Ability of nonpermissive mouse cells to express a simian virus 40 late function(s)

Intranuclear distribution of SV40 large T-antigen and transformation-related protein p53 in abortively infected cells

The intranuclear localization of SV40 T-antigen (T-Ag) and the cellular protein p53 was studied in SV40 abortively infected baby mouse kidney cells using two complementary methods of ultrastructural immunocytochemistry in combination with preferential staining of nuclear RNP components and electron microscope autoradiography. Both proteins were revealed in association with peri- and interchromatin RNP fibrils containing the newly synthesized hnRNA. In addition, T-Ag and p53 remained bound, at least in part, to the residual internal nuclear matrix following nuclease and salt extractions of infected cells. The localization of T-Ag was different in SV40 lytically infected monkey kidney cells since, in addition to hnRNP fibrils, the viral protein was also associated with cellular chromatin. However, when lytic infection was performed in conditions of blocked viral DNA replication, T-Ag was no longer associated with the cellular chromatin but remained bound to the hnRNP fibrils. We conclude that the transforming and lytic functions of T-Ag can be distinguished by different subnuclear distributions. The significance of the association of T-Ag and p53 with hnRNP fibrils and the internal nuclear matrix is discussed in relation to the role of these structures in the control of cellular mRNA biogenesis.

The sequence motifs that are involved in SV40 enhancer function also control SV40 late promoter activity

The simian virus 40 (SV40) enhancer element is constituted of two domains which contain sequences important for late transcription (M. Ernoult-Lange, F. Omilli, D. O'Reilly and E. May, J. Virol. 61, 167-176, 1987). By analysing a series of clustered point mutations generated throughout the enhancer region we mapped domain I from nt 232 to 272 and domain II from nt 184 to 216. These two domains which are required for late promoter activity both in the presence and in the absence of T antigen correspond closely to the domains B and A respectively, identified for enhancer function (M. Zenke, T. Grundström, H. Matthes, M. Wintzerith, C. Schatz, A. Wildeman and P. Chambon, EMBO J., 5, 387-397, 1986). Similarly to the enhancer function the late promoter elements defined by these two domains contain multiple sequence motifs. Moreover there is a striking overlap between the sequence motifs within domain A, active for early enhancer function and those within domain II involved in efficient late transcription.

Characterization of the simian virus 40 late promoter: relative importance of sequences within the 72-base-pair repeats differs before and after viral DNA replication

We examined sequences involved in the simian virus 40 (SV40) late promoter in vivo, by using quantitative S1 nuclease analysis of a series of deletion mutants within the SV40 regulatory region. These mutants were constructed so as to place the altered promoter region in its normal position relative to the SV40 late genes. The effects of the deletions on late transcriptional activity were analyzed before and after viral DNA replication, by omitting or including SV40 large T antigen. The data show that (i) in the absence of large T antigen, the deletion of the 21-base-pair (bp) repeats results in a fourfold increase in late transcription, and (ii) the sequences within the 72-bp repeats are a component of the SV40 late promoter, acting not only before, but also after viral DNA replication. We identified two domains which contain sequences important for efficient late transcription. Domain I, at the late proximal end of each 72-bp repeat, was found to function before replication and was possibly also involved after replication. The contribution of domain II, at the late distal end of each 72-bp repeat, was much more significant after replication but only of minor importance before replication.

Sequences involved in initiation of simian virus 40 late transcription in the absence of T antigen

We analyzed the sequences involved in vivo in the initiation of simian virus 40 (SV40) late transcription occurring in the absence of both SV40 origin sequences and T antigen. The constituent elements of the SV40 late promoters have already been the subject of extensive studies. In vitro studies have resulted in the description of two putative domains of the late promoters. The first domain consists of an 11-base-pair (bp) sequence, 5'-GGTACCTAACC-3', located 25 nucleotides (nt) upstream of the SV40 major late initiation site (MLIS) (J. Brady, M. Radonovich, M. Vodkin, V. Natarajan, M. Thoren, G. Das, J. Janik, and N. P. Salzman, Cell 31:624-633, 1982). The second domain is located within the G-C-rich region (J. Brady, M. Radonovich, M. Thoren, G. Das, and N. P. Salzman, Mol. Cell. Biol. 4:133-141; U. Hansen and P. A. Sharp, EMBO J. 2:2293-2303). Our previous in vivo studies permitted us to define a domain of the late promoter which extends from nt 332 to nt 113 and includes the 72-bp enhancer sequences. Here, by using transfection of the appropriate chimeric plasmids into HeLa cells in conjunction with quantitative S1 nuclease analysis, we analyzed in more detail the sequences required for the control of SV40 late-gene expression occurring before the onset of viral DNA replication. We showed that the major late promoter element is in fact the 72-bp repeat enhancer element. This element was able to drive efficient late transcription in the absence of T antigen. Under our experimental conditions, removal of the G-C-rich region (21-bp repeats) entailed a significant increase in the level of late-gene expression. Moreover, translocation of this element closer to the MLIS (53 nt upstream of the MLIS) enhanced the level of transcripts initiated at natural late initiation sites. Our results suggest that the G-C-rich regions have to be positioned between the enhancer element and the initiation sites to stimulate transcription from downstream sites. Thus, the relative arrangement of the various promoter elements is a critical factor contributing to the situation in which the early promoter is stronger than late promoters before viral DNA replication.

Activity of simian virus 40 late promoter elements in the absence of large T antigen: evidence for repression of late gene expression

We used chloramphenicol acetyltransferase transient expression to examine the activity of the promoter elements of the simian virus 40 late promoter in the absence of large T antigen. Since the experiments were done in permissive CV-1 cells, these conditions mimic the state which exists early in the viral lytic cycle before the onset of replication and T-antigen-mediated trans activation. Our data, using deletion analysis, indicate that removal of the 21-base-pair (bp) repeat region causes as much as a 10-fold increase in activity of the late promoter elements. This result suggests that the 21-bp repeat sequences may be involved in repression of the late promoter elements during the early phase of the lytic infection. This is supported by competition analysis which indicates that increasing amounts of competitor containing only the 21-bp repeat region results in increased activity of the intact promoter. A model for the activity of the late promoter through the course of lytic infection is presented.

Sequences involved in initiation of simian virus 40 late transcription in the absence of T antigen

We analyzed the sequences involved in vivo in the initiation of simian virus 40 (SV40) late transcription occurring in the absence of both SV40 origin sequences and T antigen. The constituent elements of the SV40 late promoters have already been the subject of extensive studies. In vitro studies have resulted in the description of two putative domains of the late promoters. The first domain consists of an 11-base-pair (bp) sequence, 5'-GGTACCTAACC-3', located 25 nucleotides (nt) upstream of the SV40 major late initiation site (MLIS) (J. Brady, M. Radonovich, M. Vodkin, V. Natarajan, M. Thoren, G. Das, J. Janik, and N. P. Salzman, Cell 31:624-633, 1982). The second domain is located within the G-C-rich region (J. Brady, M. Radonovich, M. Thoren, G. Das, and N. P. Salzman, Mol. Cell. Biol. 4:133-141; U. Hansen and P. A. Sharp, EMBO J. 2:2293-2303). Our previous in vivo studies permitted us to define a domain of the late promoter which extends from nt 332 to nt 113 and includes the 72-bp enhancer sequences. Here, by using transfection of the appropriate chimeric plasmids into HeLa cells in conjunction with quantitative S1 nuclease analysis, we analyzed in more detail the sequences required for the control of SV40 late-gene expression occurring before the onset of viral DNA replication. We showed that the major late promoter element is in fact the 72-bp repeat enhancer element. This element was able to drive efficient late transcription in the absence of T antigen. Under our experimental conditions, removal of the G-C-rich region (21-bp repeats) entailed a significant increase in the level of late-gene expression. Moreover, translocation of this element closer to the MLIS (53 nt upstream of the MLIS) enhanced the level of transcripts initiated at natural late initiation sites. Our results suggest that the G-C-rich regions have to be positioned between the enhancer element and the initiation sites to stimulate transcription from downstream sites. Thus, the relative arrangement of the various promoter elements is a critical factor contributing to the situation in which the early promoter is stronger than late promoters before viral DNA replication.

Expression of the late gene of simian virus 40 under the control of the simian virus 40 early-region promoter in monkey and mouse cells

We constructed a recombinant plasmid (pVNR4) with the simian virus 40 (SV40) early promoter positioned 30 nucleotides upstream from the major SV40 late transcription initiation site at residue 325. After transfection of the recombinant plasmid DNA into COS and mouse L cells, the transcripts of the SV40 late region were analyzed by S1 nuclease and primer extension analysis. The following are the principal findings. (i) The 16S and 19S late RNAs used the characteristic wild-type splice; no detectable levels of 19S unspliced RNA were observed. (ii) The majority of the late RNAs were heterogeneous and initiated in the early region (upstream and downstream from the Hogness-Goldberg sequence), and a minor population initiated at residue 325, the principal 5' terminus of the wild-type late RNA. (iii) During SV40 lytic infection there was a shift in initiation sites used to transcribe the early region from sites that are downstream to sites which are upstream (up RNA) of the origin of DNA replication. We observed that unlike lytic infection, T antigen and viral DNA replication were not needed for the appearance of up RNA in mouse L cells. (iv) In mouse L cells late RNAs were made, and the residue 325 5' end was utilized in the absence of T antigen or DNA replication. (v) In COS cells we found down RNA and up RNA transcribed from the extrachromosomally replicating plasmid but only down RNA produced by the integrated SV40 genome.

P53-transformation-related protein: kinetics of synthesis and accumulation in SV40-infected primary mouse kidney cell cultures

During abortive infection of Go/G1-arrested primary baby mouse kidney (BMK) cell cultures with simian virus 40 (SV40), expression of the viral large T antigen is followed by a mitotic host response including the stimulation of host macromolecular synthesis and induction into the cell cycle of Go/G1-arrested cells. We performed an extensive study of the sequential events taking place after SV40 infection of confluent BMK cell cultures. This study comprised a detailed kinetic analysis of transcription, synthesis, and accumulation of p53, in conjunction with the time course of large T antigen synthesis and SV40-induced cellular DNA replication. The monoclonal antibodies used for specifically recognizing mouse p53 were PAb 421, PAb 122, PAb 246, PAb 248, and RA3-2C2. Our results consistently show that under our experimental conditions, the stimulation of p53 synthesis and the accumulation of p53 occur well after the onset of T antigen-induced cellular DNA replication. This relatively late activation of p53 expression appears to be controlled at a level other than transcription. In conclusion, we suggest that, at least in certain cases, T antigen's mitogenic potential is not dependent on its interaction with p53.

Interaction between two transcriptional control sequences required for tumor-antigen-mediated simian virus 40 late gene expression

Transcriptional control signals required for tumor (T)-antigen trans-activation of the simian virus 40 (SV40) late promoter include T-antigen binding sites I and II and the SV40 72-base-pair (bp) repeats. We have used in vivo competition studies to examine how these signals function in relationship to one another. In vivo competition with recombinant plasmids containing the entire SV40 late regulatory region and promoter sequences [map position (mp) 5171-272] results in quantitative removal of limiting trans-acting factor(s) required for late gene expression in COS-1 cells. Deletion of either the T-antigen binding sites (mp 5171-5243) or the 72-bp tandem repeat (mp 128-272) from the competitor plasmid results in markedly less efficient binding of the trans-acting factor, as judged by the loss of competition. Cotransfection of two separate plasmids, one containing the T-antigen binding sites I and II and the other containing the 72-bp repeats, fails to compete for the trans-acting factors. Insertion of increasing lengths of DNA sequences between the T-antigen binding sites and the enhancer sequences also dramatically reduces the efficiency of competition. These results suggest that efficient binding of trans-acting factors requires the presence, in cis, of at least two SV40 regulatory domains. Our studies further suggest that the distance separating these two transcriptional signals is important.

Transcription from the polyoma late promoter in cells stably transformed by chimeric plasmids

We have examined the expression of chimeric plasmids containing coding sequences for the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (tk) gene or the Tn5 gene for neomycin resistance (neo) linked to the late promoter of polyoma DNA. Although polyoma late genes are generally not expressed in transformed cells containing only integrated viral DNA molecules, rat tk- or wild-type cells transfected with the tk- or neo-containing plasmids were capable of growing in medium containing either hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine or G418, respectively, under conditions nonpermissive for extrachromosomal DNA replication, indicating that the tk or neo genes were fully expressed. Moreover, cells were capable of growth in either hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine or G418, even in the absence of direct selection for this activity. Northern analysis indicated steady-state levels of tk or neo transcripts that approximated the levels of polyoma early transcripts. S1 analysis showed that these transcripts initiated within the late promoter of polyoma and that their 5' ends mapped at positions similar or identical to those utilized during late lytic infection. The effect of substitution of polyadenylation signals was examined. Although plasmids containing the polyoma early polyadenylation signal were more efficient in conferring to cells a stable G418-resistant phenotype than similar constructions using the late signal, both signals were found to be effectively utilized. This indicates that the inability to detect late transcripts in polyoma-transformed cells in the absence of free viral DNA production is not an effect of inefficient mRNA cleavage or polyadenylation. Our results suggest that late gene expression in integrated polyoma genomes is not regulated at the level of message initiation but, most likely, through posttranscriptional events.

Transcription from the polyoma late promoter in cells stably transformed by chimeric plasmids

We have examined the expression of chimeric plasmids containing coding sequences for the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (tk) gene or the Tn5 gene for neomycin resistance (neo) linked to the late promoter of polyoma DNA. Although polyoma late genes are generally not expressed in transformed cells containing only integrated viral DNA molecules, rat tk- or wild-type cells transfected with the tk- or neo-containing plasmids were capable of growing in medium containing either hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine or G418, respectively, under conditions nonpermissive for extrachromosomal DNA replication, indicating that the tk or neo genes were fully expressed. Moreover, cells were capable of growth in either hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine or G418, even in the absence of direct selection for this activity. Northern analysis indicated steady-state levels of tk or neo transcripts that approximated the levels of polyoma early transcripts. S1 analysis showed that these transcripts initiated within the late promoter of polyoma and that their 5' ends mapped at positions similar or identical to those utilized during late lytic infection. The effect of substitution of polyadenylation signals was examined. Although plasmids containing the polyoma early polyadenylation signal were more efficient in conferring to cells a stable G418-resistant phenotype than similar constructions using the late signal, both signals were found to be effectively utilized. This indicates that the inability to detect late transcripts in polyoma-transformed cells in the absence of free viral DNA production is not an effect of inefficient mRNA cleavage or polyadenylation. Our results suggest that late gene expression in integrated polyoma genomes is not regulated at the level of message initiation but, most likely, through posttranscriptional events.

Stimulation of simian virus 40 late gene expression by simian virus 40 tumor antigen

The early simian virus 40 (SV40) gene product, large tumor (T) antigen, is responsible for the initiation of viral DNA replication and the autoregulation of early gene expression through direct protein-DNA interactions. We investigated the role of T antigen in late viral gene expression, independent of its function in amplifying templates through DNA replication. SV40 DNA was transfected into BSC-1 and COS-1 cells and cultured in the presence of inhibitors of DNA replication. Electrophoretic immunoblot analysis indicated that both the onset and the extent of SV40 late gene expression is increased in COS-1 cells, which constitutively express SV40 T antigen. Blot hybridization analysis of poly(A)-selected RNA demonstrated that the level of synthesis of the major late structural protein VP-1 in COS-1 cells was due to increased transcription. Similar results were obtained when plasmids that contain the SV40 late gene but lack both the origin for viral DNA replication and the early gene coding region were transfected onto COS-1 cells. Using lines of SV40-transformed monkey kidney cells that express altered T antigens, we found that enhanced expression of the late gene product is correlated with the ability of T antigen to bind SV40 DNA. These results indicate that large T antigen plays a role in the stimulation of late viral gene expression.

Simian virus 40 late promoter region able to initiate simian virus 40 early gene transcription in the absence of the simian virus 40 origin sequence

To improve our knowledge of the simian virus 40 (SV40) late promoter control region, we took advantage of the fact that T antigen can be expressed with a heterologous promoter. We constructed three chimeric plasmids (pEMP-273, pEMP-LCAP-162, and pEMP-LCAP-113) each with a putative late promoter sequence positioned immediately upstream from the SV40 early gene coding region but in an orientation opposite to its natural orientation in the SV40 genome. After transfection of the recombinant DNA into HeLa or CV1 cells, T antigen accumulation, as scored by indirect immunofluorescence, was used as a functional test for promoter activity. We found that the sequence mapping from nucleotides 332 to 273 is not sufficient for promoting transcription of SV40 early gene but does potentiate the promoter activity of the 72-base-pair repeats in initiating the transcription at natural late cap sites. Considering that both plasmids pEMP-LCAP-162 and pEMP-LCAP-113 lack all of the sequence of the SV40 replication origin, we conclude that SV40 transcription can be mediated through a putative late promoter in the absence of the sequence for the SV40 replication origin.

Activation of the SV40 late promoter: direct effects of T antigen in the absence of viral DNA replication

We have examined the activation of the SV40 late promoter by inserting the late promoter and the viral origin of replication into chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) transient expression vectors. Very little late promoter activity was detected in CV-1 cells, compared with high activity in COS cells, in which replication occurs due to endogenous T antigen. Nonreplicative counterparts of these plasmids, containing a mutated origin of replication, produced significantly more late promoter activity in COS cells than any of the plasmids in CV-1 cells. When plasmids were cotransfected into CV-1 cells with a plasmid that supplies T antigen, the nonreplicative plasmid displayed 30% of the activity of the replicative plasmid. Using mutant T antigens unable to replicate viral DNA, late promoter activation occurred only with mutant T antigens that retain DNA binding activity. These results demonstrate that T antigen can substantially stimulate late promoter activity directly and independent of viral DNA replication.

The gene S promoter of hepatitis B virus confers constitutive gene expression

The properties of the promoter of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were studied using recombinants containing either this promoter or the SV40 early promoter. Mouse L cells were transfected with these recombinants and the levels of gene expression obtained with the two promoters were compared. The level of expression of a cellular gene, the human fibroblast interferon gene, obtained with the HBsAg promoter was comparable to that obtained with the SV40 early promoter. Similarly when the HBsAg gene was controlled by the SV40 early promoter the level of HBsAg synthesis is in the same range as that observed with its own promoter. Together these results suggest that although the HBsAg gene codes for a structural viral protein, its expression is constitutive as for an early gene. The implications of these observations on the synthesis of HBV particles in vivo are discussed.

Characterization of a T-antigen-negative revertant isolated from a mouse cell line which undergoes rearrangement of integrated simian virus 40 DNA

A transformation revertant has been isolated from an unusual line of simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed BALB/c-3T3 cells in which rearrangements of integrated viral sequences are common. The revertant produces no SV40 T antigens, yields no virus on fusion with permissive cells, and can be retransformed by SV40 virions. SV40 DNA sequences are present within the cellular DNA, but interruption of the viral early transcription region by deletion and recombination with cellular sequences precludes the synthesis of T antigens. Analysis of this revertant lends further support to the notion that large T antigen plays an essential role in the maintenance of transformation in SV40-transformed BALB/c-3T3 cells. Examination of integration of SV40 DNA in this revertant, as well as in a temperature-sensitive A transformant, after retransformation by SV40 confirms that sequence homology plays little role in the insertion of SV40 DNA into cellular chromosomes.

Evidence of transcription from the late region of the integrated simian virus 40 genome in transformed cells: location of the 5' ends of late transcripts in cells abortively infected and in cells transformed by simian virus 40

By means of S1 mapping, we observed that spliced 16S and 19S viral late mRNAs--in addition to early mRNAs--were present in cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA preparations from simian virus 40-transformed cell lines of rat or mouse origin containing no detectable amount of free viral DNA. The amounts of early and late virus-specific mRNAs in these lines were quantified by hybridization of radioactive cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA with cloned region-specific restriction fragments. The relative amount of late viral mRNA produced in these transformed cells was found to be of the same order as that produced in simian virus 40-infected, nonpermissive baby mouse kidney cells. Moreover, by using the S1 nuclease protection method, we compared the 5' ends of late mRNAs produced (i) in transformed cells, (ii) in abortively infected mouse cells, and (iii) in the late phase of the lytic cycle. The 5' ends of late mRNAs both in abortively infected and in transformed cells were less heterogeneous than the 5' ends of late mRNAs produced during the lytic cycle; however, they were a subset of the 5' ends of late transcripts produced in the lytic cycle.

Hybrid selection of small RNAs by using simian virus 40 DNA: evidence that the simian virus 40-associated small RNA is synthesized by specific cleavage from large viral transcripts

The simian virus 40 (SV40)-associated small RNA (SAS-RNA), approximately 64 nucleotides, is virally encoded within a region of the viral late (+) DNA strand which encodes no known protein. The SAS-RNA arises in abundance late in SV40 lytic infection. Previous data indicate that the synthesis of the SAS-RNA may be under the control of the normal late viral promoter; i.e., inhibition of transcription from the late promoter results in cessation of SAS-RNA synthesis. The synthesis of SAS-RNA was examined to determine whether the SAS-RNA is the product of cleavage from noncoding regions of nuclear late transcripts or an independent transcription product like 5S RNA, or the adenovirus VA-RNAs. The data described below suggest that SAS-RNA is cleaved from large late transcripts. In vitro transcription of DNA fragments containing the SAS-RNA coding region yielded no SAS-RNA synthesis; this result was supported by DNA sequence analysis, which indicated no promoter-like regions either within or flanking the SAS-RNA coding region. In support of a cleavage mechanism, the SAS-RNA has a 3'-phosphate end, an occurrence which is indicative of nuclease cleavage. In addition, 5'-end labeling of the SAS-RNA was possible only after calf alkaline phosphatase treatment; this indicates that the SAS-RNA is not capped. Hybrid selection analysis was used to demonstrate that separation of the SAS-RNA coding region from the normal late promoter resulted in elimination of SAS-RNA synthesis. This was demonstrated in SV40-transformed cells in which integration of a single copy of SV40 breaks the continuity of the late coding region, so that the SAS-RNA coding region is physically separated from the normal late promoter. The lack of SAS-RNA synthesis indicates that the SAS-RNA coding region cannot function as a primary transcription unit. The same result and conclusion were obtained by using a permissive cell line transformed by SV40 (COS-1 cells); here it was found that the integrated SAS-RNA coding region was not expressed even during a viable lytic infection in which the SAS-RNA could be expressed from the infecting viral genomes. The simplest conclusion drawn from the data is that the SAS-RNA is cleaved from larger late transcripts which initiate at the normal late promoter. This conclusion suggests that many of the small RNAs found in normal eucaryotic cells may be synthesized by specific cleavage rather than by primary transcription. In the course of these studies several small cellular RNAs were detected, due to their specific hybrid selection, by using SV40 DNA. Primary mapping and characterization data of these RNAs are also presented.

Simian virus 40 mutant with transposed T-antigen and VP1 genes

A simian virus 40 mutant with the T-antigen gene transposed to the late region of the viral genome has been constructed. This transposed molecule directed the synthesis of a full-sized, 92,000-dalton large T antigen in both permissive and nonpermissive cells. This large T antigen functioned in the initiation of viral DNA replication and in the transformation of nonpermissive cells. T-antigen synthesis by this transposed genome had the characteristics of late transcription, thus indicating that functional large T antigen of simian virus 40 is not required for the initiation of late transcription.

Transforming genes and gene products of polyoma and SV40

The small DNA-containing viruses, SV40 and polyoma, transform cells in vitro and induce tumors in vivo. For both viruses two genes required for transformation have been found. The genes required for transformation are also involved in productive infection. Although the two viruses are similar in their effects on cells, the organization of the transforming genes and gene products is different. The purpose of this review is to compare what is known about the biology and the biochemistry of the early regions of the two viruses. The genetic and biochemical studies defining the sequences important for transformation will be reviewed. Then, the products of the transforming genes, called T antigens, will be discussed in detail. There is a substantial body of descriptive information on those products, and studies on the function of the T antigens have also begun.