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EBNA‐1, the major nuclear antigen of Epstein‐Barr virus, resembles ‘RGG’ RNA binding proteins.
Author(s) -
Snudden D.K.,
Hearing J.,
Smith P.R.,
Grässer F.A.,
Griffin B.E.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1994.tb06810.x
Subject(s) - griffin , medical school , library science , medicine , virology , classics , history , medical education , computer science
Nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA‐1) is one of the key functions of the oncogenic DNA virus, Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV), and is the only viral protein consistently expressed in EBV‐associated malignancies. EBNA‐1 binds in a site‐specific manner to the viral DNA and is essential for viral replication, as well as for maintaining the genome as an extrachromosomal episome within infected cells. EBNA‐1 is not recognized by the cellular immune system. Here we demonstrate that, in addition to its known DNA binding properties, EBNA‐1 can also act as a strong RNA binding protein, interacting with diverse substrates in vitro, including the EBV‐encoded RNA polymerase III transcript EBER1 and the HIV‐encoded transactivation response (TAR) element. We also show that EBNA‐1 can bind exon sequences derived from its own RNA expressed from the Fp promoter, as found in Burkitt's lymphoma‐related cells and in nasopharyngeal carcinomas. EBNA‐1 has been identified as a component in an RNA complex; moreover, an anti‐EBNA‐1 antibody 1H4‐1, that does not inhibit DNA binding, blocks binding to RNA. Arginine/glycine‐containing (so‐called ‘RGG’) motifs have been found in an increasing number of proteins that interact with RNA. The EBV antigen contains three potential ‘RGG’ motifs located around an internal glycine/alanine‐rich repetitive sequence in the protein, and outside the region of EBNA‐1 mapped previously as essential for viral DNA replication and other functionally defined properties. These motifs could be involved in the observed binding between EBNA‐1 and RNA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)