title: Epstein-Barr virus encodes a novel homolog of the bcl-2 oncogene that inhibits apoptosis and associates with Bax and Bak.
abstract: The sequenced gammaherpesviruses each contain a single viral bcl-2 homolog (v-bcl-2) which may encode a protein that functions in preventing the apoptotic death of virus-infected cells. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a gammaherpesvirus associated with several lymphoid and epithelial malignancies, encodes the v-Bcl-2 homolog BHRF1. In this report the previously uncharacterized BALF1 open reading frame in EBV is identified as having significant sequence similarity to other v-bcl-2 homologs and cellular bcl-2. Transfection of cells with a BALF1 cDNA conferred apoptosis resistance. Furthermore, a recombinant green fluorescent protein-BALF1 fusion protein suppressed apoptosis and associated with Bax and Bak. These results indicate that EBV encodes a second functional v-bcl-2.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Adult Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gustafson
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Graf
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Sage
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanify
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fingeroth
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Finberg
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017209:Apoptosis; D019254:Genes, bcl-2 / Q000502:physiology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein