Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Virology logoLink to Journal of Virology
. 1991 Jul;65(7):3715–3720. doi: 10.1128/jvi.65.7.3715-3720.1991

A transcription factor for expression of vaccinia virus late genes is encoded by an intermediate gene.

C F Wright 1, J G Keck 1, M M Tsai 1, B Moss 1
PMCID: PMC241393  PMID: 2041091

Abstract

A factor, designated VLTF-1, that is required in vitro for specific transcription of vaccinia virus late genes was previously isolated from vaccinia virus-infected cells. Subsequent genetic experiments identified three vaccinia virus genes, encoding proteins of 17, 26, and 30 kDa, that together trans activate late gene expression in vivo. The purpose of this study was to determine whether VLTF-1 corresponded to one of the three trans activators. Toward this end, VLTF-1 was further purified, the trans-activator genes were expressed in Escherichia coli, and antisera were made to the native and recombinant proteins. Antibody to the 30-kDa recombinant protein reacted on Western immunoblots with a protein of approximately Mr 30,000 that cochromatographed and cosedimented with VLTF-1 activity from virus-infected cells. Conversely, antibody to purified VLTF-1 bound to products produced by in vitro transcription and translation of the open reading frame encoding the 30-kDa trans-activator protein. Both antisera depleted VLTF-1 activity and blocked late gene transcription by partially purified extracts of vaccinia virus-infected cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the 30-kDa trans activator comprises part, if not all, of VLTF-1 activity.

Full text

PDF
3715

Images in this article

3717Image
on p.3717
3718Image
on p.3718
3719Image
on p.3719
3719Image
on p.3719
3719Image
on p.3719

Selected References

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

  1. Bradford M. M. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal Biochem. 1976 May 7;72:248–254. doi: 10.1006/abio.1976.9999. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Broyles S. S., Fesler B. S. Vaccinia virus gene encoding a component of the viral early transcription factor. J Virol. 1990 Apr;64(4):1523–1529. doi: 10.1128/jvi.64.4.1523-1529.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cochran M. A., Mackett M., Moss B. Eukaryotic transient expression system dependent on transcription factors and regulatory DNA sequences of vaccinia virus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Jan;82(1):19–23. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.1.19. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gershon P. D., Moss B. Early transcription factor subunits are encoded by vaccinia virus late genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Jun;87(11):4401–4405. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.11.4401. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Keck J. G., Baldick C. J., Jr, Moss B. Role of DNA replication in vaccinia virus gene expression: a naked template is required for transcription of three late trans-activator genes. Cell. 1990 Jun 1;61(5):801–809. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(90)90190-p. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. 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]
  7. Moss B. Regulation of vaccinia virus transcription. Annu Rev Biochem. 1990;59:661–688. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.59.070190.003305. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Schwer B., Stunnenberg H. G. Vaccinia virus late transcripts generated in vitro have a poly(A) head. EMBO J. 1988 Apr;7(4):1183–1190. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb02929.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Studier F. W., Moffatt B. A. Use of bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase to direct selective high-level expression of cloned genes. J Mol Biol. 1986 May 5;189(1):113–130. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(86)90385-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Vos J. C., Stunnenberg H. G. Derepression of a novel class of vaccinia virus genes upon DNA replication. EMBO J. 1988 Nov;7(11):3487–3492. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03224.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Wright C. F., Moss B. Identification of factors specific for transcription of the late class of vaccinia virus genes. J Virol. 1989 Oct;63(10):4224–4233. doi: 10.1128/jvi.63.10.4224-4233.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Wright C. F., Moss B. In vitro synthesis of vaccinia virus late mRNA containing a 5' poly(A) leader sequence. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Dec;84(24):8883–8887. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.24.8883. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES