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J. Virol., Jun 1996, 3894-3901, Vol 70, No. 6
AM Borras, JL Strominger and SH Speck
Induction of the Epstein-Barr virus lytic cycle is mediated through the
immediate-early BZLF1 gene and the coordinately regulated BRLF1 gene. The
BZLF1 gene product, Zta, transactivates its own promoter, as well as the
promoters of a number of lytic genes, thereby initiating a cascade of viral
gene expression. Previous work identified four related elements (ZIA, ZIB,
ZIC, and ZID) and a cyclic AMP response element binding-AP-1 element (ZII)
that are involved in the induction of the BZLF1 promoter (Zp) by the
phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate (TPA) (E. Flemington
and S. H. Speck, J. Virol. 64:1217-1226, 1990). Here we report a detailed
characterization of TPA induction mediated by the ZI domains. Mutation of
individual ZI domains within the context of the intact promoter
significantly diminished TPA induction. Cloning of individual ZI domains
upstream of a minimal promoter demonstrated that the ZIA, ZIC, and ZID
domains, but not the ZIB domain, are TPA responsive. Furthermore, cloning
of the ZII domain downstream of the ZI domains significantly augmented TPA
induction. The critical regions within the ZIA and ZIC elements involved in
binding of cellular factors were identified by using methylation
interference and electrophoretic mobility shift analyses of ZI domain
mutants. Four specific complexes were observed with the ZIA and ZID
domains, all of which could be specifically competed for by either the ZIA
or ZID domain. Methylation interference analyses of bound complexes
revealed the presence of two overlapping binding sites for cellular factors
in the ZIA domain, and functional studies provided evidence that both of
these sites are involved in TPA induction. Functional analyses of the ZIC
domain revealed that the 5' region of this domain is largely responsible
for mediating TPA induction. Binding data correlated well with functional
activity and revealed that the ZIC domain binds only a subset of the
cellular factors that bind to the ZIA and ZID domains. Analysis of factor
binding to the ZIB domain revealed only a single shifted complex, which
correlated with the most slowly migrating complex observed with the ZIA and
ZID domains. These data provide a direct demonstration of TPA induction
mediated by the ZIA, ZIC, and ZID domains and also provide the first
evidence that the ZI domains exhibit distinct functional characteristics.
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology
Characterization of the ZI domains in the Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1 gene promoter: role in phorbol ester induction
Division of Tumor Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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