Skip to main content
Journal of Virology logoLink to Journal of Virology
. 1992 Jun;66(6):3355–3362. doi: 10.1128/jvi.66.6.3355-3362.1992

Binding of EBNA-1 to DNA creates a protease-resistant domain that encompasses the DNA recognition and dimerization functions.

W A Shah 1, R F Ambinder 1, G S Hayward 1, S D Hayward 1
PMCID: PMC241114  PMID: 1316452

Abstract

The Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA-1 is essential for replication of the viral DNA during latency. EBNA-1 binds as a dimer to palindromic recognition sequences within the plasmid origin of replication, ori-P. In this study, proteinase K susceptibility has been used to further characterize the DNA-binding domain of EBNA-1. Limited protease digestion of EBNA-1 (amino acids 408 to 641) generated a smaller DNA-binding species that had a degree of inherent protease resistance. When EBNA-1 was preincubated with a specific DNA probe, the protease resistance of the smaller binding species increased 100-fold, suggesting that the conformation of EBNA-1 changes on binding. The protease-resistant species comprised an 18-kDa polypeptide that was further cleaved at high levels of protease to 11- and 5.4-kDa products. A model of the proposed protease-resistant domain structure is presented. Constructions carrying serial, internal deletions across the 18-kDa domain were created. Each of the deletions perturbed dimerization ability and abolished DNA binding. These studies suggest that the DNA-binding and dimerization motifs of EBNA-1 lie within a conformationally discrete domain whose overall integrity is necessary for EBNA-1-DNA interaction.

Full text

PDF
3355

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ambinder R. F., Mullen M. A., Chang Y. N., Hayward G. S., Hayward S. D. Functional domains of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA-1. J Virol. 1991 Mar;65(3):1466–1478. doi: 10.1128/jvi.65.3.1466-1478.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Ambinder R. F., Shah W. A., Rawlins D. R., Hayward G. S., Hayward S. D. Definition of the sequence requirements for binding of the EBNA-1 protein to its palindromic target sites in Epstein-Barr virus DNA. J Virol. 1990 May;64(5):2369–2379. doi: 10.1128/jvi.64.5.2369-2379.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Baer R., Bankier A. T., Biggin M. D., Deininger P. L., Farrell P. J., Gibson T. J., Hatfull G., Hudson G. S., Satchwell S. C., Séguin C. DNA sequence and expression of the B95-8 Epstein-Barr virus genome. Nature. 1984 Jul 19;310(5974):207–211. doi: 10.1038/310207a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chang Y. N., Dong D. L., Hayward G. S., Hayward S. D. The Epstein-Barr virus Zta transactivator: a member of the bZIP family with unique DNA-binding specificity and a dimerization domain that lacks the characteristic heptad leucine zipper motif. J Virol. 1990 Jul;64(7):3358–3369. doi: 10.1128/jvi.64.7.3358-3369.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dasmahapatra B., Rozhon E. J., Schwartz J. pBD7, a novel cell-free expression vector with efficient translation initiation signal. Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 May 11;15(9):3933–3933. doi: 10.1093/nar/15.9.3933. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Frappier L., O'Donnell M. Overproduction, purification, and characterization of EBNA1, the origin binding protein of Epstein-Barr virus. J Biol Chem. 1991 Apr 25;266(12):7819–7826. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gahn T. A., Schildkraut C. L. The Epstein-Barr virus origin of plasmid replication, oriP, contains both the initiation and termination sites of DNA replication. Cell. 1989 Aug 11;58(3):527–535. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90433-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gibson W., Marcy A. I., Comolli J. C., Lee J. Identification of precursor to cytomegalovirus capsid assembly protein and evidence that processing results in loss of its carboxy-terminal end. J Virol. 1990 Mar;64(3):1241–1249. doi: 10.1128/jvi.64.3.1241-1249.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hager D. A., Burgess R. R. Elution of proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, removal of sodium dodecyl sulfate, and renaturation of enzymatic activity: results with sigma subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, wheat germ DNA topoisomerase, and other enzymes. Anal Biochem. 1980 Nov 15;109(1):76–86. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(80)90013-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Inoue N., Harada S., Honma T., Kitamura T., Yanagi K. The domain of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 essential for binding to oriP region has a sequence fitted for the hypothetical basic-helix-loop-helix structure. Virology. 1991 May;182(1):84–93. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(91)90651-q. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Jones C. H., Hayward S. D., Rawlins D. R. Interaction of the lymphocyte-derived Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen EBNA-1 with its DNA-binding sites. J Virol. 1989 Jan;63(1):101–110. doi: 10.1128/jvi.63.1.101-110.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kim J., Zwieb C., Wu C., Adhya S. Bending of DNA by gene-regulatory proteins: construction and use of a DNA bending vector. Gene. 1989 Dec 21;85(1):15–23. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(89)90459-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kimball A. S., Milman G., Tullius T. D. High-resolution footprints of the DNA-binding domain of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1. Mol Cell Biol. 1989 Jun;9(6):2738–2742. doi: 10.1128/mcb.9.6.2738. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Laemmli U. K. Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly of the head of bacteriophage T4. Nature. 1970 Aug 15;227(5259):680–685. doi: 10.1038/227680a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Landschulz W. H., Johnson P. F., McKnight S. L. The leucine zipper: a hypothetical structure common to a new class of DNA binding proteins. Science. 1988 Jun 24;240(4860):1759–1764. doi: 10.1126/science.3289117. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lieberman P. M., Schmidt M. C., Kao C. C., Berk A. J. Two distinct domains in the yeast transcription factor IID and evidence for a TATA box-induced conformational change. Mol Cell Biol. 1991 Jan;11(1):63–74. doi: 10.1128/mcb.11.1.63. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Milman G., Hwang E. S. Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen forms a complex that binds with high concentration dependence to a single DNA-binding site. J Virol. 1987 Feb;61(2):465–471. doi: 10.1128/jvi.61.2.465-471.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Milman G., Scott A. L., Cho M. S., Hartman S. C., Ades D. K., Hayward G. S., Ki P. F., August J. T., Hayward S. D. Carboxyl-terminal domain of the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen is highly immunogenic in man. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Sep;82(18):6300–6304. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.18.6300. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. O'Shea E. K., Rutkowski R., Kim P. S. Evidence that the leucine zipper is a coiled coil. Science. 1989 Jan 27;243(4890):538–542. doi: 10.1126/science.2911757. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Patel L., Abate C., Curran T. Altered protein conformation on DNA binding by Fos and Jun. Nature. 1990 Oct 11;347(6293):572–575. doi: 10.1038/347572a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Polvino-Bodnar M., Kiso J., Schaffer P. A. Mutational analysis of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA 1). Nucleic Acids Res. 1988 Apr 25;16(8):3415–3435. doi: 10.1093/nar/16.8.3415. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Rasmussen R., Benvegnu D., O'Shea E. K., Kim P. S., Alber T. X-ray scattering indicates that the leucine zipper is a coiled coil. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jan 15;88(2):561–564. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.2.561. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Rawlins D. R., Milman G., Hayward S. D., Hayward G. S. Sequence-specific DNA binding of the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA-1) to clustered sites in the plasmid maintenance region. Cell. 1985 Oct;42(3):859–868. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90282-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Reisman D., Sugden B. trans activation of an Epstein-Barr viral transcriptional enhancer by the Epstein-Barr viral nuclear antigen 1. Mol Cell Biol. 1986 Nov;6(11):3838–3846. doi: 10.1128/mcb.6.11.3838. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Reisman D., Yates J., Sugden B. A putative origin of replication of plasmids derived from Epstein-Barr virus is composed of two cis-acting components. Mol Cell Biol. 1985 Aug;5(8):1822–1832. doi: 10.1128/mcb.5.8.1822. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Sample J., Brooks L., Sample C., Young L., Rowe M., Gregory C., Rickinson A., Kieff E. Restricted Epstein-Barr virus protein expression in Burkitt lymphoma is due to a different Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 transcriptional initiation site. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Jul 15;88(14):6343–6347. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.14.6343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Sauer R. T., Jordan S. R., Pabo C. O. Lambda repressor: a model system for understanding protein-DNA interactions and protein stability. Adv Protein Chem. 1990;40:1–61. doi: 10.1016/s0065-3233(08)60286-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Schaefer B. C., Woisetschlaeger M., Strominger J. L., Speck S. H. Exclusive expression of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 in Burkitt lymphoma arises from a third promoter, distinct from the promoters used in latently infected lymphocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 Aug 1;88(15):6550–6554. doi: 10.1073/pnas.88.15.6550. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Shuman J. D., Vinson C. R., McKnight S. L. Evidence of changes in protease sensitivity and subunit exchange rate on DNA binding by C/EBP. Science. 1990 Aug 17;249(4970):771–774. doi: 10.1126/science.2202050. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Smith P. R., Griffin B. E. Transcription of the Epstein-Barr virus gene EBNA-1 from different promoters in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and B-lymphoblastoid cells. J Virol. 1992 Feb;66(2):706–714. doi: 10.1128/jvi.66.2.706-714.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Sugden B., Warren N. A promoter of Epstein-Barr virus that can function during latent infection can be transactivated by EBNA-1, a viral protein required for viral DNA replication during latent infection. J Virol. 1989 Jun;63(6):2644–2649. doi: 10.1128/jvi.63.6.2644-2649.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Tan S., Richmond T. J. DNA binding-induced conformational change of the yeast transcriptional activator PRTF. Cell. 1990 Jul 27;62(2):367–377. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(90)90373-m. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Weiss M. A., Ellenberger T., Wobbe C. R., Lee J. P., Harrison S. C., Struhl K. Folding transition in the DNA-binding domain of GCN4 on specific binding to DNA. Nature. 1990 Oct 11;347(6293):575–578. doi: 10.1038/347575a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Williams T., Tjian R. Characterization of a dimerization motif in AP-2 and its function in heterologous DNA-binding proteins. Science. 1991 Mar 1;251(4997):1067–1071. doi: 10.1126/science.1998122. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Wysokenski D. A., Yates J. L. Multiple EBNA1-binding sites are required to form an EBNA1-dependent enhancer and to activate a minimal replicative origin within oriP of Epstein-Barr virus. J Virol. 1989 Jun;63(6):2657–2666. doi: 10.1128/jvi.63.6.2657-2666.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Yates J. L., Guan N. Epstein-Barr virus-derived plasmids replicate only once per cell cycle and are not amplified after entry into cells. J Virol. 1991 Jan;65(1):483–488. doi: 10.1128/jvi.65.1.483-488.1991. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Yates J. L., Warren N., Sugden B. Stable replication of plasmids derived from Epstein-Barr virus in various mammalian cells. 1985 Feb 28-Mar 6Nature. 313(6005):812–815. doi: 10.1038/313812a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Yates J., Warren N., Reisman D., Sugden B. A cis-acting element from the Epstein-Barr viral genome that permits stable replication of recombinant plasmids in latently infected cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Jun;81(12):3806–3810. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.12.3806. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Virology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES