title: Identification of Herpes TATT-binding protein.
abstract: The regulation of viral gene expression is a compilation of virus and host factors influencing the transcription machinery. In Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) a distinct regulatory element utilizing the TATT-box was described. The motif is present in promoters of lytic cycle genes and resembles a crucial host genome motif (TATA-box). Since the binding specificity of eukaryotic proteins recognizing TATA-box (TBP) was determined and no specific preference for interaction with TATT motif was found, we performed a genome-wide fold recognition search to identify viral proteins potentially recognizing the TATT-box. By applying profile-profile comparisons and homology-based protein structure prediction we identified a protein of unknown function from Gammaherpesvirinae (BcRF1 of EBV) and their Betaherpesvirinae homologs (UL87 of CMV) as proteins encoding TBP fold. Although overall sequence identity is very low (circa 10%), the saddle-like fold and presence of important residues on a surface of DNA-protein interface marked both proteins as distantly related to TBP and permitted the characterization of a putative molecular basis of selective recognition of TATT-motif by BcRF1.
authors.affiliation: BioInfoBank Institute, Limanowskiego 24A/16, 60-744 Poznan, Poland. lucjan@bioinfo.pl
authors.forename: Lucjan S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wyrwicz
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rychlewski
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018141:Betaherpesvirinae / Q000235:genetics; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D030562:Databases, Protein; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D040681:Structural Homology, Protein; D016385:TATA Box / Q000235:genetics; D035181:TATA-Box Binding Protein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D035181:TATA-Box Binding Protein; D014764:Viral Proteins