title: Histone modification pattern of the T-cellular Herpesvirus saimiri genome in latency.
abstract: Herpesvirus saimiri (HVS) subgroup C strains are able to growth transform human T lymphocytes in vitro. The stably persisting and nonintegrating HVS episome represents an optimal prerequisite for the investigation of the epigenetic state of latent herpesvirus genomes in vitro. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments using seven different histone acetylation- or methylation-specific antibodies revealed repressive marks at four lytic gene promoters and a variable pattern at the weakly transcribed LANA/orf73 promoter. The constitutive stpC/tip promoter regulating the viral oncoproteins and, more interestingly, the noncoding repetitive H-DNA elements flanking the coding region, showed a permissive chromatin structure. This study provides an appropriate model for the analysis of epigenetic herpesvirus genome modifications and their dynamics in T cells.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Klinische und Molekulare Virologie, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Schlossgarten 4, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alberter
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ensser
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D001483:Base Sequence; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006567:Herpesvirus 2, Saimiriine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008745:Methylation; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D006657:Histones