Expression of the human endogenous retrovirus HTDV/HERV-K is enhanced by cellular transcription factor YY1

Citation
M. Knossl et al., Expression of the human endogenous retrovirus HTDV/HERV-K is enhanced by cellular transcription factor YY1, J VIROLOGY, 73(2), 1999, pp. 1254-1261
Citations number
43
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
ISSN journal
0022-538X → ACNP
Volume
73
Issue
2
Year of publication
1999
Pages
1254 - 1261
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-538X(199902)73:2<1254:EOTHER>2.0.ZU;2-L
Abstract
The human endogenous retrovirus HTDV/HERV-K, which resides in moderate copy numbers in the human genome, is expressed in a cell-type-specific manner, predominantly in teratocarcinoma cells. We have analyzed the regulatory pot ential of the 5' enhancer of the HERV-K long terminal repeat. Protein extra cts of HERV-expressing teratocarcinoma cell lines (GH and Tera2) and nonexp ressing HeLa and HepG2 cells form different protein complexes on the enhanc er sequence as detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA). Us ing competition EMSAs, DNase I footprinting, and supershift experiments, we localized the binding site of these complexes to a 20-bp sequence within t he enhancer and showed that the transcription factor YY1 is one component o f the HERV-K enhancer complex. Replacement of the YY1 binding site with unr elated sequences reduced expression of the luciferase gene as a reporter in transient-transfection assays.