Capsid assembly and DNA encapsidation by Epstein-Barr virus

Maxi-EBV, a laboratory-constructed Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) strain, contains an inserted F replicon. In this work, we have generated mutations in the BRLF1 promoter and demonstrates that the three Zta-response elements in the BRLF1 promoter are critical to the transcription of BRLF1; mutating any of these elements on the EBV genome significantly decreases the transcription of BRLF1. Meanwhile, an upstream fragment in the BRLF1 promoter, located between -968 and -850, is also crucial to the expression of Rta; without this fragment, activation of BRLF1 transcription by Zta is inefficient. Furthermore, mutants with a mutation in BDLF1 and BORF1 cannot assemble viral capsids; BBLF1, BBRF2, BRRF2 and BVRF1 mutants do not produce EBV particles. Results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of a comprehensive mutant library in genetic analyses of EBV.

Project ID:PG9604-0172
External Project ID:NHRI-EX96-9417BI