title: Specific transcriptional activation in vitro by the herpes simplex virus protein VP16.
abstract: The herpes simplex virus protein VP16 interacts with cellular factors, including the protein Oct-1, to activate viral immediate early (IE) gene transcription. We have reproduced this effect by addition of purified, full-length VP16 and the DNA-binding 'POU' domain of Oct-1 (Oct-1/POU) to a HeLa cell in vitro transcription system. Stimulation of transcription was dependent on the IE-specific element, TAATGARAT. In agreement with earlier observations from electrophoretic mobility shift assays, activation was not observed when Oct-2/POU, the DNA-binding domain from the Oct-2 protein, was substituted for Oct-1/POU. Single round transcription assays revealed that, together, VP16 and Oct-1/POU facilitate the assembly of pre-initiation complexes at target gene promoters.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekularbiologie II, Universitat Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Arnosti
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagmann
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schaffner
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Hope
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laughlan
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Luisi
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D017405:Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65 / Q000378:metabolism*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051863:Host Cell Factor C1; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497692:HCFC1 protein, human; D017405:Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65; D051863:Host Cell Factor C1; D050811:Octamer Transcription Factor-1; C494165:POU2F1 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA