Association of human cytomegalovirus proteins IRS1 and TRS1 with the viral DNA polymerase accessory subunit UL44

Multiple proteins interacting with DNA polymerases orchestrate DNA replication. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) encodes a DNA polymerase that includes the presumptive processivity factor UL44. UL44 is structurally homologous to the eukaryotic DNA polymerase processivity factor proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), which interacts with numerous proteins. Previous proteomic analysis has identified the HCMV protein IRS1 as a candidate protein interacting with UL44. Nuclease-resistant reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation of UL44 with IRS1 and with TRS1, which has an amino terminus identical to that of IRS1, was observed from lysate of cells infected with viruses expressing epitope-tagged UL44, epitope-tagged IRS1 or epitope-tagged TRS1. Western blotting of protein immunoprecipitated from infected cell lysate indicated that epitope-tagged IRS1 and TRS1 do not associate simultaneously with UL44. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down experiments indicated that IRS1 and TRS1 interact with UL44 via a region that is identical in both proteins. Taken together, these data suggest that IRS1 and TRS1 may compete for association with UL44 and may affect UL44 function differentially.