in a mammalian one-hybrid assay. (A) Relative CAT activity in 293 cells transfected with GAL4-TK-CAT reporter (1 µg) either alone, or cotransfected together with PM2-KLIP1 (1 µg) or pcDNA3.1-LNA (1 µg), respectively, or with both PM2-KLIP1 (1 µg) and pcDNA3.1-LNA (1 µg). (B) The expression of LNA and PM2-KLIP1 in 293 cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-LNA was detected by Western blot assay using anti-LNA antibodies and anti-GAL4 DBD antibodies, respectively. -tubulin expression was used as loading control. (C through E) Relative CAT activity in HeLa (C), BJAB (D) and HUVEC (E) cells, transfected with GAL4-TK-CAT reporter (1 µg) either alone, or cotransfected together with PM2-KLIP1 (1 µg) or both PM2-KLIP1 (1 µg) and pcDNA3.1-LNA (1 µg). Percentage indicates the ratio between the acetylated substrate and the whole amount of substrate used in the assay. Results are the averages and standard deviations from three independent experiments.
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RLM-RACE analysis of the 5' end of KLIP1 full-length mRNA identified a 73 nt untranslated region upstream of the KLIP1 ATG initiation codon. The 5'-end untranslated region of the KLIP1 transcript has a high G+C content, resulting in the formation of a mRNA stem loop secondary structure that prevents efficient reverse transcription in vitro (45). Thus, cDNA clones isolated through screening of a cDNA library had a shorter 5'-end sequence than the natural transcripts. High temperature reaction in combination with the use of Tth DNA polymerase was applied to extend the reaction through the high G+C region in reverse transcription. Sequence alignment identified 294 nt at the 3'-end untranslated region downstream of the stop codon.
The major KLIP1 transcript is present in all human cell lines examined, including B cells, T cells, epithelial cells, and fibroblast cells, indicating that KLIP1 is a housekeeping gene. Antiserum to a synthetic peptide representing a unique region of KLIP1 detected a doublet comprised of proteins of 58 and 63 kDa in a Western blot assay. Both proteins were larger than the theoretical molecular mass of 48 kDa predicted for KLIP1. The doublet could result from posttranslation modifications such as phosphorylation, alternative splicing or other undetermined reasons. Indeed, several potential phosphorylation sites are present in KLIP1. Future investigations will determine whether these sites are functional.
Consistent with its possession of two leucine zipper motifs, two nuclear localization signals and its interaction with LNA, KLIP1 has transcriptional repression activity, suggesting that KLIP1 is involved in controlling cellular gene transcription. We have demonstrated that KLIP1 represses transcription in a reporter assay after being recruited to the TK promoter through a GAL4 DBD fusion. It is possible that, in the cellular context, KLIP1 could function as a specific transcriptional repressor that represses the transcriptional activity of certain cellular gene promoters; KLIP1 could also function as a transcription corepressor by interacting with other transcription factors through its leucine zipper domain(s), a domain that is known to mediate protein-protein interaction. Whether KLIP1 itself has DNA-binding activity requires further investigation.
LNA is a major viral latent protein expressed in KS, primary effusion lymphoma, multicentric Castleman's disease, and KSHV-infected cell lines, and has essential function in sustaining KSHV latent infection (8, 12, 13, 23). Besides its role in ensuring KSHV episomal stability and segregation into daughter cells during cell mitosis (3, 7, 41), and targeting p53 and pRb tumor suppressor pathways to evade host antiviral and/or antitumor defenses (10, 35), LNA is also involved in transcription modulation via regulating the expression of cellular genes. LNA transactivates an artificial promoter carrying the cell cycle transcription factor E2F DNA-binding sequences, cyclin E (CCNE1) promoter, and the telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (25, 35). Using microarray, LNA was shown to modulate the expression of 6 known cellular genes and 9 expressed sequence tags (37). LNA also auto-transactivates its own promoter, and functions as a transcriptional repressor and represses activated expression from the EBV Qp and Cp latency promoters (27). These data suggest that LNA regulates the transcription of cellular genes and EBV genes in KSHV-infected or KSHV-EBV dually infected cells to favor KSHV latent replication.
The specific DNA-binding activity of LNA on cellular promoters has not been established. However, several studies have shown that LNA modulates gene transcription through direct interaction with transcriptional activators and repressors, or modulation of chromatin structure. LNA binds to CBP to interfere with its interaction with c-fos and histone acetyltransferase activity (29), with ATF4/CREB2 to inhibit its transcriptional activation activity (30), and with proteins of mSin3 corepressor complex including SAP30, mSin3A, and CIR to mediate transcription repression (27). In addition, LNA binds, induces and relocates RING3, a human homologue of the fsh (female sterile homeotic) gene product of Drosophila, to nuclear heterochromatin regions (31, 34). We have shown that KLIP1 interacts with the LNA N-terminal domain, with which proteins of mSin3 corepresser complex also interact (27). It is conceivable that KLIP1 is a previous unidentified component of the mSin3 corepressor complex or other transcriptional complexes.
Our results have shown that LNA is capable of alleviating the transcriptional repression effect of KLIP1 in a reporter assay. This is likely due to the specific interaction between these two proteins, since LNA itself has little effect on reporter expression in the absence of KLIP1 (Fig. 10). The mechanism could be summarized in a model, in which, when KLIP1 is recruited to the promoter region by GAL4, it interacts with chromatin remodeling proteins or basal transcription machinery, resulting in the repression of reporter expression. When LNA is applied, it disrupts the interaction between KLIP1 and other factors, releasing KLIP1's repression effect. Previous studies had demonstrated that LNA has transcriptional repression activity in a similar one-hybrid assay (39), although some other studies showed that it is capable of transactivating certain promoters or binding sites (37). We failed to observe synergistic effect or at least repression when LNA was applied in the reporter assay. These data suggested that LNA might have certain specificity in deregulating cellular transcription processes.
Together with previous reports, these data further confirm that LNA interacts with cellular transcriptional factors to deregulate cellular transcriptional machinery. This strategy is commonly used by other tumor viruses to evade host antiviral defenses and is likely essential for KSHV latent infection. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the biologic functions of KLIP1, and how LNA interacts with KLIP1 to deregulate its function.
We thank Charles Gauntt in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, for his helpful comments; Victoria Frohlich for her technical assistance in confocal microscopy; and Phang-Lang Chen for providing pBSKF and CHPL-GFP plasmids.
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