The Epstein-Barr Virus BDLF4 Gene Is Required for Efficient Expression of Viral Late Lytic Genes

Takahiro Watanabe; Yohei Narita; Masahiro Yoshida; Yoshitaka Sato; Fumi Goshima; Hiroshi Kimura; Takayuki Murata

doi:10.1128/JVI.01604-15

The Epstein-Barr Virus BDLF4 Gene Is Required for Efficient Expression of Viral Late Lytic Genes

J Virol. 2015 Oct;89(19):10120-4. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01604-15. Epub 2015 Jul 22.

Authors

Takahiro Watanabe¹, Yohei Narita¹, Masahiro Yoshida¹, Yoshitaka Sato¹, Fumi Goshima¹, Hiroshi Kimura¹, Takayuki Murata²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Virology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
² Department of Virology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan [email protected].

Abstract

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a gammaherpesvirus, associated with infectious mononucleosis and various types of malignancy. We focused here on the BDLF4 gene of EBV and identified it as a lytic gene, expressed with early kinetics. Viral late gene expression of the BDLF4 knockout strain was severely restricted; this could be restored by an exogenous supply of BDLF4. These results indicate that BDLF4 is important for the EBV lytic replication cycle, especially in late gene expression.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Gene Expression Regulation, Viral
Gene Knockout Techniques
Genes, Viral*
HEK293 Cells
Herpesvirus 4, Human / genetics*
Herpesvirus 4, Human / physiology*
Humans
Open Reading Frames
Virus Replication / genetics