Identification of a novel herpes simplex virus type 1 transcript and protein (AL3) expressed during latency.
The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) latency-associated transcript (LAT) is abundantly expressed in latently infected sensory neurons. In small animal models of infection, expression of the first 1.5 kb of LAT coding sequences is necessary and sufficient for wild-type reactivation from latency. The ability of LAT to inhibit apoptosis is important for reactivation from latency. Within the first 1.5 kb of LAT coding sequences and LAT promoter sequences, additional transcripts have been identified. For example, the anti-sense to LAT transcript (AL) is expressed in the opposite direction to LAT from the 5' end of LAT and LAT promoter sequences. In addition, the upstream of LAT (UOL) transcript is expressed in the LAT direction from sequences in the LAT promoter. Further examination of the first 1.5 kb of LAT coding sequences revealed two small ORFs that are anti-sense with respect to LAT (AL2 and AL3). A transcript spanning AL3 was detected in productively infected cells, mouse neuroblastoma cells stably expressing LAT and trigeminal ganglia (TG) of latently infected mice. Peptide-specific IgG directed against AL3 specifically recognized a protein migrating near 15 kDa in cells stably transfected with LAT, mouse neuroblastoma cells transfected with a plasmid containing the AL3 ORF and TG of latently infected mice. The inability to detect the AL3 protein during productive infection may have been because the 5' terminus of the AL3 transcript was downstream of the first in-frame methionine of the AL3 ORF during productive infection.
Jaber
Tareq
T
School of Biological Sciences, Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA.
Henderson
Gail
G
Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA.
Li
Sumin
S
Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA.
Perng
Guey-Chuen
GC
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Carpenter
Dale
D
The Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4375, USA.
Wechsler
Steven L
SL
Center for Virus Research, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.|Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.|The Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, School of Medicine, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4375, USA.
Jones
Clinton
C
Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA.|School of Biological Sciences, Nebraska Center for Virology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68503, USA.
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000502:physiology*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000821:virology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017735:Virus Latency / Q000502:physiology*
D014764:Viral Proteins