Identification of protein kinases responsible for phosphorylation of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen leader protein at serine-35, which regulates its coactivator function

Identification of proteins phosphorylated directly by the Us3 protein kinase encoded by herpes simplex virus 1

We have developed a system to analyze the specific protein kinase activity of herpes simplex virus 1 Us3 in vitro and shown that Us3 directly phosphorylates viral proteins UL34, ICP22, and Us9 and the cellular protein Bad, previously reported to be putative substrates. Using this system, we determined the phosphorylation sites of UL34 and identified UL31 as a previously unreported, novel substrate of Us3. This system will be useful for further identification of Us3 substrates and their phosphorylation sites, clarification of the role of Us3 in viral replication, and identification of additional Us3 function(s).

Hyperphosphorylation of EBNA2 by Epstein-Barr virus protein kinase suppresses transactivation of the LMP1 promoter

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BGLF4 gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase (PK) that is expressed in the cytolytic cycle. EBV nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) is a key latency gene essential for immortalization of B lymphocytes and transactivation of viral and cellular promoters. Here we report that EBV PK phosphorylates EBNA2 at Ser-243 and that these two proteins physically associate. PK suppresses EBNA2's ability to transactivate the LMP1 promoter, and Ser-243 of EBNA2 is involved in this suppression. Moreover, EBNA2 is hyperphosphorylated during EBV reactivation in latently infected B cells, which is associated with decreased LMP1 protein levels. This is the first report about the effect of EBV PK on the function of one of its target proteins and regulation of EBNA2 phosphorylation during the EBV lytic cycle.

[BAC system: A novel method for manipulation of herpesvirus genomes based on bacterial genetics]

Although methods for reverse genetics of herpesviruses have been established in early 1980s, the steps are laborious and time-consuming. In 1997, Dr. Koszinwski's group reported a novel approach for the construction of herpesvirus mutants, based on cloning the viral genome as a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) in E. coli. This technique allows the maintenance of viral genomes as plasmid in E. coli and the reconstitution of viral progeny by transfection of the BAC plasmid into eukaryotic cells. Any genetics modification of the viral genome in E. coli using bacterial genetics is possible, thereby facilitating the introduction of mutagenesis into herpesvirus genome. This 'BAC system' has opened new avenues for reverse and forward genetics of herpesviruses in basic research and in vector development for human therapy. Here we describe the principle of the 'BAC system' in herpesvirus researches.

Effects of maribavir and selected indolocarbazoles on Epstein-Barr virus protein kinase BGLF4 and on viral lytic replication

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) homolog of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein kinase (PK), UL97, is inhibited by maribavir (1263W94) and selected indolocarbazoles. Here we show that only one of these indolocarbazoles (K252a), but not maribavir, inhibits autophosphorylation of the EBV PK, BGLF4. However, maribavir and another indolocarbazole, NGIC-I, do inhibit EBV DNA synthesis, suggesting that although these last compounds inhibit both HCMV and EBV, they seem to operate through differ-ent pathways.

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen leader protein induces expression of thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine in B cells

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen leader protein (EBNA-LP) plays a critical role in transformation of primary B lymphocytes to continuously proliferating lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). To identify cellular genes in B cells whose expression is regulated by EBNA-LP, we performed microarray expression profiling on an EBV-negative human B-cell line, BJAB cells, that were transduced by a retroviral vector expressing the EBV EBNA-LP (BJAB-LP cells) and on BJAB cells that were transduced with a control vector (BJAB-vec cells). Microarray analysis led to the identification of a cellular gene encoding the CC chemokine TARC as a novel target gene that was induced by EBNA-LP. The levels of TARC mRNA expression and TARC secretion were significantly up-regulated in BJAB-LP compared with BJAB-vec cells. Induction of TARC was also observed when a subline of BJAB cells was converted by a recombinant EBV. Among the EBV-infected B-cell lines with the latency III phenotype that were tested, the LCLs especially secreted significantly high levels of TARC. The level of TARC secretion appeared to correlate with the level of full-length EBNA-LP expression. These results indicate that EBV infection induces TARC expression in B cells and that EBNA-LP is one of the viral gene products responsible for the induction.

Mitosis-specific hyperphosphorylation of Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 suppresses its function

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2) is a key gene expressed in EBV type III latent infection that can transactivate numerous promoters, including those for all the other type III viral latency genes as well as cellular genes responsible for cell proliferation. EBNA-2 is essential for EBV-mediated immortalization of primary B lymphocytes. We now report that EBNA-2, a phosphoprotein, is hyperphosphorylated specifically in mitosis. Evidence that the cyclin-dependent kinase p34(cdc2) may be involved in this hyperphosphorylation includes (i) coimmunoprecipitation of EBNA-2 and p34(cdc2), suggesting physical association; (ii) temporal correlation between hyperphosphorylation of EBNA-2 and an increase in p34(cdc2) kinase activity; and (iii) ability of purified p34(cdc2)/cyclin B1 kinase to phosphorylate EBNA-2 in vitro. Hyperphosphorylation of EBNA-2 appears to suppress its ability to transactivate the latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1) promoter by about 50%. The association between EBNA-2 and PU.1 is also decreased by about 50% in M-phase-arrested cells, as shown by coimmunoprecipitation from cell lysates, suggesting that hyperphosphorylation of EBNA-2 impairs its affinity for PU.1. Finally, endogenous LMP-1 mRNA levels in M phase are around 55% of those in asynchronously growing cells. These results suggest that regulation of gene expression during type III latency may be regulated in a cell-cycle-related manner.