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. 1994 Feb;68(2):668–673. doi: 10.1128/jvi.68.2.668-673.1994

Characterization of an immortalizing N-terminal domain of polyomavirus large T antigen.

P S Holman 1, O V Gjoerup 1, T Davin 1, B S Schaffhausen 1
PMCID: PMC236501  PMID: 8289370

Abstract

Polyomavirus large T antigen has an N-terminal domain of approximately 260 amino acids which can immortalize primary cells but lacks sequences known to be required for DNA binding and replication. Treatment of full-length large T with either V8 protease or chymotrypsin yields an N-terminal fragment of 36 to 40 kDa and a C-terminal fragment of approximately 60 kDa. This finding suggests a division of the protein into two domains. Proteolysis experiments show that the N-terminal domain does not have strong physical association with the rest of the protein. It also does not self-associate. A construct expressing only the N-terminal 259 amino acids is sufficient for immortalization. The independently expressed N-terminal domain is multiply phosphorylated, although at a lower level than the same region in full-length large T. The 259-residue protein binds to both pRb and p107 with somewhat lower efficiency than the full-length protein.

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Selected References

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