title: Activation of RNA polymerase III transcription of human Alu repetitive elements by adenovirus type 5: requirement for the E1b 58-kilodalton protein and the products of E4 open reading frames 3 and 6.
abstract: We found that transcription of endogenous human Alu elements by RNA polymerase III was strongly stimulated following infection of HeLa cells with adenovirus type 5, leading to the accumulation of high levels of Alu transcripts initiated from Alu polymerase III promoters. In contrast to previously reported cases of adenovirus-induced activation of polymerase III transcription, induction required the E1b 58-kDa protein and the products of E4 open reading frames 3 and 6 in addition to the 289-residue E1a protein. In addition, E1a function was not required at high multiplicities of infection, suggesting that E1a plays an indirect role in Alu activation. These results suggest previously unsuspected regulatory properties of the adenovirus E1b and E4 gene products and provide a novel approach to the study of the biology of the most abundant class of dispersed repetitive DNA in the human genome.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Panning
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Smiley
mesh_terms: D017500:Adenovirus E1A Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017501:Adenovirus E1B Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017504:Adenovirus E4 Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000260:Adenoviruses, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012320:RNA Polymerase III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D017500:Adenovirus E1A Proteins; D017501:Adenovirus E1B Proteins; D017504:Adenovirus E4 Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012313:RNA; D008715:Methionine; D012320:RNA Polymerase III