Synthesis and processing of adenoviral RNA in isolated nuclei

A history of poly A sequences: from formation to factors to function

Biological polyadenylation, first recognized as an enzymatic activity, remained an orphan enzyme until poly A sequences were found on the 3' ends of eukarvotic mRNAs. Their presence in bacteria viruses and later in archeae (ref. 338) established their universality. The lack of compelling evidence for a specific function limited attention to their cellular formation. Eventually the newer techniques of molecular biology and development of accurate nuclear processing extracts showed 3' end formation to be a two-step process. Pre-mRNA was first cleaved endonucleolytically at a specific site that was followed by sequential addition of AMPs from ATP to the 3' hydroxyl group at the end of mRNA. The site of cleavage was specified by a conserved hexanucleotide, AAUAAA, from 10 to 30 nt upstream of this 3' end. Extensive purification of these two activities showed that more than 10 polypeptides were needed for mRNA 3' end formation. Most of these were in complexes involved in the cleavage step. Two of the best characterized are CstF and CPSF, while two other remain partially purified but essential. Oddly, the specific proteins involved in phosphodiester bond hydrolysis have yet to be identified. The polyadenylation step occurs within the complex of poly A polymerase and poly A-binding protein, PABII, that controls poly A length. That the cleavage complex, CPSF, is also required for this step attests to a tight coupling of the two steps of 3' and formation. The reaction reconstituted from these RNA-free purified factors correctly processes pre-mRNAs. Meaningful analysis of the role of poly A in mRNA metabolism or function was possible once quantities of these proteins most often over-expressed from cDNA clones became available. The large number needed for two simple reactions of an endonuclease, a polymerase and a sequence recognition factor, pointed to 3' end formation as a regulated process. Polyadenylation itself had appeared to require regulation in cases where two poly A sites were alternatively processed to produce mRNA coding for two different proteins. The 64-KDa subunit of CstF is now known to be a regulator of poly A site choice between two sites in the immunoglobulin heavy chain of B cells. In resting cells the site used favors the mRNA for a membrane-bound protein. Upon differentiation to plasma cells, an upstream site is used the produce a secreted form of the heavy chain. Poly A site choice in the calcitonin pre-mRNA involves splicing factors at a pseudo splice site in an intron downstream of the active poly site that interacts with cleavage factors for most tissues. The molecular basis for choice of the alternate site in neuronal tissue is unknown. Proteins needed for mRNA 3' end formation also participate in other RNA-processing reactions: cleavage factors bind to the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase during transcription; splicing of 3' terminal exons is stimulated port of by cleavage factors that bind to splicing factors at 3' splice sites. nuclear ex mRNAs is linked to cleavage factors and requires the poly A II-binding protein. Most striking is the long-sought evidence for a role for poly A in translation in yeast where it provides the surface on which the poly A-binding protein assembles the factors needed for the initiation of translation. This adaptability of eukaryotic cells to use a sequence of low information content extends to bacteria where poly A serves as a site for assembly of an mRNA degradation complex in E. coli. Vaccinia virus creates mRNA poly A tails by a streamlined mechanism independent of cleavage that requires only two proteins that recognize unique poly A signals. Thus, in spite of 40 years of study of poly A sequences, this growing multiplicity of uses and even mechanisms of formation seem destined to continue.

Nuclei of adenovirus 2-infected cells contain an RNA species that corresponds to an intron excised intact from mRNA precursors

We used Northern and S1 nuclease analyses to identify a nuclear RNA species of the structure predicted for an intron excised from the precursor of adenovirus 2 E2A early mRNA. The structure of this excised intron demonstrated that the splicing of E2A mRNA can involve the removal of the intron sequences as single intact molecules. The concentration of the excised intron is 30 copies per nuclei, comparable to the levels of E2A polyadenylated splicing precursors, but 30-fold less than nuclear E2A mRNA. Late in infection, when the production of E2A early mRNA is dramatically elevated (Goldenberg et al., J. Virol. 38:932-939, 1981), the excess intron was not detected, indicating that either its stability or the mechanism of splicing is altered. We also identified a spliced nonpolyadenylated E2A nuclear RNA species with a structure similar to the mRNA, indicating that splicing may normally occur in the absence of polyadenylation.

Nuclei of adenovirus 2-infected cells contain an RNA species that corresponds to an intron excised intact from mRNA precursors

We used Northern and S1 nuclease analyses to identify a nuclear RNA species of the structure predicted for an intron excised from the precursor of adenovirus 2 E2A early mRNA. The structure of this excised intron demonstrated that the splicing of E2A mRNA can involve the removal of the intron sequences as single intact molecules. The concentration of the excised intron is 30 copies per nuclei, comparable to the levels of E2A polyadenylated splicing precursors, but 30-fold less than nuclear E2A mRNA. Late in infection, when the production of E2A early mRNA is dramatically elevated (Goldenberg et al., J. Virol. 38:932-939, 1981), the excess intron was not detected, indicating that either its stability or the mechanism of splicing is altered. We also identified a spliced nonpolyadenylated E2A nuclear RNA species with a structure similar to the mRNA, indicating that splicing may normally occur in the absence of polyadenylation.

Effect of adenovirus infection on expression of human histone genes

The influence of adenovirus type 2 infection of HeLa cells upon expression of human histone genes was examined as a function of the period of infection. Histone RNA synthesis was assayed after run-off transcription in nuclei isolated from mock-infected cells and after various periods of adenovirus infection. Histone protein synthesis was measured by [3H]leucine labeling of intact cells and fluorography of electrophoretically fractionated nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. The cellular representation of RNA species complementary to more than 13 different human histone genes was determined by RNA blot analysis of total cellular, nuclear or cytoplasmic RNA by using a series of 32P-labeled cloned human histone genes as hybridization probes and also by analysis of 3H-labeled histone mRNA species synthesized in intact cells. By 18 h after infection, HeLa cell DNA synthesis and all parameters of histone gene expression, including transcription and the nuclear and cytoplasmic concentrations of core and H1 mRNA species, were reduced to less than 5 to 10% of the control values. By contrast, transcription and processing of other cellular mRNA sequences have been shown to continue throughout this period of infection. The early period of adenovirus infection was marked by an inhibition of transcription of histone genes that accompanied the reduction in rate of HeLa cell DNA synthesis. These results suggest that the adenovirus-induced inhibition of histone gene expression is mediated in part at the transcriptional level. However, the persistence of histone mRNA species at concentrations comparable to those of mock-infected control cells during the early phase of the infection, despite a reduction in histone gene transcription and histone protein synthesis, implies that histone gene expression is also regulated post-transcriptionally in adenovirus-infected cells. These results suggest that the tight coupling between histone mRNA concentrations and the rate of cellular DNA synthesis, observed when DNA replication is inhibited by a variety of drugs, is not maintained after adenovirus infection.

Splicing in adenovirus and other animal viruses

Splicing provides viruses with great genetic versatility. It is still too early to say whether this versatility is derived from ingeneous mechanisms evolved by necessity by the viruses, or whether the viruses indeed mimic cellular mechanisms. In any event, it is unlikely that cells will provide a single genomic cluster of genes that utilize splicing in such diverse ways as adenovirus, or the other viruses discussed here. And we may speculate that when the full role of splicing in adenovirus gene expression program is known, its import will continue to be a source of amazement!

Effect of adenovirus infection on expression of human histone genes

The influence of adenovirus type 2 infection of HeLa cells upon expression of human histone genes was examined as a function of the period of infection. Histone RNA synthesis was assayed after run-off transcription in nuclei isolated from mock-infected cells and after various periods of adenovirus infection. Histone protein synthesis was measured by [3H]leucine labeling of intact cells and fluorography of electrophoretically fractionated nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. The cellular representation of RNA species complementary to more than 13 different human histone genes was determined by RNA blot analysis of total cellular, nuclear or cytoplasmic RNA by using a series of 32P-labeled cloned human histone genes as hybridization probes and also by analysis of 3H-labeled histone mRNA species synthesized in intact cells. By 18 h after infection, HeLa cell DNA synthesis and all parameters of histone gene expression, including transcription and the nuclear and cytoplasmic concentrations of core and H1 mRNA species, were reduced to less than 5 to 10% of the control values. By contrast, transcription and processing of other cellular mRNA sequences have been shown to continue throughout this period of infection. The early period of adenovirus infection was marked by an inhibition of transcription of histone genes that accompanied the reduction in rate of HeLa cell DNA synthesis. These results suggest that the adenovirus-induced inhibition of histone gene expression is mediated in part at the transcriptional level. However, the persistence of histone mRNA species at concentrations comparable to those of mock-infected control cells during the early phase of the infection, despite a reduction in histone gene transcription and histone protein synthesis, implies that histone gene expression is also regulated post-transcriptionally in adenovirus-infected cells. These results suggest that the tight coupling between histone mRNA concentrations and the rate of cellular DNA synthesis, observed when DNA replication is inhibited by a variety of drugs, is not maintained after adenovirus infection.

Splice junctions in adenovirus 2 early region 4 mRNAs: multiple splice sites produce 18 to 24 RNAs

We localized the splice junctions in adenovirus 2 early region 4 (E4) mRNAs. Processing of the E4 precursor RNA positioned the donor splice site of the 5' leader sequence adjacent to acceptor sites near the 5' ends of five of the six open reading regions in the E4 transcription unit. Of particular interest among the E4 mRNAs is an extensively spliced class which includes multiple species with sizes ranging from 1.1 to 0.75 kilobases (kb). Purified 1.1- to 0.75-kb mRNAs specified at least 10 polypeptides in vitro. We detected eight acceptor and two donor splice sites utilized in the deletion of the intron from the 3' portion of these mRNAs. E4 RNAs were isolated from the cytoplasm of infected cells at 5, 9, 12, and 18 h after infection. The E4 mRNAs were present throughout infection, but different members of the 1.1- to 0.7-kb class were predominant at each time assayed. Alternate splicing of the 3.0-kb E4 precursor RNA can generate as many as 25 mRNAs that encode at least 16 polypeptides.

Accurate and specific polyadenylation of mRNA precursors in a soluble whole-cell lysate

Conditions have been developed which allow for the efficient, accurate, and specific polyadenylation of exogenously added mRNA precursors in a whole-cell lysate derived from HeLa cells. Precursors are prepared by in vitro transcription using linear DNA templates in a HeLa whole-cell lysate, purified, and added to another lysate. Under optimal conditions (which are quite precise with respect to several variables), 70% or more of the precursor molecules become polyadenylated, and the length of the poly(A) segment added is controlled much as it is in vivo, giving rise to 150-300-nucleotide long stretches of poly(A). Under suboptimal conditions, both the fraction of precursor RNA that becomes polyadenylated and also the length of the poly(A) segment added are reduced. The in vitro polyadenylation reaction is also remarkably specific: Only in vitro-synthesized pre-mRNAs that contain a 3' end located at or slightly downstream from the corresponding in vivo mRNA 3' end site can be efficiently polyadenylated in vitro. These results suggest that the poly(A) polymerase requires one or more protein (or RNA) factors in order to bring about accurate and specific polyadenylation in vitro, and that the poly(A) polymerase complex must interact with a specific recognition signal at the 3' end of mRNA precursors in order to catalyze subsequent polyadenylation.

Human beta-globin pre-mRNA synthesized in vitro is accurately spliced in Xenopus oocyte nuclei

To study the mechanisms of RNA splicing we have synthesized beta-globin mRNA precursors by in vitro transcription using a plasmid in which a human beta-globin gene is fused to an efficient bacteriophage promoter. The structural requirements for accurate splicing of the in vitro synthesized pre-mRNAs were investigated by injection into Xenopus oocyte nuclei. We detect splicing only if the pre-mRNA is capped in vitro prior to injection; uncapped RNA is rapidly degraded. In addition, we find that in vitro synthesized pre-mRNAs that are not polyadenylated or lack a normal 3' end are spliced following injection into oocytes. The observation that a purified pre-mRNA can be spliced in oocytes indicates that transcription and splicing are not obligatorily coupled. When an in vitro synthesized beta-globin pre-mRNA containing a splice junction mutation is microinjected, the affected junction is not spliced, indicating that sequences necessary for accurate splicing in human cells are also necessary for splicing in oocytes.

Expression of adenovirus-2 early region 4: assignment of the early region 4 polypeptides to their respective mRNAs, using in vitro translation

Adenovirus-2 early region 4 (E4; map positions 91.3 to 99.1) encodes six 5' and 3' coterminal, differently spliced mRNAs, which are 2.5, 2.1, 1.8, 1.5, 1.2, and 0.8 kilobases (kb) long. Hybridization selection with five cloned viral DNA fragments that hybridize with subsets of E4 mRNAs was used to purify these six mRNAs and a previously unreported 3.0-kb mRNA from virus-infected cells. E4 mRNAs which were purified by hybridization selection with cloned EcoRI fragment C (map positions 89.7 to 100) were also fractionated by size. The purified mRNAs were then translated in rabbit reticulocyte or wheat germ lysate systems. The full complement of E4 mRNAs specified as many as 16 different polypeptides, with molecular weights ranging from 24,000 (24K) to 10K. The most abundant E4 mRNA, which was 2.1 kb long, specified an 11K polypeptide. The 1.5-kb mRNA, which differed from the 2.1-kb mRNA only by deletion of a second intron from the 3' untranslated region, also specified an 11K polypeptide. The second most abundant mRNA, which was 1.8 kb long, and the 1.2-kb mRNA, which had an intron deleted from the 3' untranslated region, specified a 15K polypeptide. This polypeptide was labeled more intensely with [5,6-(3)H]leucine than with [35S]methionine. The 3.0- and 2.5-kb mRNAs specified four polypeptides (24K, 22K, 19K, and 17K). Translation of E4 mRNAs with a mean size of 0.8 kb, which accumulated preferentially in the presence of cycloheximide, yielded at least 10 polypeptides that migrated in polyacrylamide gels with apparent molecular weights ranging from 21,800 to 10,000. On the basis of translation in wheat germ lysates and the distribution of polypeptides encoded by size-fractionated mRNAs, we concluded that the 0.8-kb mRNA size class includes a heterogeneous mixture of mRNAs which are probably formed as the result of utilization of alternate splice acceptor and donor sites during removal of the second intron. Our polypeptide assignments for the 2.1-, 1.8-, 1.5-, and 1.2-kb mRNAs are compatible with locations of two open coding regions in the DNA sequence (Herisse et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 9:4023-4042, 1981). The relationship between the four polypeptides encoded by the 3.0- and 2.5-kb mRNAs and the two open coding regions is discussed. The production of multiple polypeptides from a heterogenous mixture of mRNAs in the 0.8-kb size class is compatible with two large open coding regions in that part of the sequence. Thus, nearly all of the potential coding information in the leftward strand of E4 is expressed in translatable form during infection. Moreover, alternate splicing of the 0.8-kb mRNA size class can produce multiple polypeptides with common amino-terminal and different carboxy-terminal amino acid sequences, which may have the same function but different specificities.

Deletion of the nontransforming Epstein-Barr virus strain P3HR-1 causes fusion of the large internal repeat to the DSL region

The nontransforming Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) strain P3HR-1 is known to have a deletion of sequences of the long unique region adjacent to the large internal repeats. The deleted region is believed to be required for initiation of transformation. To establish a more detailed map of the deletion in P3HR-1 virus, SalI-A of the transforming strain M-ABA and of P3HR-1 virus was cloned into the cosmid vector pHC79 and multiplied in Escherichia coli. The cleavage sites for BamHI, BglII, EcoRI, PstI, SacI, SacII, and XhoI were determined in the recombinant plasmid clones. Analysis of the boundary between large internal repeats and the long unique region showed that in M-ABA (EBV) the transition is different from that in B95-8 virus. The map established for SalI-A of P3HR-1 virus revealed that, in contrast to previous reports, the deletion has a size of 6.5 kilobase pairs. It involves the junction between large internal repeats and the long unique region and includes more than half of the rightmost large internal repeat. The site of the deletion in the long unique region is located between a SacI and a SacII site, about 200 base pairs apart from each other. The sequences neighboring the deletion in the long unique region showed homology to the nonrepeated sequences of the DS(R) (duplicated sequence, right) region. Sequences of the large internal repeat are thus fused to sequences of the DS(L) (duplicated sequence, left) region in P3HR-1 virus DNA under elimination of the DS(L) repeats. Jijoye, the parental Burkitt lymphoma cell line from which the P3HR-1 line is derived by single-cell cloning, is known to produce a transforming virus. Analysis of the Jijoye (EBV) genome with cloned M-ABA (EBV) probes specific for the sequences missing in P3HR-1 virus revealed that the sequences of M-ABA (EBV) BamHI-H2 are not represented in Jijoye (EBV). In Jijoye (EBV) the complete DS(L) region including the DS(L) repeats is, however, conserved. Further analysis of Jijoye (EBV) and of Jijoye virustransformed cell lines will be helpful to narrow down the region required for transformation.

Assembly of nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles during in vitro transcription

The assembly of heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA) into ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles has been investigated during in vitro transcription in isolated nuclei. Approximately 80% of the in vitro transcription observed in mouse Friend erythroleukemia cell nuclei is attributable to the activity of RNA polymerase II. In vitro hnRNA transcripts are assembled into particles having the same properties as the nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) particles in which hnRNA is found in vivo. Direct contact of hnRNP proteins with newly transcribed hnRNA was demonstrated by nuclease protection experiments and by the covalent transfer of 32P-labeled nucleotides from [alpha-32P]UTP-labeled hnRNA transcripts to specific proteins by RNA--protein crosslinking followed by nuclease digestion and electrophoresis of the nucleotide-bearing proteins. The availability of an in vitro system for hnRNP assembly opens a new route for investigating the functional relationship between nuclear structure and mRNA processing.

RNA metabolism in isolated nuclei: processing and transport of immunoglobulin light chain sequences

Transport of prelabeled RNA from isolated myeloma nuclei is studied using conditions that permit RNA synthesis. Cytosol and spermidine are not required to maintain nuclear stability and inhibited RNA release. Omission of ATP or GTP decreased release 25 to 40%. The stimulatory effect of ATP or GTP is not due to hydrolysis of the triphosphates by the nuclear envelope NTPase, since addition of quercetin (an inhibitor of this NTPase) has no effect on the quantity of RNA released. The size distribution and percentage of poly A-containing species released from nuclei incubated with or without ATP or the other rNTPs are identical. Hybridization analysis of nuclear RNA before the transport assay revealed mature and precursor k light chain mRNA sequences. Following the transport assay, a significant fraction of k mRNA precursors is chased into mature k mRNA which is found both in nuclear-retained and released RNA.

Transcription and processing of adenoviral RNA by extracts from HeLa cells

Concentrated extracts from HeLa cells prepared by the procedure of Sugden and Keller [Sugden, B. & Keller, W. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 3777-3788] can synthesize RNA molecules of discrete lengths in the presence of DNA templates carrying complete viral transcription units. Accurate initiation of transcription was shown to occur at the "major late" promoter and at the promoter for the "early region III" transcription unit of the adenovirus 2 genome. A cloned fragment of adenovirus 2 DNA containing the early region III transcription unit directs the synthesis of discrete RNA species, many of which correspond in length to spliced early region III mRNAs isolated from adenovirus 2-infected HeLa cells. As shown by hybridization/nuclease S2 analysis, RNA splicing and the formation of specific 3' ends are also taking place in vitro.

A small nuclear ribonucleoprotein is required for splicing of adenoviral early RNA sequences

The size and structure of viral RNA species synthesized in nuclei isolated during the early phase of productive infection by adenovirus type 2 have been examined by electrophoresis in denaturing polyacrylamide cells and the nuclease S1 assay. The major products of transcription in vitro of early regions 1 and 2 in the adenoviral genome are processed RNA molecules that appear to be correctly spliced in isolated nuclei. Splicing of adenoviral RNA molecules is inhibited when nuclei are preincubated with antibodies from systemic lupus erythematosus patients that immunoprecipitate small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles. The specificity of these antibodies suggests that ribonucleoprotein particles containing U1 RNA are required for splicing of the adenoviral RNA sequences we have examined.

Could poly(A) align the splicing sites of messenger RNA precursors?

In general, poly(A)-mRNA appears to be derived from larger nuclear RNA precursors. The maturation of these precursors involves excision of sequences of variable length from within the molecule and splicing of the remaining structural and coding sequences. The mechanism by which this process occurs is not known. It does not appear to operate solely through the recognition of a defined primary sequence or through the formation of a consistent secondary structure. We propose an alternative model in which poly(A) facilitates the splicing event by promoting the formation of triple-stranded structures within the mRNA precursor.