The K-bZIP protein from Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus interacts with p53 and represses its transcriptional activity.
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a gammaherpesvirus that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma. KSHV encodes K-bZIP (open reading frame K8), a protein that belongs to the basic region-leucine zipper (bZIP) family of transcription factors. Here we show that K-bZIP associates with the cellular transcription factor p53 directly in vitro and in vivo. This interaction requires the bZIP domain of K-bZIP and the carboxy-terminal region (amino acids 300 to 393) of p53. We also show that K-bZIP represses the transcriptional activity of p53 which is required for apoptosis of the host cell. These results imply that K-bZIP blocks p53-mediated host cell death through its interaction with p53.
Park
J
J
Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejeon 305-701, Korea.
Seo
T
T
Hwang
S
S
Lee
D
D
Gwack
Y
Y
Choe
J
J
D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication
C105242:ALYREF protein, human; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D014764:Viral Proteins