title: Coordinated trans activation of DNA synthesis- and precursor-producing enzymes by polyomavirus large T antigen through interaction with the retinoblastoma protein.
abstract: Previously constructed Swiss mouse 3T3 fibroblasts producing polyomavirus large T antigen after addition of dexamethasone were used to study the transcriptional activation by the viral protein of five genes coding for enzymes involved in DNA synthesis and precursor production, namely, dihydrofolate reductase, thymidine kinase, thymidylate synthase, DNA polymerase alpha, and proliferating-cell nuclear antigen. It was found that all these genes, whose expression is stimulated at the G1/S boundary of the cell cycle after growth stimulation by serum addition, are coordinately trans activated when T antigen is induced in cells previously growth arrested by serum withdrawal. Cell lines carrying the information for a mutant form of large T antigen, in which a glutamic acid residue in the binding site for the retinoblastoma protein was changed into aspartic acid, were constructed to test the involvement of an interaction of T antigen with the retinoblastoma protein in this reaction. It was found that the mutated T protein is incapable of stimulating transcription of any one of the genes. The promoter of three of the genes (dihydrofolate reductase, thymidine kinase, and DNA polymerase alpha) unequivocally carries binding sites for transcription factor E2F, suggesting that complexes forming with this growth- and cell cycle-regulating transcription factor are the targets for T antigen. Although there is so far no evidence that thymidylate synthase and proliferating cell nuclear antigen are regulated via E2F, our data indicate that the retinoblastoma protein still is involved in the control of these genes. mRNA for E2F itself increases in amount at the G1/S border in serum-stimulated cells but not during polyomavirus T antigen-induced transcriptional activation of DNA synthesis enzymes in arrested cells.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekularbiologie, Universität Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mudrak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ogris
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rotheneder
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wintersberger
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming / Q000235:genetics*; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004257:DNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics; D004261:DNA Replication; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000235:genetics; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D056465:Retinoblastoma-Binding Protein 1; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D050680:Transcription Factor DP1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000952:Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming; C533431:Arid4a protein, mouse; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050684:E2F Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein; D056465:Retinoblastoma-Binding Protein 1; D050680:Transcription Factor DP1; D014157:Transcription Factors; D003907:Dexamethasone; D013762:Tetrahydrofolate Dehydrogenase; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D004257:DNA Polymerase II