The Na-K-ATPase, or sodium pump, is comprised of two subunits, alpha and beta. Each subunit spans the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. This review summarizes our efforts to determine how the two subunits interact to form the functional ion transporter. Our major approach has been to observe the potential for subunit assembly when one or both subunits are truncated or present as chimeras that retain only a limited region of the Na-K-ATPase. DNAs encoding these altered subunit forms of the avian Na-K-ATPase are expressed in mammalian cells. Monoclonal antibodies specific for the avian beta-subunit are then used to purify newly synthesized avian beta-subunits, and the presence of accompanying alpha-subunits indicates that subunit assembly has occurred. The ectodomain of the beta-subunit (approximately residues 62-304) is sufficient for assembly with the alpha-subunit, and a COOH-terminal truncation of the beta-subunit that lacks aminoacyl residues beyond 162 will assemble inefficiently. A maximum of 26 aminoacyl residues of the alpha-subunit are necessary for robust assembly with the beta-subunit, when this sequence replaces the COOH-terminal half of the loop between membrane spans 7 and 8 in the SERCA1 Ca-ATPase. This region of the Ca-ATPase faces the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. These findings encourage study of other related questions, including whether there is preferential assembly of certain subunit isoforms and how various P-type ATPases are targeted to their appropriate subcellular compartments.

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We have previously adapted an experimental system which supports autonomous replication of human papillomavirus-11 (HPV-11) genomic DNA in a human squamous carcinoma cell line (SCC-4) following electroporation of linearized viral DNA. This system allows evaluation of HPV-11 transcription in the context of replicating viral genomes. RNA was isolated from cells following transfection, and first-strand cDNA was produced by reverse transcription using HPV-11-specific primers. The cDNAs were amplified using the polymerase chain reaction, and resulting DNA products were cloned and sequenced. Transcripts were identified that utilize the same splice donor and acceptor sites as transcripts characterized previously from human lesions. Three previously unreported splice junctions that employ novel combinations of those splice sites were also identified. We also detected these newly identified transcripts in laryngeal papillomas. A modified version of the 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends method was used to identify transcriptional start sites of several of the HPV-11 transcripts. The family of mRNAs characterized in this replication system have the potential to encode all of the major HPV-11 E-region proteins described to date. The data support the utility of this system as an experimental model for examining mechanisms of viral replication and transcription.

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