The E8 - E2C protein, a negative regulator of viral transcription and replication, is required for extrachromosomal maintenance of human papillomavirus type 31 in keratinocytes

The viral E2 protein is a major regulator of papillomavirus DNA replication . An important way to influence viral replication is through modulation of the activity of the E2 protein. This could occur through the action of trun cated E2 proteins, called E2 repressors, whose role in the replication cycl e of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) has not been determined. In this study, using cell lines that contain episomal copies of the "high-risk" HPV type 3 1 (HPV31),ve have identified viral transcripts with a splice from nucleotid e (nt) 1296 to 3295. These transcripts are similar to RNAs from other anima l and human papillomaviruses and have the potential to fuse a small open re ading frame (E8) to the C terminus of E2, resulting in an E8<^>E2C fusion p rotein. E8<^>E2C transcripts were present throughout the complete replicati on cycle of HPV31. A genetic analysis of E8<^>E2C in the contest of the HPV 31 genome revealed that mutation of the single ATG of the E8 gene, introduc tion of a stop codon downstream of the ATG, or disruption of the splice don or site at nt 1296 led to a dramatic 30- to 40-fold increase in the transie nt DNA replication levels in both normal and immortalized human keratinocyt es. High-level expression of E8<^>E2C from heterologous vectors was Pound t o inhibit EI-Et-dependent DNA replication of an HPV31 origin of replication construct as well as to interfere with E2's ability to transactivate repor ter gene constructs, In addition, HPV31 E8<^>E2C strongly repressed the bas al activity of the major viral early promoter P97 independent of E2. E8<^>E 2C may therefore exert its negative effect on viral DNA replication through modulating E2's ability to enhance EI-dependent DNA replication as well as by regulating viral gene expression. Surprisingly, HPV31 genomes that were unable to express E8<^>E2C could not be maintained extrachromosomally in h uman keratinocytes in long-term assays despite high transient DNA replicati on levels. This suggests that the E8<^>E2C protein may play a role in copy number control as well as in the stable maintenance of HPV episomes.