Analysis of the transcription pattern of HSV-1 UL52 and UL53 genes

Abstract

The UL52 and UL53 genes of herpes simplex virus type-1 are both located in the BamHI-L DNA fragment, with an overlap of 14 amino acids. An RNase protection experiment was designed to determine the 5' termini of both the UL52 and UL53 mRNAs. The 5' end of the UL52 mRNA was found to be located 100 bp upstream of its ATG initiation codon. Surprisingly, the 5' terminus of the UL53 gene was found to be downstream of its putative initiation codon. Therefore, it was suggested that the translation of the UL53 open reading frame (ORF) starts at an internal initiation codon that is located 55 codons downstream of the putative one. A hybrid selection experiment was performed in which the UL53-specific mRNA was selected from BSC-1 cells infected with HSV-1 KOS and translated in vitro. The translation product of the UL53 message was found to be 32 kD (shorter than the original 37.5 kD ORF). The size of the protein obtained corresponds with the expected translation product starting at the downstream initiation codon. Analysis of the sequence upstream of this initiation codon reveals the presence of a promotor sequence. Therefore, we suggest that the UL53 protein is 54 amino acids shorter than was previously suggested and is located at coordinates 112,341-113,193.

RNA Polymerase II Promoter-Proximal Pausing and Release to Elongation Are Key Steps Regulating Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Transcription

“…JN555585.1). Furthermore, an attempt was made to compile the known and hypothetical TSSs and TTSs of many HSV-1 genes and to map them in the annotation file for the modified F strain using BLAST (43,47,(76)(77)(78)(79)(80)(81)(82)(83)(84)(85)(86)(87)(88)(89)(90).…”

Glycoprotein K Specified by Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Is Expressed on Virions as a Golgi Complex-Dependent Glycosylated Species and Functions in Virion Entry

“…Thus, the gK-related species with molecular masses of 36 to 43 kDa represent glycosylated gK derivatives. The 25-kDa protein could be either a proteolytically processed peptide or a previously predicted gK-related protein, which may be produced by an alternate transcript utilizing an initiation codon within the UL53 ORF (29).…”

Characterization of duck enteritis virus UL53 gene and glycoprotein K

“…By way of conclusions, through the experiments of the fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR, nucleic acid inhibition and the expression kinetics of UL53 gene, we conceded that DEV UL53 gene is a really late gene, which is coincident with properties of herpesvirus UL53 homologs, such as ILTV(Infectious Laryngotracheitis virus) UL53 gene and HSV-1(Herpes simplex virus type 1) UL53 gene [ 37 , 38 ]. From the result of indirect immunofluorescence assay, the gK protein showed obviously cytoplasmic staining in infected DEF.…”