IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS/CELLULAR PROTEINS

人巨细胞病毒（HCMV）是一种广泛存在的机会致病菌， 持续或潜伏感染。在大多数情况下，HCMV感染是良性的或无症状的健康。 不分胜负。然而，严重的疾病发生在婴儿和免疫功能低下的成人感染。的 基因组以时间上有序的方式表达，并发生在三个独立的阶段：即早期 （一）早，晚。在DNA复制之前开始的早期阶段进一步分为三个阶段 根据感染过程中早期转录物的表达水平进行分类。/ 研究了几种HCMV早期启动子，以确定HCMV早期基因如何在细胞内表达， 表达是有规律的。已经鉴定了几种特定的DNA序列以及蛋白质。一些 HCMV早期启动子序列被HCMV特异性蛋白（IE86）以及诸如细胞免疫原性蛋白结合。 蛋白质如环AMP反应元件结合蛋白（CREB）或活化的转录因子 [ATF]。早期启动子的激活需要存在IE86和IE72蛋白或单独存在IE86。 * UL 98早期基因编码58-65 kDa蛋白，是嵌套3'共末端ORF家族的一部分， 共享一个多聚腺苷酸化位点。碱性核酸外切酶在处理新合成的 在成熟过程中复制基因组拷贝。我们已经确定HCMV UL 98启动子利用 CRE和γ（g）IRE以最佳地调节该早期基因的表达。在缺失分析中， 类因子元件（TCP）也被牵连。研究还表明，CREB蛋白 在凝胶迁移率变动测定中与CRE序列相互作用。然而，相关的特定蛋白质 通过TCF-1和gIRE位点的调节尚未被表征。我们的目标如下 研究将鉴定结合TCF-1元件和gIRE的病毒/细胞蛋白。分析 这一关键的病毒早期基因的调控机制将提供对早期病毒的整体调控的深入了解。 基因表达和新型抗病毒疗法的未来发展。

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a widespread opportunistic pathogen capable of establishing either a persistent or latent infection. In most cases, HCMV infection is benign or asymptomatic in healthy ndividuals. However, serious illness occurs upon infection in infants and immunocompromised adults. The genome is expressed in et temporally ordered manner and occurs in three separate phases: immediate early IE), early, and late. The early phase, which begins just prior to DNA replication, is further divided into three subclasses based on the expression level of early transcripts through the course of infection. / Studies on several HCMV early promoters have been undertaken to determine how HCMV early gene expression is regulated. Several specific DNA sequences as well as proteins have been identified. Some HCMV early promoter sequences are bound by HCMV specific proteins (IE86) as well as such as cellular proteins such as the cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB) or activated transcription factor [ATF). Activation of the early promoters requires the presence of IE86 and IE72 proteins or IE86 alone. * The UL98 early gene encodes a 58-65 kDa protein and is part of a family of nested 3' coterminal ORFs that share a polyadenylation site. The alkaline exonuclease plays a critical role in processing newly synthesized replicated copies of genome during maturation. We have determined that the HCMV UL98 promoter utilizes CRE and gamma (g) IRE to optimally regulate the expression of this early gene. In deletion analysis, a Tcell factor-like element (TCP) has also been implicated. Studies have also shown that the protein CREB interacts with the CRE sequences in gel mobility shift assays. However, the specific proteins associated with regulation through the TCF-1 and gIRE sites have yet to be characterized. Our objective in the following studies will be to identify the viral/cellular protein(s) that bind the TCF-1 element and gIRE. The analysis of regulatory mechanisms for this key viral early gene will provide insight into the overall regulation of early gene expression and the future development of novel antiviral therapies.