Lytic cycle reactivation of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is initiated by expression of the ORF50 gene. Here we show that YY1 protein specifically binds to the ORF50 promoter (ORF50p) region in vitro and in vivo. After treatment with chemical inducers, including sodium butyrate (SB) and TPA, the levels of YY1 protein are inversely correlated with the lytic induction of KSHV in cells. Overexpression of YY1 completely blocks the ORF50p activation in transient reporter assays, while mutation at the YY1 site in the ORF50p or knockdown of YY1 protein confers an enhancement of the ORF50p activation induced by SB and TPA. YY1 overexpression in a stable cell clone HH-B2(Dox-YY1) also inhibits expression of the ORF50 and its downstream lytic genes. On the other hand, a chimeric YY1 construct that links to its coactivator E1A can disrupt viral latency. These results imply that YY1 is involved in the regulation of KSHV reactivation.
The ORF61 and ORF60 genes of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encode the ribonucleotide reductase large and small subunits, respectively. Here we show that ORF50 protein, a latent-lytic switch transactivator, activates the transcription of these two early-lytic genes through different mechanisms. Activation of the ORF61 promoter by ORF50 protein is dependent on an intact RBP-Jkappa-binding site within the identified responsive element and the expression of RBP-Jkappa protein in cells. The critical element in the ORF60 promoter in response to ORF50 was mapped to a 40-bp region. Binding of YY1, Sp1/Sp3 or unknown proteins to this element may contribute to repression or activation of the ORF60 promoter. Although ORF50 protein does not directly bind to the ORF61 and ORF60 promoters in vitro, we show the association of ORF50 protein with these two promoters in vivo. Our results provide further insights into the regulatory network of the viral lytic genes in KSHV reactivation.
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