scholarly journals Transcriptional Origin of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus MicroRNAs

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 2234-2242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuezhong Cai ◽  
Bryan R. Cullen

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encodes 11 distinct microRNAs, all of which are found clustered within the major latency-associated region of the KSHV genome in the same transcriptional orientation. Because the KSHV microRNAs are all expressed in latently infected cells and are largely unaffected by induction of lytic replication, it appeared probable that they would be processed out of KSHV transcripts that are derived from a latent promoter(s) present in this region. Here, we define three latent transcripts, derived from two distinct KSHV latent promoters, that function as both KSHV primary microRNA precursors and as kaposin pre-mRNAs. These activities require the readthrough of a leaky viral polyadenylation signal located at nucleotide 122070 in the KSHV genome. In contrast, recognition of this polyadenylation signal gives rise to previously identified mRNAs that encode the KSHV open reading frames (ORFs) 71, 72 and 73 proteins as well as a novel unspliced KSHV mRNA that encodes only ORF72 and ORF71. Thus, transcripts initiating at the two latent promoters present in the KSHV latency-associated region can undergo two entirely distinct fates, i.e., processing to give a kaposin mRNA and viral microRNAs on the one hand or expression as KSHV ORF71, ORF72, or ORF73 mRNAs on the other, depending on whether the viral polyadenylation site located at position 122070 is ignored or recognized, respectively.

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (11) ◽  
pp. 5465-5475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiyang Xu ◽  
Don Ganem

ABSTRACT The mammalian transcriptome is studded with putative noncoding RNAs, many of which are antisense to known open reading frames (ORFs). Roles in the regulation of their complementary mRNAs are often imputed to these antisense transcripts, but few have been experimentally examined, and such functions remain largely conjectural. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encodes two transcripts that lack obvious ORFs and are complementary to the gene (RTA) encoding the master regulator of the latent/lytic switch. Here, we show that, contrary to expectation, these RNAs do not regulate RTA expression. Rather, they are found on polysomes, and genetic analysis indicates that translational initiation occurs at several AUG codons in the RNA, leading to the presumptive synthesis of peptides of 17 to 48 amino acids. These findings underscore the need for circumspection in the computational assessment of coding potential and raise the possibility that the mammalian proteome may contain many previously unsuspected peptides generated from seemingly noncoding RNAs, some of which could have important biological functions. Irrespective of their function, such peptides could also contribute substantially to the repertoire of T cell epitopes generated in both uninfected and infected cells.


2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (11) ◽  
pp. 6474-6481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill T. Bechtel ◽  
Yuying Liang ◽  
Joshua Hvidding ◽  
Don Ganem

ABSTRACT Difficulties in efficiently propagating Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in culture have generated the impression that the virus displays a narrow host range. Here we show that, contrary to expectation, KSHV can establish latent infection in many adherent cell lines, including human and nonhuman cells of epithelial, endothelial, and mesenchymal origin. (Paradoxically, the only lines in which we have not observed successful latent infection are cultured lymphoma cell lines.) In most latently infected lines, spontaneous lytic replication is rare and (with only two exceptions) is not efficiently induced by phorbol ester treatment—a result that explains the failure of most earlier studies to observe efficient serial transfer of infection. However, ectopic expression of the KSHV lytic switch protein RTA from an adenoviral vector leads to the prompt induction of lytic replication in all latently infected lines, with the production of infectious KSHV virions. These results indicate (i) that the host cell receptor(s) and entry machinery for KSHV are widely distributed on cultured adherent cells, (ii) that latency is the default pathway of infection, and (iii) that blocks to lytic induction are frequent and largely reside at or upstream of the expression of KSHV RTA.


2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (9) ◽  
pp. 4918-4931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Gillen ◽  
Wenwei Li ◽  
Qiming Liang ◽  
Denis Avey ◽  
Jianjun Wu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe ORF45 protein of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a gammaherpesvirus-specific immediate-early tegument protein. Our previous studies have revealed its crucial roles in both early and late stages of KSHV infection. In this study, we surveyed the interactome of ORF45 using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. In addition to the previously identified extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) and p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK) proteins, we found several other copurified proteins, including prominent ones of ∼38 kDa and ∼130 kDa. Mass spectrometry revealed that the 38-kDa protein is viral ORF33 and the 130-kDa protein is cellular USP7 (ubiquitin-specific protease 7). We mapped the ORF33-binding domain to the highly conserved carboxyl-terminal 19 amino acids (aa) of ORF45 and the USP7-binding domain to the reported consensus motif in the central region of ORF45. Using immunofluorescence staining, we observed colocalization of ORF45 with ORF33 or USP7 both under transfected conditions and in KSHV-infected cells. Moreover, we noticed ORF45-dependent relocalization of a portion of ORF33/USP7 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. We found that ORF45 caused an increase in ORF33 protein accumulation that was abolished if either the ORF33- or USP7-binding domain in ORF45 was deleted. Furthermore, deletion of the conserved carboxyl terminus of ORF45 in the KSHV genome drastically reduced the level of ORF33 protein in KSHV-infected cells and abolished production of progeny virions. Collectively, our results not only reveal new components of the ORF45 interactome, but also demonstrate that the interactions among these proteins are crucial for KSHV lytic replication.IMPORTANCEKaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of several human cancers. KSHV ORF45 is a multifunctional protein that is required for KSHV lytic replication, but the exact mechanisms by which ORF45 performs its critical functions are unclear. Our previous studies revealed that all ORF45 protein in cells exists in high-molecular-weight complexes. We therefore sought to characterize the interactome of ORF45 to provide insights into its roles during lytic replication. Using a panel of monoclonal antibodies, we surveyed the ORF45 interactome in KSHV-infected cells. We identified two new binding partners of ORF45: the viral protein ORF33 and cellular ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7). We further demonstrate that the interaction between ORF45 and ORF33 is crucial for the efficient production of KSHV viral particles, suggesting that the targeted interference with this interaction may represent a novel strategy to inhibit KSHV lytic replication.


2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (17) ◽  
pp. 7657-7666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhigang Zhang ◽  
Wuguo Chen ◽  
Marcia K. Sanders ◽  
Kevin F. Brulois ◽  
Dirk P. Dittmer ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe K1 gene product of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is encoded by the first open reading frame (ORF) of the viral genome. To investigate the role of the K1 gene during the KSHV life cycle, we constructed a set of recombinant viruses that contained either wild-type (WT) K1, a deleted K1 ORF (KSHVΔK1), stop codons within the K1 ORF (KSHV-K15×STOP), or a revertant K1 virus (KSHV-K1REV). We report that the recombinant viruses KSHVΔK1 and KSHV-K15×STOPdisplayed significantly reduced lytic replication compared to WT KSHV and KSHV-K1REVupon reactivation from latency. Additionally, cells infected with the recombinant viruses KSHVΔK1 and KSHV-K15×STOPalso yielded smaller amounts of infectious progeny upon reactivation than did WT KSHV- and KSHV-K1REV-infected cells. Upon reactivation from latency, WT KSHV- and KSHV-K1REV-infected cells displayed activated Akt kinase, as evidenced by its phosphorylation, while cells infected with viruses deleted for K1 showed reduced phosphorylation and activation of Akt kinase. Overall, our results suggest that K1 plays an important role during the KSHV life cycle.IMPORTANCEKaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of three human malignancies, and KSHV K1 is a signaling protein that has been shown to be involved in cellular transformation and to activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mTOR pathway. In order to investigate the role of the K1 protein in the life cycle of KSHV, we constructed recombinant viruses that were deficient for K1. We found that K1 deletion viruses displayed reduced lytic replication compared to the WT virus and also yielded smaller numbers of infectious progeny. We report that K1 plays an important role in the life cycle of KSHV.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (22) ◽  
pp. 12566-12575 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Stedman ◽  
Zhong Deng ◽  
Fang Lu ◽  
Paul M. Lieberman

ABSTRACT The viral genome of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) persists as an extrachromosomal plasmid in latently infected cells. The KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) stimulates plasmid maintenance and DNA replication by binding to an ∼150-bp region within the viral terminal repeats (TR). We have used chromatin immunoprecipitation assays to demonstrate that LANA binds specifically to the replication origin sequence within the KSHV TR in latently infected cells. The latent replication origin within the TR was also bound by LANA-associated proteins CBP, double-bromodomain-containing protein 2 (BRD2), and the origin recognition complex 2 protein (ORC2) and was enriched in hyperacetylated histones H3 and H4 relative to other regions of the latent genome. Cell cycle analysis indicated that the minichromosome maintenance complex protein, MCM3, bound TR in late-G1/S-arrested cells, which coincided with the loss of histone H3 K4 methylation. Micrococcal nuclease studies revealed that TRs are embedded in a highly ordered nucleosome array that becomes disorganized in late G1/S phase. ORC binding to TR was LANA dependent when reconstituted in transfected plasmids. DNA affinity purification confirmed that LANA, CBP, BRD2, and ORC2 bound TR specifically and identified the histone acetyltransferase HBO1 (histone acetyltransferase binding to ORC1) as a potential TR binding protein. Disruption of ORC2, MCM5, and HBO1 expression by small interfering RNA reduced LANA-dependent DNA replication of TR-containing plasmids. These findings are the first demonstration that cellular replication and origin licensing factors are required for KSHV latent cycle replication. These results also suggest that the KSHV latent origin of replication is a unique chromatin environment containing histone H3 hyperacetylation within heterochromatic tandem repeats.


2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (20) ◽  
pp. 10073-10082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Adang ◽  
Christopher H. Parsons ◽  
Dean H. Kedes

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV or human herpesvirus-8) is frequently tumorigenic in immunocompromised patients. The average intracellular viral copy number within infected cells, however, varies markedly by tumor type. Since the KSHV-encoded latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) tethers viral episomes to host heterochromatin and displays a punctate pattern by fluorescence microscopy, we investigated whether accurate quantification of individual LANA dots is predictive of intracellular viral genome load. Using a novel technology that integrates single-cell imaging with flow cytometry, we found that both the number and the summed immunofluorescence of individual LANA dots are directly proportional to the amount of intracellular viral DNA. Moreover, combining viral (immediate early lytic replication and transcription activator [RTA] and late lytic K8.1) and cellular (syndecan-1) staining with image-based flow cytometry, we were also able to rapidly and simultaneously distinguish among cells supporting latent, immediate early lytic, early lytic, late lytic, and a potential fourth “delayed late” category of lytic replication. Applying image-based flow cytometry to KSHV culture models, we found that de novo infection results in highly varied levels of intracellular viral load and that lytic induction of latently infected cells likewise leads to a heterogeneous population at various stages of reactivation. These findings additionally underscore the potential advantages of studying KSHV biology with high-throughput analysis of individual cells.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Su-Kyung Kang ◽  
Yun Hee Kang ◽  
Seung-Min Yoo ◽  
Changhoon Park ◽  
Hong Seok Kim ◽  
...  

Multiple host proteins affect the gene expression of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) during latent and lytic replication. The high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) serves as a highly conserved chromosomal protein inside the cell and a prototypical damage-associated molecular pattern molecule outside the cell. HMGB1 has been shown to play a pathogenic role in viral infectious diseases and to regulate the lytic replication of KSHV. However, its functional effects on the KSHV life cycle in KSHV-infected cells have not been fully elucidated. Here, we explored the role of the intracellular and extracellular HMGB1 in KSHV virion production by employing CRISPR/Cas9-mediated HMGB1 knockout in the KSHV-producing iSLK BAC16 cell line. Intracellular HMGB1 formed complexes with various proteins, and the abundance of HMGB1-interacting proteins changed during latent and lytic replication. Moreover, extracellular HMGB1 was found to enhance lytic replication by phosphorylating JNK. Of note, the expression of viral genes was attenuated during lytic replication in HMGB1- knockout iSLK BAC16 cells, with significantly decreased production of infectious virions compared to that in wild-type cells. Collectively, our results demonstrate that HMGB1 is an important cellular cofactor that affects the generation of infectious KSHV progeny during lytic replication. Author Summary The high mobility group box 1 protein ( HMGB1 ) has many intra- and extracellular biological functions with an intricate role in various diseases. In certain viral infections, HMGB1 affects the viral life cycle and pathogenesis. In this study, we explored the effects of HMGB1 knockout on the production of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). HMGB1 knockout decreased virion production in KSHV-producing cells by decreasing the expression of viral genes. The processes by which HMGB1 affects KSHV production may occur inside or outside of infected cells. For instance, several cellular and viral proteins interacted with intracellular HMGB1 in a nucleosomal complex; whereas extracellular HMGB1 induced JNK phosphorylation, thus enhancing lytic replication. Our results suggest that both intracellular and extracellular HMGB1 are necessary for efficient KSHV replication. Thus, HMGB1 may represent an effective therapeutic target for the regulation of KSHV production.


2015 ◽  
Vol 89 (22) ◽  
pp. 11347-11355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine A. King ◽  
Xiaofan Li ◽  
Arturo Barbachano-Guerrero ◽  
Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh

ABSTRACTLytic activation of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) from latency is a critical contributor to pathogenesis and progression of KSHV-mediated disease. Development of targeted treatment strategies and improvement of lytic-phase-directed oncolytic therapies, therefore, hinge on gaining a better understanding of latency-to-lytic-phase transition. A key observation in that regard, also common to other herpesviruses, is the partial permissiveness of latently infected cells to lytic-cycle-inducing agents. Here, we address the molecular basis of why only some KSHV-infected cells respond to lytic stimuli. Since cellular signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is constitutively active in KSHV-associated cancers, KSHV activates STAT3, and STAT3 has been found to regulate lytic activation of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected cells, we asked if STAT3 contributes similarly to the life cycle of KSHV. We found that high levels of STAT3 correlate with the refractory state at the single-cell level under conditions of both spontaneous and induced lytic activation; importantly, STAT3 also regulates lytic susceptibility. Further, knockdown of STAT3 suppresses the cellular transcriptional corepressor Krüppel-associated box domain-associated protein 1 (KAP1; also known as TRIM28), and suppression of KAP1 activates lytic genes, including the viral lytic switch RTA, thereby linking STAT3 via KAP1 to regulation of the balance between lytic and latent cells. These findings, taken together with those from EBV-infected and, more recently, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1)-infected cells, cement the contribution of host STAT3 to persistence of herpesviruses and simultaneously reveal an important lead to devise strategies to improve lytic-phase-directed therapies for herpesviruses.IMPORTANCELytic activation of the cancer-causing Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is vital to its life cycle and causation of disease. Like other herpesviruses, however, a substantial fraction of latently infected cells are resistant to lytic-phase-inducing stimuli. Investigating the molecular basis for this refractory state is essential for understanding how the virus persists and how it causes disease and to guide efforts to improve treatment of KSHV-mediated diseases. We found that, like two other herpesviruses, EBV and HSV-1, KSHV exploits the cellular transcription factor STAT3 to regulate the susceptibility of latently infected cells to lytic triggers. These findings highlight a common STAT3-centered strategy used by herpesviruses to maintain persistence in their hosts while also revealing a key molecule to pursue while devising methods to improve herpesvirus lytic-phase-directed therapies.


2009 ◽  
Vol 83 (19) ◽  
pp. 10224-10233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos M. González ◽  
Ling Wang ◽  
Blossom Damania

ABSTRACT Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is etiologically linked to Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphomas, and multicentric Castleman's disease. Like other herpesviruses, KSHV can exist in either a lytic or a latent phase during its life cycle. We report that the lytic protein encoded by KSHV open reading frame 64 (Orf64) is a viral deubiquitinase (DUB) enzyme capable of deubiquitinating cellular proteins in vitro and in vivo. Orf64 DUB activity is effective against lysine 48 (K48)- and lysine 63 (K63)-linked ubiquitin chains. Thus, KSHV Orf64 is a viral DUB that does not show specificity toward K48 or K63 ubiquitin linkages. Orf64 DUB activity lies within the first 205 residues of the protein, and deubiquitination is dependent on a cysteine at position 29, since mutation of this residue ablated this activity. Cell fractionation studies revealed that the N terminus and the full-length protein localized to both the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. The function of Orf64 was tested by short interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown studies on latently infected cells that were induced into lytic replication. We found that depletion of Orf64 by siRNA resulted in decreased viral lytic transcription and lytic protein expression. These experiments indicate that Orf64 plays a role in KSHV lytic replication.


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