Sp1 facilitates continued HSV-1 gene expression in the absence of key viral transactivators.

ABSTRACT: Productive replication of herpes simplex virus (HSV) relies upon a well-ordered transcriptional cascade flowing from immediate-early (IE) to early (E) to late (L) gene products. While several virus-encoded transcriptional activators are involved in this process, IE and E gene promoters also contain multiple binding sites for the ubiquitously expressed cellular transcription factor Sp1. Sp1 has been previously implicated in activating HSV-1 gene transcription downstream of these sites, but why Sp1-binding sites are maintained in the promoters of genes activated by virus-encoded activators remains unclear. We hypothesized that Sp1 enables continued HSV-1 transcription and replication when viral transactivators are limited. We used a depletion-based approach in human foreskin fibroblasts to i

SUBMITTER: Sodroski CN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10936440 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature