Skip to main content
Journal of Virology logoLink to Journal of Virology
. 1985 Apr;54(1):207–218. doi: 10.1128/jvi.54.1.207-218.1985

Both trans-acting factors and chromatin structure are involved in the regulation of transcription from the early and late promoters in simian virus 40 chromosomes.

L C Tack, P Beard
PMCID: PMC254779  PMID: 2983114

Abstract

We isolated simian virus 40 (SV40) chromosomes from lytically infected CV-1 cells at various times during the late phase and transcribed them in vitro with either whole-cell or nuclear extracts of HeLa cells. The late promoter was 3- to 10-fold more active than the early promoter. With bare SV40 DNA templates, the early promoter was up to 10-fold stronger than the late promoter. The relative strengths of the early and late promoters on SV40 chromosomes were essentially independent of template concentration or length of the replicative phase of the infection. When monoclonal antibodies or antisera against T antigen (T Ag) were added to SV40 chromosomes or when T Ag, both free and chromatin bound, was removed by immunoprecipitation with anti-T, the activity of the late promoter remained essentially unchanged. Washing with 0.4 M NaCl removed T Ag from more than 90% of the mature chromosomes associated with T Ag. Transcription from the late promoter still predominated in the salt-washed T Ag-depleted chromosomes, even though there was a marked increase in early promoter activity. The depression of the early promoter could be reversed by adding the T Ag-containing extract back to the depleted chromosomes. Extraction of SV40 chromosomes with 1.5 M NaCl resulted in a decrease in the activity of the late promoter and a further increase in the activity of the early promoter so that the relative amounts of early and late RNA synthesized were similar to those for bare SV40 DNA templates. Late RNA synthesis from bare SV40 DNA templates was stimulated by high-speed supernatants prepared from nuclear extracts of SV40-infected cells but not from those of uninfected cells. Pretreatment of the supernatants with anti-T did not alter the result. Our findings indicate that the activity of the early and late SV40 promoters is regulated by at least two different mechanisms at the chromosomal level. One is mediated by a subclass of T Ag bound to SV40 chromosomes which represses early SV40 transcription but has no effect on late transcription. A second level of regulation, involving a tightly bound trans-acting chromosomal factor and a stable nucleoprotein structure, favors the late promoter over the early promoter by up to 10-fold.

Full text

PDF
209

Images in this article

Selected References

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

  1. Alwine J. C. Evidence for simian virus 40 late transcriptional control: mixed infections of wild-type simian virus 40 and a late leader deletion mutant exhibit trans effects on late viral RNA synthesis. J Virol. 1982 Jun;42(3):798–803. doi: 10.1128/jvi.42.3.798-803.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Alwine J. C., Khoury G. Effect of a tsA mutation of simian virus 40 late gene expression: variations between host cell lines. J Virol. 1980 Feb;33(2):920–925. doi: 10.1128/jvi.33.2.920-925.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Beard P. Mobility of histones on the chromosome of simian virus 40. Cell. 1978 Nov;15(3):955–967. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(78)90279-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Beard P., Nyfeler K. Transcription of Simian Virus 40 chromosomes in an extract of HeLa cells. EMBO J. 1982;1(1):9–14. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1982.tb01116.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Benoist C., Chambon P. In vivo sequence requirements of the SV40 early promotor region. Nature. 1981 Mar 26;290(5804):304–310. doi: 10.1038/290304a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Brady J. N., Radonovich M., Salzman N. P. Accurate transcription of simian virus 40 chromatin in a HeLa cell extract. J Virol. 1982 Dec;44(3):772–781. doi: 10.1128/jvi.44.3.772-781.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Brady J., Bolen J. B., Radonovich M., Salzman N., Khoury G. Stimulation of simian virus 40 late gene expression by simian virus 40 tumor antigen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Apr;81(7):2040–2044. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.7.2040. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Brady J., Radonovich M., Thoren M., Das G., Salzman N. P. Simian virus 40 major late promoter: an upstream DNA sequence required for efficient in vitro transcription. Mol Cell Biol. 1984 Jan;4(1):133–141. doi: 10.1128/mcb.4.1.133. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Byrne B. J., Davis M. S., Yamaguchi J., Bergsma D. J., Subramanian K. N. Definition of the simian virus 40 early promoter region and demonstration of a host range bias in the enhancement effect of the simian virus 40 72-base-pair repeat. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983 Feb;80(3):721–725. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.3.721. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Chen-Kiang S., Wolgemuth D. J., Hsu M. T., Darnell J. E., Jr Transcription and accurate polyadenylation in vitro of RNA from the major late adenovirus 2 transcription unit. Cell. 1982 Mar;28(3):575–584. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(82)90212-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Contreras R., Gheysen D., Knowland J., van de Voorde A., Fiers W. Evidence for the direct involvement of DNA replication origin in synthesis of late SV40 RNA. Nature. 1982 Dec 9;300(5892):500–505. doi: 10.1038/300500a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Cremisi C. The appearance of DNase I hypersensitive sites at the 5' end of the late SV40 genes is correlated with the transcriptional switch. Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Nov 25;9(22):5949–5964. doi: 10.1093/nar/9.22.5949. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. 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]
  14. Ey P. L., Prowse S. J., Jenkin C. R. Isolation of pure IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b immunoglobulins from mouse serum using protein A-sepharose. Immunochemistry. 1978 Jul;15(7):429–436. doi: 10.1016/0161-5890(78)90070-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Fire A., Baker C. C., Manley J. L., Ziff E. B., Sharp P. A. In vitro transcription of adenovirus. J Virol. 1981 Dec;40(3):703–719. doi: 10.1128/jvi.40.3.703-719.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Fromm M., Berg P. Deletion mapping of DNA regions required for SV40 early region promoter function in vivo. J Mol Appl Genet. 1982;1(5):457–481. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Gheysen D., van de Voorde A., Contreras R., Vanderheyden J., Duerinck F., Fiers W. Simian virus 40 mutants carrying extensive deletions in the 72-base-pair repeat region. J Virol. 1983 Jul;47(1):1–14. doi: 10.1128/jvi.47.1.1-14.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ghosh P. K., Lebowitz P. Simian virus 40 early mRNA's contain multiple 5' termini upstream and downstream from a Hogness-Goldberg sequence; a shift in 5' termini during the lytic cycle is mediated by large T antigen. J Virol. 1981 Oct;40(1):224–240. doi: 10.1128/jvi.40.1.224-240.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ghosh P. K., Piatak M., Mertz J. E., Weissman S. M., Lebowitz P. Altered utilization of splice sites and 5' termini in late RNAs produced by leader region mutants of simian virus 40. J Virol. 1982 Nov;44(2):610–624. doi: 10.1128/jvi.44.2.610-624.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Gruss P., Dhar R., Khoury G. Simian virus 40 tandem repeated sequences as an element of the early promoter. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Feb;78(2):943–947. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.2.943. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Hagenbüchle O., Schibler U. Mouse beta-globin and adenovirus-2 major late transcripts are initiated at the cap site in vitro. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Apr;78(4):2283–2286. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.4.2283. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Handa H., Kaufman R. J., Manley J., Gefter M., Sharp P. A. Transcription of Simian virus 40 DNA in a HeLa whole cell extract. J Biol Chem. 1981 Jan 10;256(1):478–482. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Handa H., Sharp P. A. Expression of early and late simian virus 40 transcripts in the absence of protein synthesis. J Virol. 1980 Jun;34(3):592–597. doi: 10.1128/jvi.34.3.592-597.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Hansen U., Tenen D. G., Livingston D. M., Sharp P. A. T antigen repression of SV40 early transcription from two promoters. Cell. 1981 Dec;27(3 Pt 2):603–613. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(81)90402-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Harlow E., Crawford L. V., Pim D. C., Williamson N. M. Monoclonal antibodies specific for simian virus 40 tumor antigens. J Virol. 1981 Sep;39(3):861–869. doi: 10.1128/jvi.39.3.861-869.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Hartmann J. P., Scott W. A. Nuclease-sensitive sites in the two major intracellular simian virus 40 nucleoproteins. J Virol. 1983 Jun;46(3):1034–1038. doi: 10.1128/jvi.46.3.1034-1038.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Hay N., Skolnik-David H., Aloni Y. Attenuation in the control of SV40 gene expression. Cell. 1982 May;29(1):183–193. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(82)90102-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Hirt B. Selective extraction of polyoma DNA from infected mouse cell cultures. J Mol Biol. 1967 Jun 14;26(2):365–369. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(67)90307-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Jackson V., Chalkley R. Use of whole-cell fixation to visualize replicating and maturing simian virus 40: identification of new viral gene product. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Oct;78(10):6081–6085. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.10.6081. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Jat P., Roberts J. W., Cowie A., Kamen R. Comparison of the polyoma virus early and late promoters by transcription in vitro. Nucleic Acids Res. 1982 Feb 11;10(3):871–887. doi: 10.1093/nar/10.3.871. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Jay G., Nomura S., Anderson C. W., Khoury G. Identification of the SV40 agnogene product: a DNA binding protein. Nature. 1981 May 28;291(5813):346–349. doi: 10.1038/291346a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Keller J. M., Alwine J. C. Activation of the SV40 late promoter: direct effects of T antigen in the absence of viral DNA replication. Cell. 1984 Feb;36(2):381–389. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(84)90231-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Lebowitz P., Ghosh P. K. Initiation and regulation of simian virus 40 early transcription in vitro. J Virol. 1982 Feb;41(2):449–461. doi: 10.1128/jvi.41.2.449-461.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Llopis R., Stark G. R. Two deletions within genes for simian virus 40 structural proteins VP2 and VP3 lead to formation of abnormal transcriptional complexes. J Virol. 1981 Apr;38(1):91–103. doi: 10.1128/jvi.38.1.91-103.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Manley J. L., Fire A., Cano A., Sharp P. A., Gefter M. L. DNA-dependent transcription of adenovirus genes in a soluble whole-cell extract. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Jul;77(7):3855–3859. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.7.3855. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Mathis D. J., Chambon P. The SV40 early region TATA box is required for accurate in vitro initiation of transcription. Nature. 1981 Mar 26;290(5804):310–315. doi: 10.1038/290310a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. McMaster G. K., Beard P., Engers H. D., Hirt B. Characterization of an immunosuppressive parvovirus related to the minute virus of mice. J Virol. 1981 Apr;38(1):317–326. doi: 10.1128/jvi.38.1.317-326.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. McMaster G. K., Carmichael G. G. Analysis of single- and double-stranded nucleic acids on polyacrylamide and agarose gels by using glyoxal and acridine orange. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Nov;74(11):4835–4838. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.11.4835. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Myers R. M., Rio D. C., Robbins A. K., Tjian R. SV40 gene expression is modulated by the cooperative binding of T antigen to DNA. Cell. 1981 Aug;25(2):373–384. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(81)90056-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Pfeiffer P., Hay N., Pruzan R., Jakobovits E. B., Aloni Y. In vitro premature termination in SV40 late transcription. EMBO J. 1983;2(2):185–191. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1983.tb01403.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. Rio D., Robbins A., Myers R., Tjian R. Regulation of simian virus 40 early transcription in vitro by a purified tumor antigen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Oct;77(10):5706–5710. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.10.5706. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Rudolph K., Mann K. Salt-resistant association of simian virus 40 T antigen with simian virus 40 DNA in nucleoprotein complexes. J Virol. 1983 Aug;47(2):276–286. doi: 10.1128/jvi.47.2.276-286.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Saragosti S., Cereghini S., Yaniv M. Fine structure of the regulatory region of simian virus 40 minichromosomes revealed by DNAase I digestion. J Mol Biol. 1982 Sep 15;160(2):133–146. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(82)90171-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Shelton E. R., Wassarman P. M., DePamphilis M. L. Structure of Simian virus 40 chromosomes in nuclei from infected monkey cells. J Mol Biol. 1978 Nov 15;125(4):491–510. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(78)90312-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  45. Skolnik-David H., Aloni Y. Pausing of RNA polymerase molecules during in vivo transcription of the SV40 leader region. EMBO J. 1983;2(2):179–184. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1983.tb01402.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  46. Stahl H., Knippers R. Simian virus 40 large tumor antigen on replicating viral chromatin: tight binding and localization on the viral genome. J Virol. 1983 Jul;47(1):65–76. doi: 10.1128/jvi.47.1.65-76.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  47. Sugden B., Keller W. Mammalian deoxyribonucleic acid-dependent ribonucleic acid polymerases. I. Purification and properties of an -amanitin-sensitive ribonucleic acid polymerase and stimulatory factors from HeLa and KB cells. J Biol Chem. 1973 Jun 10;248(11):3777–3788. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  48. Tack L. C., DePamphilis M. L. Analysis of simian virus 40 chromosome-T-antigen complexes: T-antigen is preferentially associated with early replicating DNA intermediates. J Virol. 1983 Oct;48(1):281–295. doi: 10.1128/jvi.48.1.281-295.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  49. Tack L. C., Wassarman P. M., DePamphilis M. L. Chromatin assembly. Relationship of chromatin structure to DNA sequence during simian virus 40 replication. J Biol Chem. 1981 Aug 25;256(16):8821–8828. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  50. Weil P. A., Luse D. S., Segall J., Roeder R. G. Selective and accurate initiation of transcription at the Ad2 major late promotor in a soluble system dependent on purified RNA polymerase II and DNA. Cell. 1979 Oct;18(2):469–484. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(79)90065-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES