J. Virol. doi:10.1128/JVI.02253-06
Copyright (c) 2007, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.
ALY is a common coactivator of RUNX1 and c-Myb on the type B leukemogenic virus enhancer
Jennifer A. Mertz,
Ryuji Kobayashi,
and
Jaquelin P. Dudley*
Section of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX; Department of Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email:
jdudley{at}uts.cc.utexas.edu.
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Abstract |
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Type B leukemogenic virus (TBLV), a mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) variant, often induces T-cell leukemias and lymphomas by c-myc activation following viral DNA integration. Transfection assays using a c-myc reporter plasmid indicated that the TBLV long terminal repeat (LTR) enhancer is necessary for T-cell-specific increases in basal reporter activity. The sequence requirements for this effect were studied using mutations of the 62 bp enhancer region in an MMTV LTR-reporter vector. Deletion of a nuclear factor A (NF-A)-binding site dramatically reduced reporter activity in Jurkat T cells. However, a 41-bp enhancer missing the RUNX1 site still retained minimal enhancer function. DNA affinity purification using a TBLV enhancer oligomer containing the RUNX1 binding site followed by mass spectrometry resulted in the identification of ALY. Subsequent experiments focused on reconstitution of enhancer activity in epithelial cells. ALY overexpression synergized with RUNX1B on TBLV enhancer activity, and synergism required the RUNX1B binding site. A predicted c-Myb binding site in the enhancer was confirmed after c-myb overexpression elevated TBLV LTR-reporter activity, and overexpression of c-Myb and RUNX1B together showed additive effects on reporter gene levels. ALY also synergized with c-Myb, and coimmunoprecipitation experiments demonstrated an interaction between ALY and c-Myb. These experiments suggest a central role for ALY in T-cell enhancer function and oncogene activation.