title: The domain of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 essential for binding to oriP region has a sequence fitted for the hypothetical basic-helix-loop-helix structure.
abstract: The domain of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA-1) which is essential for binding to a region containing oriP, an episomal replication origin of EBV DNA, was analyzed by DNA binding assay with beta-galactosidase-EBNA-1 fusion proteins. It was revealed that a 159-amino acid (aa) domain, 460-618 aa, of EBNA-1 retained the oriP-binding activity and the domain's activity was abolished by a deletion of 29 aa from its amino-terminal end and by a 38 aa deletion from its carboxyl-end as well. One of five monoclonal antibodies against EBNA-1 specifically inhibited the binding of the beta-galactosidase-EBNA-1 fusion protein to the oriP region. The epitope recognized by the monoclonal antibody was mapped in the crucial 29 aa region. An analysis of the domain's putative secondary structure and a computer search of amino acid sequence homology indicated that the 159-aa domain contains the hypothetical basic-helix-loop-helix structure which is considered to be a common characteristic structure of a family of DNA binding proteins. Examinations of DNA binding activity of the other EBNA polypeptides with a series of fusion proteins and similar structural analyses of their amino acid sequences were also performed. This study suggests that EBNA-1 is a constituent of the family of DNA binding proteins which are involved in transcriptional regulation critical for cell differentiation or cell-type determination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Rickettsiology, National Institute of Health, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Honma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagi
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004261:DNA Replication; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins