title: Absence of IE1 p72 protein function during low-multiplicity infection by human cytomegalovirus results in a broad block to viral delayed-early gene expression.
abstract: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) ie1 deletion mutant CR208 is profoundly growth deficient after low-multiplicity infection of primary fibroblasts. Previously, we showed that many fewer cells infected with CR208 at low multiplicity accumulated the delayed-early (DE) protein ppUL44 than accumulated the immediate-early 2 (IE2) p86 protein, indicating a high frequency of abortive infections. We now demonstrate that accumulation of all DE proteins tested was defective after low-multiplicity infection in the absence of IE1 p72. Accumulation of the DE proteins pUL57, pUL98, and pUL69 followed a pattern very similar to that of ppUL44 during low-multiplicity CR208 infection. Accumulation of the ppUL112-113 proteins occurred in a greater proportion of cells than other DE proteins during low-multiplicity CR208 infection, but was still deficient relative to wild-type virus. We also show for the first time that steady-state levels of many DE RNAs were reduced during low-multiplicity CR208 infection and that by in situ hybridization of the abundant cytoplasmic 2.7-kb TRL4 DE (beta2.7) RNA, a viral DE RNA followed a defective pattern of accumulation similar to that of ppUL44. Furthermore, transfected DE promoter-reporter constructs were found in transient assays to be considerably less responsive to CR208 infection than to infection by wild-type Towne virus. Our results indicate a general defect in DE gene expression following low-multiplicity HCMV infection in the absence of functional IE1 p72, most probably mediated by reduced transcription of DE genes and by the reduced accumulation of DE RNAs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Cambridge University Clinical School, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gawn
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Greaves
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C088645:IE1 protein, cytomegalovirus; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins; C446019:pUL69 protein, Human herpesvirus 5