Structure and coding content of CST (BART) family RNAs of Epstein-Barr virus

Citation
Pr. Smith et al., Structure and coding content of CST (BART) family RNAs of Epstein-Barr virus, J VIROLOGY, 74(7), 2000, pp. 3082-3092
Citations number
43
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
ISSN journal
0022538X → ACNP
Volume
74
Issue
7
Year of publication
2000
Pages
3082 - 3092
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-538X(200004)74:7<3082:SACCOC>2.0.ZU;2-G
Abstract
CST (BART BARF0) family viral RNAs are expressed in several types of Epstei n-Barr virus (EBV) infection, including EBV-associated cancers. Many differ ent spliced forms of these RNAs have been described; here we have clarified the structures of some of the more abundant splicing patterns. We report t he first cDNAs representing a full-length CST mRNA from a clone library and further characterize the transcription start. The relative abundance of sp licing patterns and genomic analysis of the open reading frames (ORFs) sugg est that, in addition to the much studied BARF0 ORF, there may be important products made from some of the upstream ORFs in the CST RNAs. Potential bi ological functions are identified for two of these. The product of the RPMS 1 ORF is shown to be a nuclear protein that can bind to the CBF1 component of Notch signal transduction. RPMS1 can inhibit the transcription activatio n induced through CBF1 by NotchIC or EBNA-2. The protein product of another CST ORF, A73, is shown to be a cytoplasmic protein which can interact with the cell RACK1 protein. Since RACK1 modulates signaling from protein kinas e C and Src tyrosine kinases, the results suggest a possible role for CST p roducts in growth control, perhaps consistent with the abundant transcripti on of CST RNAs in cancers such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma.