Skip to main content
Journal of Virology logoLink to Journal of Virology
. 1989 Jun;63(6):2709–2717. doi: 10.1128/jvi.63.6.2709-2717.1989

The cellular transcription factor E2f requires viral E1A and E4 gene products for increased DNA-binding activity and functions to stimulate adenovirus E2A gene expression.

L E Babiss 1
PMCID: PMC250763  PMID: 2524598

Abstract

Whereas a wide variety of cellular proteins interact with the cis-regulatory elements of the adenovirus E1A and E2A genes, only the DNA-binding activity of the cellular E2f factor is modulated by viral early-gene expression. An analysis of cellular E2f protein levels and adenovirus early-gene expression in a panel of independently cloned virus-transformed rodent cell lines and in virus-infected rodent cells has established that both the E1A 289-amino-acid (289R) protein and a yet-to-be-defined E4 gene product are required for maximal E2f DNA-binding activity. To distinguish between the multiple roles the E1A protein could serve in this process, the E2f DNA-binding activity was determined in a virus-transformed cell line which contains a conditional-lethal mutation affecting the 289R protein. Since E4 gene expression was not altered by the incubation conditions, the observation of reduced cellular E2f activity at the nonpermissive temperature suggests a direct role for the E1A 289R protein in E2f activation. When a virus containing a deletion in the E4 gene was introduced into cell lines which can complement the E4 gene defect, a correlation between high cellular E2f levels and increased rates of E2A gene transcription was observed. A time course analysis of the viral infection revealed that E2f functions catalytically to stimulate viral E2A gene transcription. These observations have led to several hypotheses concerning possible mechanisms by which elevated E2A gene expression, which leads to cytotoxicity, might be avoided in the transformed cell.

Full text

PDF
2709

Images in this article

Selected References

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

  1. Babiss L. E., Ginsberg H. S. Adenovirus type 5 early region 1b gene product is required for efficient shutoff of host protein synthesis. J Virol. 1984 Apr;50(1):202–212. doi: 10.1128/jvi.50.1.202-212.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Babiss L. E., Ginsberg H. S., Fisher P. B. Cold-sensitive expression of transformation by a host range mutant of type 5 adenovirus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983 Mar;80(5):1352–1356. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.5.1352. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Babiss L. E., Herbst R. S., Bennett A. L., Darnell J. E., Jr Factors that interact with the rat albumin promoter are present both in hepatocytes and other cell types. Genes Dev. 1987 May;1(3):256–267. doi: 10.1101/gad.1.3.256. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Carter T. H., Blanton R. A. Possible role of the 72,000 dalton DNA-binding protein in regulation of adenovirus type 5 early gene expression. J Virol. 1978 Feb;25(2):664–674. doi: 10.1128/jvi.25.2.664-674.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dignam J. D., Lebovitz R. M., Roeder R. G. Accurate transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II in a soluble extract from isolated mammalian nuclei. Nucleic Acids Res. 1983 Mar 11;11(5):1475–1489. doi: 10.1093/nar/11.5.1475. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Enoch T., Zinn K., Maniatis T. Activation of the human beta-interferon gene requires an interferon-inducible factor. Mol Cell Biol. 1986 Mar;6(3):801–810. doi: 10.1128/mcb.6.3.801. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Fisher P. B., Babiss L. E., Weinstein I. B., Ginsberg H. S. Analysis of type 5 adenovirus transformation with a cloned rat embryo cell line (CREF). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 Jun;79(11):3527–3531. doi: 10.1073/pnas.79.11.3527. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Friedman J. M., Babiss L. E., Clayton D. F., Darnell J. E., Jr Cellular promoters incorporated into the adenovirus genome: cell specificity of albumin and immunoglobulin expression. Mol Cell Biol. 1986 Nov;6(11):3791–3797. doi: 10.1128/mcb.6.11.3791. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gaynor R. B., Berk A. J. Cis-acting induction of adenovirus transcription. Cell. 1983 Jul;33(3):683–693. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(83)90011-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Graham F. L., Abrahams P. J., Mulder C., Heijneker H. L., Warnaar S. O., De Vries F. A., Fiers W., Van Der Eb A. J. Studies on in vitro transformation by DNA and DNA fragments of human adenoviruses and simian virus 40. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1975;39(Pt 1):637–650. doi: 10.1101/sqb.1974.039.01.077. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Green M., Loewenstein P. M., Pusztai R., Symington J. S. An adenovirus E1A protein domain activates transcription in vivo and in vitro in the absence of protein synthesis. Cell. 1988 Jun 17;53(6):921–926. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(88)90429-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Halbert D. N., Cutt J. R., Shenk T. Adenovirus early region 4 encodes functions required for efficient DNA replication, late gene expression, and host cell shutoff. J Virol. 1985 Oct;56(1):250–257. doi: 10.1128/jvi.56.1.250-257.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Harrison T., Graham F., Williams J. Host-range mutants of adenovirus type 5 defective for growth in HeLa cells. Virology. 1977 Mar;77(1):319–329. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(77)90428-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hearing P., Shenk T. The adenovirus type 5 E1A enhancer contains two functionally distinct domains: one is specific for E1A and the other modulates all early units in cis. Cell. 1986 Apr 25;45(2):229–236. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90387-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Hearing P., Shenk T. The adenovirus type 5 E1A transcriptional control region contains a duplicated enhancer element. Cell. 1983 Jul;33(3):695–703. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(83)90012-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Hoeffler W. K., Kovelman R., Roeder R. G. Activation of transcription factor IIIC by the adenovirus E1A protein. Cell. 1988 Jun 17;53(6):907–920. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(88)90409-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Hofer E., Darnell J. E., Jr The primary transcription unit of the mouse beta-major globin gene. Cell. 1981 Feb;23(2):585–593. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(81)90154-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Houweling A., van den Elsen P. J., van der Eb A. J. Partial transformation of primary rat cells by the leftmost 4.5% fragment of adenovirus 5 DNA. Virology. 1980 Sep;105(2):537–550. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(80)90054-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hurst H. C., Jones N. C. Identification of factors that interact with the E1A-inducible adenovirus E3 promoter. Genes Dev. 1987 Dec;1(10):1132–1146. doi: 10.1101/gad.1.10.1132. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Imperiale M. J., Hart R. P., Nevins J. R. An enhancer-like element in the adenovirus E2 promoter contains sequences essential for uninduced and E1A-induced transcription. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Jan;82(2):381–385. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.2.381. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Imperiale M. J., Nevins J. R. Adenovirus 5 E2 transcription unit: an E1A-inducible promoter with an essential element that functions independently of position or orientation. Mol Cell Biol. 1984 May;4(5):875–882. doi: 10.1128/mcb.4.5.875. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Jalinot P., Devaux B., Kédinger C. The abundance and in vitro DNA binding of three cellular proteins interacting with the adenovirus EIIa early promoter are not modified by the EIa gene products. Mol Cell Biol. 1987 Oct;7(10):3806–3817. doi: 10.1128/mcb.7.10.3806. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Jones N. C., Rigby P. W., Ziff E. B. Trans-acting protein factors and the regulation of eukaryotic transcription: lessons from studies on DNA tumor viruses. Genes Dev. 1988 Mar;2(3):267–281. doi: 10.1101/gad.2.3.267. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Kingston R. E., Kaufman R. J., Sharp P. A. Regulation of transcription of the adenovirus EII promoter by EIa gene products: absence of sequence specificity. Mol Cell Biol. 1984 Oct;4(10):1970–1977. doi: 10.1128/mcb.4.10.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Klessig D. F., Brough D. E., Cleghon V. Introduction, stable integration, and controlled expression of a chimeric adenovirus gene whose product is toxic to the recipient human cell. Mol Cell Biol. 1984 Jul;4(7):1354–1362. doi: 10.1128/mcb.4.7.1354. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Kovesdi I., Reichel R., Nevins J. R. E1A transcription induction: enhanced binding of a factor to upstream promoter sequences. Science. 1986 Feb 14;231(4739):719–722. doi: 10.1126/science.2935935. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Kovesdi I., Reichel R., Nevins J. R. Identification of a cellular transcription factor involved in E1A trans-activation. Cell. 1986 Apr 25;45(2):219–228. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90386-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Kovesdi I., Reichel R., Nevins J. R. Role of an adenovirus E2 promoter binding factor in E1A-mediated coordinate gene control. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Apr;84(8):2180–2184. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.8.2180. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Lee K. A., Green M. R. A cellular transcription factor E4F1 interacts with an E1a-inducible enhancer and mediates constitutive enhancer function in vitro. EMBO J. 1987 May;6(5):1345–1353. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02374.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Lichtsteiner S., Wuarin J., Schibler U. The interplay of DNA-binding proteins on the promoter of the mouse albumin gene. Cell. 1987 Dec 24;51(6):963–973. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90583-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Lillie J. W., Loewenstein P. M., Green M. R., Green M. Functional domains of adenovirus type 5 E1a proteins. Cell. 1987 Sep 25;50(7):1091–1100. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90175-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Montell C., Courtois G., Eng C., Berk A. Complete transformation by adenovirus 2 requires both E1A proteins. Cell. 1984 Apr;36(4):951–961. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(84)90045-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Montell C., Fisher E. F., Caruthers M. H., Berk A. J. Resolving the functions of overlapping viral genes by site-specific mutagenesis at a mRNA splice site. Nature. 1982 Feb 4;295(5848):380–384. doi: 10.1038/295380a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Murthy S. C., Bhat G. P., Thimmappaya B. Adenovirus EIIA early promoter: transcriptional control elements and induction by the viral pre-early EIA gene, which appears to be sequence independent. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Apr;82(8):2230–2234. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.8.2230. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Nevins J. R. Mechanism of activation of early viral transcription by the adenovirus E1A gene product. Cell. 1981 Oct;26(2 Pt 2):213–220. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(81)90304-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Nevins J. R., Winkler J. J. Regulation of early adenovirus transcription: a protein product of early region 2 specifically represses region 4 transcription. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Apr;77(4):1893–1897. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.4.1893. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Reichel R., Kovesdi I., Nevins J. R. Activation of a preexisting cellular factor as a basis for adenovirus E1A-mediated transcription control. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Jan;85(2):387–390. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.2.387. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Reichel R., Kovesdi I., Nevins J. R. Developmental control of a promoter-specific factor that is also regulated by the E1A gene product. Cell. 1987 Feb 13;48(3):501–506. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90200-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Ricciardi R. P., Jones R. L., Cepko C. L., Sharp P. A., Roberts B. E. Expression of early adenovirus genes requires a viral encoded acidic polypeptide. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Oct;78(10):6121–6125. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.10.6121. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. SivaRaman L., Subramanian S., Thimmappaya B. Identification of a factor in HeLa cells specific for an upstream transcriptional control sequence of an EIA-inducible adenovirus promoter and its relative abundance in infected and uninfected cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Aug;83(16):5914–5918. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.16.5914. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. SivaRaman L., Thimmappaya B. Two promoter-specific host factors interact with adjacent sequences in an EIA-inducible adenovirus promoter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Sep;84(17):6112–6116. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.17.6112. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Spangler R., Bruner M., Dalie B., Harter M. L. Activation of adenovirus promoters by the adenovirus E1A protein in cell-free extracts. Science. 1987 Aug 28;237(4818):1044–1046. doi: 10.1126/science.2956686. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Van der Eb A. J., Mulder C., Graham F. L., Houweling A. Transformation with specific fragments of adenovirus DNAs. I. Isolation of specific fragments with transforming activity of adenovirus 2 and 5 DNA. Gene. 1977;2(3-4):115–132. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(77)90012-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Weber J., Jelinek W., Darnell J. E., Jr The definition of a large viral transcription unit late in Ad2 infection of HeLa cells: mapping of nascent RNA molecules labeled in isolated nuclei. Cell. 1977 Apr;10(4):611–616. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90093-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  45. Wu C. An exonuclease protection assay reveals heat-shock element and TATA box DNA-binding proteins in crude nuclear extracts. Nature. 1985 Sep 5;317(6032):84–87. doi: 10.1038/317084a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  46. Wu L., Rosser D. S., Schmidt M. C., Berk A. A TATA box implicated in E1A transcriptional activation of a simple adenovirus 2 promoter. Nature. 1987 Apr 2;326(6112):512–515. doi: 10.1038/326512a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  47. Yee A. S., Reichel R., Kovesdi I., Nevins J. R. Promoter interaction of the E1A-inducible factor E2F and its potential role in the formation of a multi-component complex. EMBO J. 1987 Jul;6(7):2061–2068. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02471.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  48. Yoshinaga S., Dean N., Han M., Berk A. J. Adenovirus stimulation of transcription by RNA polymerase III: evidence for an E1A-dependent increase in transcription factor IIIC concentration. EMBO J. 1986 Feb;5(2):343–354. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04218.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES