Accumulation of heterochromatin components on the terminal repeat sequence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus mediated by the latency-associated nuclear antigen.

ABSTRACT: In the latent infection of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), its 160-kb circularized episomal DNA is replicated and maintained in the host nucleus. KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is a key factor for maintaining viral latency. LANA binds to the terminal repeat (TR) DNA of the viral genome, leading to its localization to specific dot structures in the nucleus. In such an infected cell, the expression of the viral genes is restricted by a mechanism that is still unclear. Here, we found that LANA interacts with SUV39H1 histone methyltransferase, a key component of heterochromatin formation, as determined by use of a DNA pull-down assay with a biotinylated DNA fragment that contained a LANA-specific binding sequence and a maltose-binding protein pull-down assay. Th

SUBMITTER: Sakakibara S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC434099 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature