Adenovirus DNA replication. I. Requirement for protein synthesis and isolation of nuclear membrane fractions containing newly synthesized viral DNA and proteins

Decreased Replication Ability of E1-Deleted Adenoviruses Correlates with Increased Brain Tumor Malignancy

E1 region replacement adenoviruses are replication defective and are propagated in cells providing adenovirus E1A and E1B proteins. Although they are being developed for antitumor therapies, the proliferative behaviors of these viruses in normal brain tissues or in brain tumors are unknown. To address this, freshly cultured cells from normal human brain and common brain tumors (astrocytomas and meningiomas) were infected using wild-type species C adenoviruses and adenoviruses missing E1A (H5dl312) or E1A plus E1B (H5dl434). Viral DNA replication, late viral protein expression, and production of infectious progeny were characterized. Wild-type adenoviruses grew efficiently in normal brain and brain tumor cells. In comparison, E1-deleted adenovirus DNA replication was delayed and lower in cells derived from normal brain tissues, meningiomas, and low-grade astrocytomas. However, in contrast, E1-deleted adenovirus DNA replication did not occur or was extremely low in cells derived from malignancy grade III and IV astrocytic tumors. Because wild-type adenoviruses infected and replicated in all cells, the malignancy grade-based differential E1-deleted adenovirus DNA replication was not explained by differential virus uptake. Infectious H5dl312 and H5dl434 production correlated with viral DNA replication. Compared with a 5-day average for wild-type infections, advanced cytopathology was noted approximately 4 weeks after H5dl312 or H5dl434 infection of meningioma, astrocytoma, and normal brain cells. Cytopathology was not observed after H5dl312 or H5dl434 infection of glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytoma, and gliosarcoma cells. Because of this tumor grade-based differential growth, the E1-deleted adenoviruses may represent novel tools for studies of brain tumor malignancy.

Structural characterization of the proteins encoded by adenovirus early region 2A

Proteins encoded by adenovirus type 2 and type 5 early region 2A isolated from infected HeLa cells were compared to translation products of E2A-specific messenger RNA in a reticulocyte cell-free system and in Xenopus oocytes. The main cell-free translation product is a 72,000 Mr polypeptide which in HeLa cells as well as in Xenopus oocytes is converted into a 75,000 Mr phosphoprotein capable of binding to single-stranded DNA. Some minor proteins are proteolytic cleavage products of the major protein. In the cell-free system, three E2A polypeptides, 32,000, 37,000 and 44,000 Mr, are translated from minor polyadenylated mRNA species that can be separated from the major mRNA. Synthesis of all E2A polypeptides in vitro is inhibited by cap-analogs. The 44,000 Mr protein is also synthesized in Xenopus oocytes. Tryptic peptide maps of [35S]methionine-labeled E2A proteins were constructed using high pressure liquid chromatography and the position of the methionyl residues within each peptide was determined by amino acid sequencing procedures. This information and the DNA sequence of the adenovirus 5 E2A gene published by Kruijer et al. (1981) were used to align the peptides and to construct a map of the E2A proteins. Our data demonstrate that the major 75,000 Mr protein is coded for by a leftward reading frame of 529 amino acid residues located between 62 and 66 map units. The data also map six sites as targets for proteolytic enzymes. The minor E2A translation products have the same carboxy terminus as the major protein. The initiation codons of the 44,000, 37,000 and 32,000 Mr polypeptides probably correspond to amino acids 170, 243 or 244 and 290 of the major protein. Some functional properties of the major E2A protein are shared by the minor proteins and thus could be mapped. Major sites of phosphorylation, the region involved in binding to single-stranded DNA and the antigenic regions recognized by immune sera are located between amino acid residues 50 to 120, 170 to 470 and 170 to 240, respectively.

Initiation of adenovirus DNA replication

In an attempt to study the mechanism of initiation of adenovirus DNA replication, an assay was developed to investigate the pattern of DNA synthesis in early replicative intermediates of adenovirus DNA. By using wild-type virus-infected cells, it was possible to place the origin of adenovirus type 2 DNA replication within the terminal 350 to 500 base pairs from either of the two molecular termini. In addition, a variety of parameters characteristic of adenovirus DNA replication were compared with those obtained in a soluble nuclear extract competent for viral DNA replication. It was observed that in vitro DNA replication, which is dependent on the exogenously added viral DNA-protein complex as its optimal template, occurs in a manner apparently indistinguishable from the situation in virus-infected cells. This includes the presence of proteinaceous material on the molecular termini of newly initiated viral DNA.

Protein synthesized early after infection is linked to the termini of adenovirus type 2 DNA synthesized in vivo and in vitro

The human adenovirus DNA genome contains a protein (CBP, or covalently bound protein) linked to each 5' terminus. To assess whether CBP is synthesized early, infected cells were incubated with hydroxyurea from 1 to 18 h postinfection, the hydroxyurea was removed, cycloheximide was added, and viral DNA was labeled with [3H]thymidine from 18 to 23 h postinfection. Removal of hydroxyurea at 18 h postinfection permits the synthesis of viral DNA, whereas cycloheximide maintains the block in late viral protein synthesis. Three lines of evidence are presented to show that viral 3H-labeled DNA prepared by this procedure was linked to CBP: (I) the DNA sedimented more rapidly than protein-free DNA (i.e., protinase treated) in neutral sucrose gradients containing guanidine hydrochloride; (ii) the DNA banded at a lower density than protein-free DNA in CsCl gradients containing guanidine hydrochloride; and (iii) neither the 3H-labeled DNA nor the end fragments produced by EcoRI digestion entered a 1.4% agarose gel during electrophoresis. These experiments are strong evidence that CBP is not a product of a late viral gene and is therefore the product of either an early viral gene or a cell gene. Experiments were performed to test whether CBP is attached to viral DNA synthesized in vitro by a soluble complex that synthesizes exclusively viral DNA as completed viral genomes in vitro. In vitro-labeled DNA was analyzed by velocity sedimentation, equilibrium sedimentation, and agarose gel electrophoresis as described above. Our results indicate that the majority of in vitro-synthesized DNA molecules were attached to CBP. These results, which indicate that CBP is synthesized early after infection and is attached to viral DNA labeled in vitro by a soluble replication complex, are consistent with the idea that CBP may play a role in viral DNA replication.

Detection of a nuclear antigen in Herpesvirus ateles-carrying marmoset lines by the acid-fixed nuclear binding technique

In vitro binding of a Herpesvirus ateles (HVA)-associated soluble antigen to amphibian erythrocyte nuclei was demonstrated by the acid-fixed nuclear binding technique in combination with anticomplement immunofluorescence. Incubation of concentrated salt-extracted soluble antigens derived from HVA-carrying marmoset lines with methanol/acetic acid-fixed erythrocytes of frogs and salamanders resulted in a brilliant nuclear fluorescence after exposure to a live virus-boostered, anti-HVS-positive squirrel monkey serum. Anti-HVS-negative sera did not stain. The activity of the positive serum could be abosrbed completely with extracts of HVA-carrying cells but not with Epstein-Barr virus-carrying or Herpesvirus papio-carrying cells. The HVA-associated antigen was also present in lytically HVA-infected marmoset kidney cells.

Study of DNA synthesis in chromatin isolated from HeLa cells

When incubated in vitro, HeLa cell chromatin can synthesize DNA at rate comparable to that observed with isolated nuclei. The in vitro DNA synthetic activity of chromatin reflects DNA synthesis in intact cells since chromatin from cells in S phase are several times more active thatn preparations derived from mitotic cells. The requirements for the synthesis of DNA by chromatin preparations are also similar to those of isolated nuclei and the size of the DNA pieces made in both systems is roughly comparable. The chromatin system offers several advantages not available with isolated nuclei. Chromatin will synthesize DNA for a much longer time than isolated nuclei so that larger amounts of DNA can be synthesized in vitro In addition, although chromatin has its own endogenous ability to synthesize DNA, it is markedly stimulated by the presence of exogenously added HeLa cell DNA polymerase alpha, beta, and gamma, and, thus, may provide a new template system for the study of DNA synthesis.

Adenovirus DNA-binding protein in cells infected with wild-type 5 adenovirus and two DNA-minus, temperature-sensitive mutants, H5ts125 and H5ts149

Studies have been done to characterize further H5ts125, an adenovirus type 5 conditionally lethal, temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant defective in initiation of DNA synthesis and to investigate whether the single-strand-specific DNA-binding (72,000 molecular weight) protein is coded by the mutated viral gene. When H5ts125-infected cells were labeled with [35S]methionine at 32 degrees C and then incubated without isotope at 39.5 degrees C, the mutant's nonpermissive temperature, the 72,000 molecular weight polypeptide was progressively degraded. Immunofluorescence examination of cells infected with wild-type virus, H5ts125, and H5ts149 (a second, unique DNA-minus mutant) showed that immunologically reactive DNA-binding protein was barely detectable in H5ts125-infected cells at 39.5 degrees C, whereas this protein was present in wild-type- and H5TS149-infected cells, that the protein made at 32 degrees C in H5ts125-infected cells lost its ability to bind specific DNA-binding protein antibody when the infected cells were shifted to 39.5 degrees C, and that if H5ts125-infected cells were shifted from the restrictive temperature to 32 degrees C, even in the presence of cycloheximide to stop protein synthesis, immunologically reactive DNA-binding protein reappeared.

Purification and characterization of the phosphorylated DNA-binding protein from adenovirus-type-2-infected cells

The virus-coded 72000-Mr DNA-binding protein from adenovirus-type-2-infected cells has been purified to homogeneity by DEAE-cellulose chromatography, selective precipitation and gel filtration. The 72000-Mr DNA-binding protein is phosphorylated and the phosphate is covalently linked predominantly to serine. Analysis of tryptic digests of the 32P-labeled 72000-Mr protein showed that the phosphate residue(s) is present in only one peptide. The DNA-binding fraction contains an additional non-phosphorylated protein with an approximate molecular weight of 45000. Tryptic peptide maps of [35S]methionine-labeled 72000-Mr and 45000-Mr polypeptides are indistinguishable. The amino acid compositions of the 72000-Mr and 45000-Mr polypeptides show closely related distributions. An antiserum produced against the purified 72000-Mr DNA-binding protein precipitates both the 72000-Mr and the 45000-Mr protein from extracts of adenovirus-infected cells. Immunofluorescence studies revealed DNA-binding protein to be accumulated in characteristic structures in nuclei of the infected cells.

Adenovirus type 2 coded single-stranded DNA binding protein: in vivo phosphorylation and modification

The adenovirus type 2-coded single-stranded DNA binding protein (DBP) was shown to be a phosphoprotein and to exist in at least two forms that differ in mobility by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After a 30-min pulse with [35S]methionine or 32PO4, 35S- or 32P-labeled DBP had a nominal molecular weight of 74,000 whereas after a 30-min label followed by a 20-h chase, 35S- and 32P-labeled DBP had a nominal molecular weight of 77,000. Both large and small forms of 35S- and 32P-labeled DBP bound to single-stranded DNA-cellulose columns and were eluted by 0.4 to 0.6 M NaCl; both forms also were immunoprecipitated by antiserum against adenovirus type 1-simian virus 40-induced tumor cells (this antiserum contains antibodies against DBP) and by monospecific antiserum against 95 to 99% purified DBP. With highly purified 32P-DBP labeled 7 to 10 h postinfection, it was shown that the 32P radioactivity was firmly associated with protein material (i.e., not contaminating nucleic acids or phospholipids) and had properties expected of a phosphoester of an amino acid; paper electrophoresis of acid hydrolysates of this preparation identified phosphoserine but not phosphothreonine. Phosphoserine but not phosphothreonine was also identified in acid hydrolysates of another preparation of 32P-DBP labeled for 30 min, chased for 20 h, and then immunoprecipitated by adenovirus type 1-simian virus 40 antiserum.

Immunofluorescence study of the adenovirus type 2 single-stranded DNA binding protein in infected and transformed cells

High-titer monospecific antiserum against highly purified adenovirus 2 (Ad2) single-stranded DNA binding protein (DBP) was used to study, by indirect immunofluorescence (IF), the synthesis of DBP in Ad2-infected human cells and adenovirus-transformed rat, hamster, and human cell lines. In infected cells the synthesis of DBP was first detected in the cytoplasm at 2 to 4 h postinfection and reached a maximum intensity at 6 h postinfection. At this time DBP began to accumulate in the nucleus, where it reached maximum intensity at about 14 h postinfection. The cytoplasmic IF was diffuse, whereas nuclear IF appeared as dots that coalesced into large globules as infection progressed. In cells treated with 1-beta-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine to inhibit viral DNA synthesis, strong nuclear IF was observed in the form of dots, but the large fluorescent globules were not observed. The Ad2 (oncogenic group C) anti-DBP serum reacted very strongly by IF with Ad5 (group C)-infected, to a lesser extent with Ad7 and Ad11 (group B)-infected, and weakly with Ad12 and Ad18 (group A)-infected KB cells (treated with 1-beta-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine). These results may indicate that Ad2 DBP is closely related immunologically to DBPs induced early after infection by adenovirus serotypes in oncogenic group C, moderately related to DBPs of serotypes in oncogenic group B, and perhaps distantly related to DBPs of serotypes in oncogenic group A. The following adenovirus-transformed cell lines were examined for DBP synthesis by IF with the Ad2 anti-DBP serum: six rat cell lines (T2C4, F17, 8662, 8638, 8617, and F161) transformed by Ad2 virus, three hamster cell lines transformed by Ad2 virus (Ad2HT1) and Ad2-simian virus 40 hybrid virus (ND1HK1 and ND4HK4), and one rat (5RK) and one human (293-31) cell line transformed by transfection with Ad5 DNA. T2C4 and 8662 appeared weakly positive, whereas Ad2HT1 and ND4HK1 were strongly positive. The other transformed cell lines did not produce DBP detectable by IF. Thus, some but not all transformed cell lines produce DBP, which indicates that DBP is not required for maintenance of cell transformation and that transformed cells can express "nontransforming" viral genes as protein.

Purification and molecular characterization of adenovirus type 2 DNA-binding protein

An adenovirus type 2 (Ad2) DNA-binding protein was purified by sequential DNA-cellulose, Sephadex G-200, and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, with a yield of 120 mug of binding protein (95 to 99% homogeneity) starting with 2 X 10(9) infected cells. By omitting the Sephadex G-200 step, 400 to 600 mug of 95% pure binding protein was obtained. To obtain high yields of highly purified binding protein, it was necessary to include deoxycholate and Nonidet P-40 at selected stages during the preparation. The highly purified binding protein appeared to have retained its native stage as indicated by: (i) binding to single-stranded but not native Ad2 DNA, (ii) almost complete precipitation by immunoglobulin G from hamsters immunized by extracts of tumors induced by Ad2-simian virus 40 hybrid viruses, and (iii) identical sedimentation coefficient with binding protein obtained from DNA-cellulose chromatography only. Zonal centrifugation in sucrose gradients and gel filtration revealed that purified binding protein has a sedimentation coefficient of 3.4S and a Stokes radius of 5.2 nm. Based on these two values, a molecular weight of 73,000 was calculated, in agreement with the estimate from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A frictional ratio of 1.88 was calculated, suggesting that the Ad2 DNA-binding protein does not have a typical globular protein structure.

Viral DNA synthesis in vitro with the inclusions isolated from adenovirus 12-infected cells

A fraction defined as the inclusions was isolated by banding in CsC1 gradients from nuclei of adenovirus 12-infected KB cells. When examined by electron microscopy, the isolated inclusions were relatively homogeneous, finely granular materials of moderate electron density, possibly representing the disintegrated type II or IV inclusions. The conditions of endogenous DNA synthesis in vitro with the inclusions were determined. The product of DNA synthesis in vitro with the inclusions was mainly viral and scarcely cellular, as revealed by DNA-DNA hybridization and methylated albumin kieselgur column chromatography. However, viral DNA synthesized in vitro was smaller (18S, 22S) than viral DNA in virions (31 S, 34 S) in neutral and alkaline sucrose gradients. Effects of various treatment of the inclusions on the DNA-synthesizing activity showed that phospholipase C inhibited the activity efficiently. The in vitro DNA synthesis was stimulated by addition of the cytoplasmic extract from adenovirus 12-infected cells and not that from unifected cells. The analysis of the composition of the inclusions showed that the inclusions contained DNA, protein, phospholipid and a small amount of RNA and carbohydrate.

Intermediate in adenovirus type 2 replication

Replicating chromosomes, called intermediate DNA, have been extracted from the adenovirus replication complex. Compared to mature molecules, intermediate DNA had a greater buoyant density in CsCl gradients and ethidium bromide-cesium chloride gradients. Digestion of intermediate DNA with S1 endonuclease, but not with RNase, abolished the difference in densities. These properties suggest that replicating molecules contain extensive regions of parental single strands. Although intermediate DNA sedimented faster than marker viral DNA in neutral sucrose gradients, single strands longer than unit length could not be detected after alkaline denaturation. Integral size classes of nascent chains in intermediate DNA suggest a relationship between units of replication and the nucleoprotein structure of the virus chromosome. Adenovirus DNA was replicated at a rate of 0.7 x 10-6 daltons/min. Although newly synthesized molecules had the same sedimentation coefficient and buoyant density as mature chromosomes, they still contained single-strand interruptions. Complete joining of daughter strands required an additional 15 to 20 min.

Isolation of DNA polymerase gamma from an adenovirus 2 DNA replication complex

The major DNA polymerase in a nuclear membrane complex that is capable of synthesizing viral DNA sequences in vitro has been purified about 900-fold from adenovirus 2-infected KB cells. The enzyme was characterized as belonging to the class of mammalian DNA polymerases (DNA polymerase gamma) that can utilize poly(A) with oligo(dT) as template primer.

DNA binding proteins in the cytoplasm and in a nuclear membrane complex isolated from uninfected and adenovirus 2 infected cells

The DNA binding proteins in a nuclear membrane fraction that can synthesize DNA in vitro (referred to as "nuclear membrane complex") and in the cytoplasm of adenovirus infected and uninfected cells were isolated and characterized. Suspension cultures of human KB cells infected with human adenovirus 2 were treated with 25 mu-g/ml of arabinosylcytosine starting at 2 hr to block the synthesis of viral structural proteins, and then labeled with (3H)leucine from 6 to 24 hr after infection. Uninfected cells were treated similarly and labeled with (14C)leucine. The 3H-labeled proteins (infected cells) and 14C-labeled proteins (uninfected cells) isolated from the cytoplasm were mixed, as were the corresponding proteins isolated from the membrane complex, and each mixture was fractionated by stepwise elution from single-stranded DNA-cellulose columns. From 50 to 60% of the labeled protein in the membrane complex from infected cells and 40 to 50% of that from uninfected cells bound to DNA-cellulose in 0.05 M NaCl. Much less protein from the cytoplasm was bound to DNA cellulose, 20% from infected cells and 11% from uninfected cells. Gel electrophoresis of the mixture of 3H- and 14C-labeled proteins eluted from DNA-cellulose by different concentrations of NaCl revealed the following. (1) The 0.15 and 0.40 M NaCl eluates from the membrane complex of infected and uninfected cells contained a heterogenous mixture of similar polypeptides. (2) The 0.6 M NaCl eluate from the membrane complex derived from infected cells contained two major DNA binding proteins with molecular weights of 75,000 and 45,000 that were absent from uninfected cells. Large quantities of these two proteins were present in highly purified form in the 0.6 M NaCl eluate from the cytoplasm of infected cells. The DNA binding proteins of molecular weight 75,000 and 45,000 that are present in the cytoplasm are identical with those present in the membrane complex, as established by coelectrophoresis. (3) Two major cell-specific proteins of molecular weight 40,000 and 15,000-17,000 were present in the 2 M NaCl eluate of the membrane complex from uninfected and infected cells. A major cell-specific protein of molecular weight 33,000 was present in the 0.15 and 0.4 M NaCl eluates of the uninfected and infected cell cytoplasmic fractions. Aanalysis of cells labeled at 2-6 hr after infection in the absence of arabinosyl cytosine indicated that the synthesis of the DNA binding proteins of molecular weight 75,000 and 45,000 begins early after infection prior to the onset of viral DNA replication.