Bidirectional transcription of the Epstein-Barr virus major internal repeat.
In latently infected cell lines, the Epstein-Barr virus BamHI W fragment (major internal repeat) is transcribed in a rightward direction to yield exons common to several alternatively spliced messages which encode the six known viral nuclear antigens. A substantial steady-state population of very large (up to 20-kilobase) rightward transcripts is nuclear, much of it being polyadenylated. We report a rise in the levels of rightward transcripts hybridizing to BamHI-W sequences upon phorbol ester treatment of the clone-13 Burkitt's lymphoma cell line. We also report large (up to 15-kilobase) leftward transcripts hybridizing to BamHI-W sequences which occurred late in the viral lytic cycle in B95-8 and clone-13 cells. These leftward transcripts may antagonize the expression of the viral nuclear antigen messages by the formation of RNA duplexes.
Division of Tumor Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
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Rogers
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Speck
D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015342:DNA Probes; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D010746:Phosphonoacetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D011061:Poly A / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015342:DNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA; D010746:Phosphonoacetic Acid; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate