title: An enhancer element in the short unique region of human cytomegalovirus regulates the production of a group of abundant immediate early transcripts.
abstract: A 275-bp sequence in the short unique region of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strain AD169 contains a series of five imperfect 18-bp repeats with homology to the SV40 and HCMV major immediate early enhancers. Plasmids containing these putative HCMV enhancer sequences linked to the human beta-globin gene were transiently transfected into HeLa cells, and the ability of the HCMV sequences to activate beta-globin transcription was assayed. The repeat-containing region stimulated transcription in a position- and orientation-independent manner, to approximately the same degree as that of the SV40 enhancer. A promoter located immediately 3' to the enhancer in the HCMV genome is active only in the presence of the enhancer sequences. Transcription from this HCMV promoter was analysed by a combination of S1 nuclease protection mapping and Northern blotting. At immediate early times postinfection, at least four extremely abundant differentially spliced mRNAs were detected; these RNAs constitute a previously unknown class of immediate early transcript.
authors.affiliation: M.R.C. Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, England.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weston
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005814:Genes, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014764:Viral Proteins