Role of the UL28 homologue of bovine herpesvirus 1 in viral DNA cleavage and packaging.

In the aim to study the function of the bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) UL28 protein during the replicative cycle, we characterized a UL28 deletion mutant of BoHV-1, BoHV-1 Delta UL28. Productive growth of BoHV-1 Delta UL28 was only observed in a specifically engineered complementing cell line expressing the native UL28 protein, demonstrating that UL28 is essential for virus replication. UL28 deficiency did not compromised viral protein synthesis of the late class as shown by the detection of the viral alpha gene trans-inducing factor protein encoded by UL48, a gene of the gamma2 class. Southern blotting analyses of total DNA extracted from BoHV-1 Delta UL28-infected normal cells revealed that viral DNA replication was not compromised but the process of cleavage of the newly synthesized DNA was defective. Transmission electron microscopy of non-complementing BoHV-1 Delta UL28-infected cells revealed an accumulation of capsids devoid of DNA, suggesting that the DNA packaging was impaired. We conclude that the BoHV-1 UL28 protein is essential for viral replication and is necessary for the formation of mature capsid.

Transcriptional and translational expression kinetics of the UL25 homologue of bovine herpesvirus 1.1.

We investigated whether the bovine herpesvirus 1.1 (BHV1) ORF, a homologue of the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) UL25 gene, represented a functional gene. The BHV1 UL25 ORF, which is located at positions 60602<--62398 of the viral genome, generated a 4.5 kb transcript accumulating at low abundance as soon as 3 hours p.i. after which the levels increased up to 12h p.i. and remained constant up to 24 hours p.i. In addition, UL25 transcription initiated at 303 bases upstream from the translation initiation codon, corresponding to 26 and 354 b downstream from putative TATA and CAAT boxes, respectively, thus providing evidence that these elements function as the UL25 promoter. Western blotting of BHV1-infected cell lysates, using a BHV1-UL25 specific antiserum generated against a T7-Tag/UL25 fusion recombinant protein expressed in E. coli, detected a 63 kDa protein of the expected size (63,083 Da) whose expression profile followed that of its transcript. The synthesis of the 63 kDa protein was abrogated by a DNA synthesis inhibitor, unambiguously demonstrating that the viral specific protein expressed from the BHV1 UL25 ORF belongs to the gamma2 class.

Expression kinetics of the late UL12 gene encoding the bovine herpesvirus 1 alkaline nuclease.

We characterized the expression kinetics of the transcript and protein generated from the bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) homologue of the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) UL12 gene that encodes a viral alkaline nuclease. The BHV1 UL12 coding sequence, which was previously shown to express in E. coli a protein exhibiting nuclease activity, is located at positions 82776-->84239 of the viral genome. Northern blot analysis of RNA from BHV1-infected cells with a single strand RNA probe complementary to UL12 detected four specific 3' coterminal viral transcripts of 4.2, 3.7, 2.2, and 0.7 kb that accumulated simultaneously from 6 to 24 hours post-infection (p.i.). S1 nuclease mapping of the UL12 capping site at position 82384 of the genome as well as the identification of a consensus polyadenylation signal at 84490-84495 allowed us to establish that the 2.2 kb transcript corresponds to that of UL 12. A UL 12 specific antiserum generated against a T7-Tag/UL12 fusion protein expressed in E. coli detected a 53 kDa protein in cell lysates from BHV1-infected cells, whose size correlated with that predicted (51,844 Da), which accumulated from 12 to 30 h p.i. Differences observed between the transcriptional and translational expression profiles suggest that the UL12 of BHV1 is regulated at both the translational and posttranslational levels. Surprisingly, the protein expression was strictly dependent on viral DNA synthesis, unambiguously demonstrating that BHV1 UL12 belongs to viral genes of the gamma2 class. This is in contrast to the HSV1 and pseudorabies homologues that are classified as early (beta) genes. Further studies will be required to determine whether these kinetic differences have any functional implications.

Expression kinetics of the transcript and product of the UL28 homologue of bovine herpesvirus 1.

We report that the bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) UL28 ORF, a homologue of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) UL28 gene, represents a functional gene encoding a viral specific protein. The BHV1 UL28 ORF, located at positions 53058-->55538 of the viral genome, encodes a viral specific transcript of 3.4 kb detected at 6 h post-infection (p.i.) after which its levels accumulated up to 12 h p.i. and then remained constant up to 24 h p.i. Transcription of the BHV1 UL28 was determined to initiate 95 bases upstream from the ORF's initiating codon, which corresponds to 33 nucleotides downstream from a putative TATA box. A BHV1 UL28 specific antiserum, generated against a T7-Tag/UL28 fusion protein expressed in E. coli, specifically reacted with a 100 kDa protein in Western blots of BHV1-infected protein cell lysates. The expression kinetics of the protein was delayed by 6 h relative to that of its transcript suggesting that the gene is regulated at the translational level. In contrast to the HSV and pseudorabies virus UL28 genes, which belong to viral genes of the early (beta) class, that of BHV1 was unambiguously classified as a gamma2 gene. Further studies will be required to determine whether these kinetic differences have any functional implications.

Regulated expression of the integrin alpha9beta1 in the epithelium of the developing human gut and in intestinal cell lines: relation with cell proliferation.

The integrin alpha9beta1 is one of the recently identified integrins whose expression is restricted to specialized tissues. Its exact function is still unknown. In the present study, we have analyzed the expression of the alpha9 subunit in human fetal and adult small intestinal and colonic epithelia as well as in intestinal cell lines by indirect immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, Western blot, and Northern blot. In intact tissues, the antigen was restricted to the basolateral domain of epithelial cells in intestinal crypts at the fetal stage and was absent in the adult. The alpha9beta1 integrin was also detected in the intestinal cell lines HIEC-6 and Caco-2/15. The presence of alpha9beta1 in HIEC-6 was found to be consistent with their proliferative crypt-like status. In Caco-2/15 cells, the integrin was present at high levels in proliferating cells but was downregulated when cells cease to grow and undertake their differentiation. EGF treatment, which is known to maintain Caco-2/15 cells in a proliferative state, resulted in higher levels of alpha9 as compared to control cells. Taken together, these observations suggest a relation between integrin alpha9beta1 expression and proliferation in human intestinal cells.

Epithelial vs mesenchymal contribution to the extracellular matrix in the human intestine.

The basement membrane (BM) underlying the epithelium of the intestine is generally believed to be of both epithelial and mesenchymal origin but the exact contribution of each tissue has not been directly examined in the human. In this study, we have used a newly described procedure to dissociate the human intestine into pure epithelial and corresponding mesenchymal fractions. Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses of the fractions for the presence of transcripts encoding extracellular matrix molecules revealed that the epithelium produces the formal BM molecules such as the alpha 1, alpha 2, and beta 1 chains of laminin-1 and laminin-2 and the alpha 5(IV) and alpha 6(IV) chains of collagen as well as fibronectin, a BM-associated molecule. Interestingly, the alpha 1(IV) chain of collagen, which associates with the alpha 2(IV) chain to form the main BM collagen network, as well as tenascin-C and decorin, two BM-associated molecules, was found to be exclusively of mesenchymal origin. Taken together, these data support the concept that in the human, as in experimental animals, the intestinal BM is composed of components produced from both the epithelium and the mesenchyme.

Expression of the alpha9beta1 integrin in human colonic epithelial cells: resurgence of the fetal phenotype in a subset of colon cancers and adenocarcinoma cell lines.

Cell-matrix interactions are thought to be of critical importance in the regulation of various cell functions, including proliferation, migration and control of gene expression. The integrins, a large family of specific receptors for the macromolecules of the extracellular matrix, are important mediators of these interactions. The integrin alpha9beta1 is one of the integrins whose expression is restricted to specialized tissues. Its exact function is unknown. In the present study, we have analyzed expression of the alpha9 subunit in human colonic epithelial cells by indirect immuno-fluorescence and Western and Northern blots. In normal intact tissues, the antigen was detected at the basolateral domain of epithelial cells in colonic glands at the fetal stage but was absent in adults. Strong staining was detected constitutively in contractile cells at both stages. In adenocarcinomas, the alpha9 subunit was detected at the basolateral domain of epithelial cells in 6 of the 10 tumors tested, while a reduction of the staining was observed in the sub-epithelial myofibroblasts in parallel with peri-glandular stroma disorganization. The potential for colon adenocarcinoma cells to express the integrin alpha9 subunit was confirmed at both the protein and transcript levels in Caco-2 and T84 cell lines, 2 well-characterized cell lines known to exhibit polarization features. The 5 other cell lines tested were negative for expression of the alpha9 subunit. Taken together, our observations suggest that the alpha9 integrin subunit is subject to an onco-fetal pattern of expression in human colonic epithelium.

Tenascin may not be required for intestinal villus development.

Tenascin, a large extracellular matrix protein, is subject to complex spatial and temporal patterns of expression in the course of various organogenetic processes including the formation of the small intestinal villus. In the present study, the presence of tenascin was analyzed in human fetal colonic villi, which are transient structures that are programmed to disappear at the time of colonic mucosal remodeling. While the labeling of muscles and peripheral mesenchyme was similar in both segments, surprisingly the colonic villus cores were mostly devoid of tenascin as opposed to those of the small intestine. Western blot analysis revealed that the 220 and 320 kDa forms of tenascin were detected in both segments. However, the 200 kDa form present in small intestinal villi was absent in colonic villi. These data suggest that tenascin under its 200 kDa form is not required for villus formation.