title: Characterization of the epstein-barr virus BRRF1 gene, located between early genes BZLF1 and BRLF1.
abstract: The switch from latency to a productive cycle in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected B cells proliferating in vitro is thought to be due to the transcriptional activation of two viral genes, BZLF1 and BRLF1, encoding two transcription factors called EB1 and R respectively. However, a third gene, BRRF1 is contained in the BZLF1/BRLF1 locus, overlapping with BRLF1 but in inverse orientation. We have characterized the 5' end of the BRRF1 mRNA and the promoter, PNa, at which BRRF1 pre-mRNA is initiated. We show that although a single BRRF1 mRNA species is induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate/sodium butyrate in several EBV-infected B cell lines, in Akata cells treated with anti-IgG two BRRF1 mRNAs can be detected. Transcription initiated at the BRRF1 promoter was activated by EB1 but not by R, and EB1-binding sites which contribute to the EB1-activated transcription have been mapped to between positions -469 and +1. A 34 kDa protein could be translated from the BRRF1 mRNA both in vitro and in vivo, and was found predominantly in the nucleus of HeLa cells transfected with a BRRF1 expression vector. Thus there are three promoters in the region of the EBV chromatin containing the BZLF1/BRLF1 genes, two of which, PZ and PNa, potentially share regulatory elements.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Virologie Humaine U412 INSERM, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon cedex 07, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Segouffin-Cariou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Farjot
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sergeant
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gruffat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics*; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011817:Rabbits; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: C068382:BRLF1 protein, Human herpesvirus 4; C063676:BZLF1 protein, Herpesvirus 4, Human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins