title: Expression and characterization of proteins produced by mRNAs spliced into the X region of the human T-cell leukemia/lymphotropic virus type II.
abstract: In previous studies we showed that human T-cell leukemia/lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) may produce novel proteins encoded in the X region. To investigate a possible correlation between expression of viral genes and different biologic properties of HTLV-I and HTLV-II, we analyzed expression of HTLV-II in the chronically infected cell line MoT. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed that the virus produces several mRNAs singly or doubly spliced into the X region. Corresponding cDNAs were cloned and transfected into a HeLa cell line; resulting proteins were designated according to their sizes and coding open reading frames (ORFs). p10xI and p11xV were produced by a dicistronic doubly spliced mRNA. p10xI was generated by translation of the first exon of rex linked to the x-I ORF; p11xV was translated from the tax initiation codon linked to the x-V ORF. Two singly spliced polycistronic mRNAs produced p28xII, coded by the x-II ORF, and several isoforms generated by initiation within the x-III ORF. Studies of the proteins' subcellular localization revealed that they exhibited distinct targeting patterns. Comparison of these proteins with their HTLV-I counterparts indicated intriguing differences between these two viruses, suggesting that further study of the X region products may aid in defining genetic determinants of pathogenicity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ciminale
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zotti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Franchini
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Felber
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chieco-Bianchi
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D017931:DNA Primers; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis; D015752:Genes, env; D015750:Genes, gag; D015751:Genes, pol; D016679:Genome, Viral; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014162:Transfection; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D000939:Epitopes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins