Ecdysone response element in a baculovirus immediate-early gene, ie1, promoter.

Abstract

A computer-assisted analysis identified tentative target sequences for regulatory proteins including ecdysone-inducible factors such as BmFTZ-F1 and Broad-Complex Z4 (BR-C Z4) in the ie1 promoter of BmNPV. A transient expression experiment using BmN cells and a series of truncated ie1 promoter constructs demonstrated that the activity of the ie1 promoter responded to alpha-ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone, which required a tridecameric nucleotide stretch (ie1EcRE, 5'-GTGTTATCGACCT-3') homologous to the ecdysone response element reported for Drosophila (DmEcRE). RT-PCR demonstrated the expression of BmEcR and BmUSP, which are required as ecdysone-specific activators for EcRE-mediated activation, in BmN cells. Furthermore, the ie1 EcRE-mediated response was confirmed by using a recombinant BmNPV possessing a luciferase gene under the control of the ie1 promoter with or without ie1 EcRE. This is the first report of an ecdysone response element in a baculoviral gene promoter. These results also suggested that the regulation of the ie1 by ecdysone may militate viral replication at least under certain conditions during natural infections in vivo.

• Authors: K Kojima, K Oritani, T Nakatsukasa, S Asano, K Sahara, H Bando
• Journal: Virus research (Virus Res) Vol. 130 Issue 1-2 Pg. 202-9 (Dec 2007) ISSN: 0168-1702 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 17658648 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Ecdysone
• Ecdysterone
• Luciferases

Topics

• Animals
• Artificial Gene Fusion
• Baculoviridae (genetics, physiology)
• Bombyx
• Cell Line
• Ecdysone (metabolism)
• Ecdysterone (metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation
• Genes, Immediate-Early
• Genes, Reporter
• Luciferases (biosynthesis, genetics)
• Promoter Regions, Genetic
• Response Elements (genetics)