Skip to main content
PMC home page
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1989 Jun;86(11):4071–4075. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.11.4071

Delineation of regulatory domains of early (beta) and late (gamma 2) genes by construction of chimeric genes expressed in herpes simplex virus 1 genomes.

P Mavromara-Nazos 1, B Roizman 1
PMCID: PMC287390  PMID: 2542962

Abstract

The expression of the gamma 2 class of viral genes in cells infected with herpes simplex virus 1 requires viral DNA synthesis and functional viral products made earlier in infection. To identify the sequences required for gamma 2 gene expression, we constructed recombinant viruses in which regions of the thymidine kinase gene (tk), a beta gene normally expressed early in infection, were replaced by specific domains of a gamma 2 gene. The phenotypic attributes examined were (i) sensitivity or resistance of expression in cells exposed to sufficient phosphonoacetate to block viral DNA synthesis, properties of gamma 2 and beta genes, respectively; (ii) expression early in infection, a property of beta genes; and (iii) expression late in infection, a property of gamma 2 genes. We report that replacement of nucleotides -200 to +51 of tk with nucleotides -77 to +104 of the gamma 2 gene conferred upon tk all of the tested attributes of gamma 2 genes. The tk sequence in the 5' transcribed noncoding domain downstream of nucleotide +51 played no apparent role in the expression of the chimeric genes. Similarly, tk sequence downstream of -16 and gamma 2 sequence upstream of -12, when juxtaposed in correct orientations, yielded a chimeric gene that was poorly expressed. In contrast, the chimeric gene consisting of tk sequence upstream of -16 fused to gamma 2 sequence downstream of -12 had the attributes of both beta and gamma 2 genes in that it was expressed both early and late in infection and was partially resistant to phosphonoacetate. The capacity for expression late in infection encoded in the gamma 2 5' transcribed noncoding domain was observed in cells infected with a recombinant virus in which gamma 2 nucleotides +17 to +104 were inserted into the 5' transcribed noncoding domain of the tk gene. We conclude that whereas in the beta genes exemplified by the tk gene the regulatory domains are mainly upstream from nucleotide +51, the sequence(s) that confers gamma 2 regulation is downstream from the TATAA box.

Full text

PDF
4075

Images in this article

4073Image
on p.4073
4074Image
on p.4074

Selected References

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

  1. Arsenakis M., Tomasi L. F., Speziali V., Roizman B., Campadelli-Fiume G. Expression and regulation of glycoprotein C gene of herpes simplex virus 1 resident in a clonal L-cell line. J Virol. 1986 May;58(2):367–376. doi: 10.1128/jvi.58.2.367-376.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Berk A. J., Sharp P. A. Sizing and mapping of early adenovirus mRNAs by gel electrophoresis of S1 endonuclease-digested hybrids. Cell. 1977 Nov;12(3):721–732. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(77)90272-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Coen D. M., Weinheimer S. P., McKnight S. L. A genetic approach to promoter recognition during trans induction of viral gene expression. Science. 1986 Oct 3;234(4772):53–59. doi: 10.1126/science.3018926. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Conley A. J., Knipe D. M., Jones P. C., Roizman B. Molecular genetics of herpes simplex virus. VII. Characterization of a temperature-sensitive mutant produced by in vitro mutagenesis and defective in DNA synthesis and accumulation of gamma polypeptides. J Virol. 1981 Jan;37(1):191–206. doi: 10.1128/jvi.37.1.191-206.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DeLuca N. A., Courtney M. A., Schaffer P. A. Temperature-sensitive mutants in herpes simplex virus type 1 ICP4 permissive for early gene expression. J Virol. 1984 Dec;52(3):767–776. doi: 10.1128/jvi.52.3.767-776.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dixon R. A., Schaffer P. A. Fine-structure mapping and functional analysis of temperature-sensitive mutants in the gene encoding the herpes simplex virus type 1 immediate early protein VP175. J Virol. 1980 Oct;36(1):189–203. doi: 10.1128/jvi.36.1.189-203.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ejercito P. M., Kieff E. D., Roizman B. Characterization of herpes simplex virus strains differing in their effects on social behaviour of infected cells. J Gen Virol. 1968 May;2(3):357–364. doi: 10.1099/0022-1317-2-3-357. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Faber S. W., Wilcox K. W. Association of herpes simplex virus regulatory protein ICP4 with sequences spanning the ICP4 gene transcription initiation site. Nucleic Acids Res. 1988 Jan 25;16(2):555–570. doi: 10.1093/nar/16.2.555. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Halpern M. E., Smiley J. R. Effects of deletions on expression of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene from the intact viral genome: the amino terminus of the enzyme is dispensable for catalytic activity. J Virol. 1984 Jun;50(3):733–738. doi: 10.1128/jvi.50.3.733-738.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Holland L. E., Anderson K. P., Shipman C., Jr, Wagner E. K. Viral DNA synthesis is required for the efficient expression of specific herpes simplex virus type 1 mRNA species. Virology. 1980 Feb;101(1):10–24. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(80)90479-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Homa F. L., Glorioso J. C., Levine M. A specific 15-bp TATA box promoter element is required for expression of a herpes simplex virus type 1 late gene. Genes Dev. 1988 Jan;2(1):40–53. doi: 10.1101/gad.2.1.40. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Honess R. W., Roizman B. Regulation of herpesvirus macromolecular synthesis. I. Cascade regulation of the synthesis of three groups of viral proteins. J Virol. 1974 Jul;14(1):8–19. doi: 10.1128/jvi.14.1.8-19.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Honess R. W., Roizman B. Regulation of herpesvirus macromolecular synthesis: sequential transition of polypeptide synthesis requires functional viral polypeptides. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 Apr;72(4):1276–1280. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.4.1276. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Jones P. C., Roizman B. Regulation of herpesvirus macromolecular synthesis. VIII. The transcription program consists of three phases during which both extent of transcription and accumulation of RNA in the cytoplasm are regulated. J Virol. 1979 Aug;31(2):299–314. doi: 10.1128/jvi.31.2.299-314.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kristie T. M., Roizman B. Alpha 4, the major regulatory protein of herpes simplex virus type 1, is stably and specifically associated with promoter-regulatory domains of alpha genes and of selected other viral genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 May;83(10):3218–3222. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.10.3218. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Longnecker R., Roizman B. Generation of an inverting herpes simplex virus 1 mutant lacking the L-S junction a sequences, an origin of DNA synthesis, and several genes including those specifying glycoprotein E and the alpha 47 gene. J Virol. 1986 May;58(2):583–591. doi: 10.1128/jvi.58.2.583-591.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mavromara-Nazos P., Roizman B. Activation of herpes simplex virus 1 gamma 2 genes by viral DNA replication. Virology. 1987 Dec;161(2):593–598. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(87)90156-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Mavromara-Nazos P., Roizman B. Activation of herpes simplex virus 1 gamma 2 genes by viral DNA replication. Virology. 1987 Dec;161(2):593–598. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(87)90156-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. McKnight S., Tjian R. Transcriptional selectivity of viral genes in mammalian cells. Cell. 1986 Sep 12;46(6):795–805. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90061-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Michael N., Spector D., Mavromara-Nazos P., Kristie T. M., Roizman B. The DNA-binding properties of the major regulatory protein alpha 4 of herpes simplex viruses. Science. 1988 Mar 25;239(4847):1531–1534. doi: 10.1126/science.2832940. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Post L. E., Conley A. J., Mocarski E. S., Roizman B. Cloning of reiterated and nonreiterated herpes simplex virus 1 sequences as BamHI fragments. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Jul;77(7):4201–4205. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.7.4201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Post L. E., Mackem S., Roizman B. Regulation of alpha genes of herpes simplex virus: expression of chimeric genes produced by fusion of thymidine kinase with alpha gene promoters. Cell. 1981 May;24(2):555–565. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(81)90346-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Preston C. M. Control of herpes simplex virus type 1 mRNA synthesis in cells infected with wild-type virus or the temperature-sensitive mutant tsK. J Virol. 1979 Jan;29(1):275–284. doi: 10.1128/jvi.29.1.275-284.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Roberts M. S., Boundy A., O'Hare P., Pizzorno M. C., Ciufo D. M., Hayward G. S. Direct correlation between a negative autoregulatory response element at the cap site of the herpes simplex virus type 1 IE175 (alpha 4) promoter and a specific binding site for the IE175 (ICP4) protein. J Virol. 1988 Nov;62(11):4307–4320. doi: 10.1128/jvi.62.11.4307-4320.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Roizman B., Spear P. G. Preparation of herpes simplex virus of high titer. J Virol. 1968 Jan;2(1):83–84. doi: 10.1128/jvi.2.1.83-84.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Shih M. F., Arsenakis M., Tiollais P., Roizman B. Expression of hepatitis B virus S gene by herpes simplex virus type 1 vectors carrying alpha- and beta-regulated gene chimeras. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Sep;81(18):5867–5870. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.18.5867. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Silver S., Roizman B. gamma 2-Thymidine kinase chimeras are identically transcribed but regulated a gamma 2 genes in herpes simplex virus genomes and as beta genes in cell genomes. Mol Cell Biol. 1985 Mar;5(3):518–528. doi: 10.1128/mcb.5.3.518. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Smiley J. R., Swan H., Pater M. M., Pater A., Halpern M. E. Positive control of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene requires upstream DNA sequences. J Virol. 1983 Aug;47(2):301–310. doi: 10.1128/jvi.47.2.301-310.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Tedder D. G., Pizer L. I. Role for DNA-protein interaction in activation of the herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D gene. J Virol. 1988 Dec;62(12):4661–4672. doi: 10.1128/jvi.62.12.4661-4672.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Watson R. J., Clements J. B. A herpes simplex virus type 1 function continuously required for early and late virus RNA synthesis. Nature. 1980 May 29;285(5763):329–330. doi: 10.1038/285329a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Zipser D., Lipsich L., Kwoh J. Mapping functional domains in the promoter region of the herpes thymidine kinase gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981 Oct;78(10):6276–6280. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.10.6276. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES