Replication of and protein synthesis by TT viruses.

The host cells and the events in the cells during Torque teno (TT) virus infection are at present unknown. Replicating TT virus DNA has been detected in liver, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and in bone marrow. By alternative splicing this small virus generates three mRNA species, from which by alternative translation initiation at least six proteins are produced. The functions of the proteins are not yet fully understood. However, functions associated with, e.g., DNA replication, immunomodulation, and apoptosis have been suggested to reside in the multifunctional proteins of anelloviruses.

CA- and purine-rich elements form a novel bipartite exon enhancer which governs inclusion of the minute virus of mice NS2-specific exon in both singly and doubly spliced mRNAs.

The alternatively spliced 290-nucleotide NS2-specific exon of the parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM), which is flanked by a large intron upstream and a small intron downstream, constitutively appears both in the R1 mRNA as part of a large 5'-terminal exon (where it is translated in open reading frame 3 [ORF3]), and in the R2 mRNA as an internal exon (where it is translated in ORF2). We have identified a novel bipartite exon enhancer element, composed of CA-rich and purine-rich elements within the 5' and 3' regions of the exon, respectively, that is required to include NS2-specific exon sequences in mature spliced mRNA in vivo. These two compositionally different enhancer elements are somewhat redundant in function: either element alone can at least partially support exon inclusion. They are also interchangeable: either element can function at either position. Either a strong 3' splice site upstream (i.e., the exon 5' terminus) or a strong 5' splice site downstream (i.e., the exon 3' terminus) is sufficient to prevent skipping of the NS2-specific exon, and a functional upstream 3' splice site is required for inclusion of the NS2-specific exon as an internal exon into the mature, doubly spliced R2 mRNA. The bipartite enhancer functionally strengthens these termini: the requirement for both the CA-rich and purine-rich elements can be overcome by improvements to the polypyrimidine tract of the upstream intron 3' splice site, and the purine-rich element also supports exon inclusion mediated through the downstream 5' splice sites. In summary, a suboptimal large-intron polypyrimidine tract, sequences within the downstream small intron, and a novel bipartite exonic enhancer operate together to yield the balanced levels of R1 and R2 observed in vivo. We suggest that the unusual bipartite exonic enhancer functions to mediate proper levels of inclusion of the NS2-specific exon in both singly spliced R1 and doubly spliced R2.

A premature termination codon interferes with the nuclear function of an exon splicing enhancer in an open reading frame-dependent manner.

Premature translation termination codon (PTC)-mediated effects on nuclear RNA processing have been shown to be associated with a number of human genetic diseases; however, how these PTCs mediate such effects in the nucleus is unclear. A PTC at nucleotide (nt) 2018 that lies adjacent to the 5' element of a bipartite exon splicing enhancer within the NS2-specific exon of minute virus of mice P4 promoter-generated pre-mRNA caused a decrease in the accumulated levels of P4-generated R2 mRNA relative to P4-generated R1 mRNA, although the total accumulated levels of P4 product remained the same. This effect was seen in nuclear RNA and was independent of RNA stability. The 5' and 3' elements of the bipartite NS2-specific exon enhancer are redundant in function, and when the 2018 PTC was combined with a deletion of the 3' enhancer element, the exon was skipped in the majority of the viral P4-generated product. Such exon skipping in response to a PTC, but not a missense mutation at nt 2018, could be suppressed by frame shift mutations in either exon of NS2 which reopened the NS2 open reading frame, as well as by improvement of the upstream intron 3' splice site. These results suggest that a PTC can interfere with the function of an exon splicing enhancer in an open reading frame-dependent manner and that the PTC is recognized in the nucleus.

Rapid enrichment of HeLa transcription factors IIIB and IIIC by using affinity chromatography based on avidin-biotin interactions.

Plasmid DNA containing the adenovirus type 2 genes for VA RNA was linearized at a site distal to the gene, end labeled with a biotin-nucleotide analog of TTP, and incubated with avidin to form an avidin-biotinylated DNA complex. HeLa cell S100 extracts containing crude RNA polymerase III and transcription factors (TFs) IIIB and IIIC were programmed with the avidin-biotin-VA DNA to allow stable complex formation (A.B. Lassar, P.L. Martin, and R.G. Roeder, Science 222:740-748, 1983). Chromatography of the programmed extract over a biotin-cellulose affinity resin resulted in the selective, and virtually quantitative, retention of one of two stable preinitiation complexes, either VA-IIIC or VA-IIIC-IIIB, depending on the length of template incubation in the S100 extract. After washing the resin with 0.10 M and 0.25 M KCl to remove RNA polymerase III and nonspecifically bound proteins, respectively, TFIIIC was eluted from the VA-IIIC complex by the addition of 1.5 M KCl. The VA-IIIC-IIIB complex exhibited a higher salt stability. Most of TFIIIB and some TFIIIC were released by the addition of 1.5 M KCl; however, the majority of TFIIIC activity was recovered only after a subsequent 3.0 M KCl elution. The specific activity of the TFIIIC in the 3.0 M KCl fraction was 770-fold higher than that in the S100 extract, while the protein content of the 1.5 and 3.0 M KCl fractions was reduced 7,500- and 100,000-fold, respectively.

Detection of rat parvovirus type 1 and rat minute virus type 1 by polymerase chain reaction.

Two newly recognized parvovirus species, rat parvovirus 1 (RPV-1) and rat minute virus 1 (RMV-1), were recently identified in naturally infected rats. In this study, two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were developed to specifically detect RPV-1 and RMV-1. The RPV-1 PCR assay amplified the expected 487-bp deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragment only in the presence of RPV-1 DNA; the RMV-1 PCR assay amplified the expected 843-bp product only from RMV-1 DNA, not from other rodent parvoviruses. The RPV-1 and the RMV-1 PCR assays detected approximately 18 and 70 copies of DNA template, respectively. These two PCR assays were shown to be sensitive, specific and rapid methods for detecting RPV-1 and RMV-1 infections in rats. These assays may also be valuable for evaluation of biological specimens for parvovirus contamination.

The p39 promoter of minute virus of mice directs high levels of bovine growth hormone gene expression in the bovine papilloma virus shuttle vector.

The promoter of the capsid-coding genes of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) is shown to drive high levels of expression of the heterologous bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene in a bovine papilloma virus (BPV)-based shuttle vector. The expression of bGH directed by the MVM p39 promoter was, on average, higher than that obtained from the widely used metallothionein promoter. These results indicate that the MVM-p39/BPV shuttle vector will be generally useful for the high-level expression of heterologous genes.

Adeno-associated virus RNAs appear in a temporal order and their splicing is stimulated during coinfection with adenovirus.

We have used a quantitative RNase protection assay to characterize the relative accumulation and abundance of individual adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV) RNAs throughout the course of AAV-adenovirus coinfections and preinfections. We have demonstrated that there is a previously unrecognized temporal order to the appearance of AAV RNAs. First, unspliced P5-generated transcripts, which encode Rep78, were detectable prior to the significant accumulation of other AAV RNAs. Ultimately, as previously demonstrated, P19-generated products accumulated to levels greater than those generated from P5, and P40-generated transcripts predominated in the total RNA pool. Second, the percentage of each class of AAV RNA that was spliced increased during infection, and the degree of this increase was different for the P5/P19 products than for those generated by P40. At late times postcoinfection, approximately 90% of P40 products, but only approximately 50% of RNAs generated by P5 and P19, were seen to be spliced; thus, the AAV intron was removed to different final levels from these different RNA species. We have shown that each of the AAV RNAs is quite stable; the majority of each RNA species persisted 6 h after treatment with actinomycin D. Quantification of the accumulation of individual AAV RNAs, over intervals during which degradation was negligible, allowed us to infer that at late times during infection the relative strength of P5, P19, and P40 was approximately 1:3:18, respectively, consistent with the steady-state accumulated levels of the RNAs generated by each promoter. All AAV RNAs exited to the cytoplasm with similar efficiencies in the presence or absence of adenovirus; however, adenovirus coinfection appeared to stimulate total splicing of AAV RNAs and the relative use of the downstream intron acceptor. Our results confirm and extend previous observations concerning the appearance and processing of AAV-generated RNAs.

The two transcription units of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice are transcribed in a temporal order.

Using quantitative RNase protection assays, we have monitored the appearance of mRNAs generated during lytic infection of tightly synchronized murine cells by the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice. Our results demonstrate that transcripts from the P4 promoter can be detected prior to those from the P39 promoter, providing direct evidence for a temporal order of expression between the two parvovirus promoters.

The minute virus of mice P39 transcription unit can encode both capsid proteins.

The right-hand 80% of the genome of minute virus of mice (MVM) was cloned into the bovine papillomavirus type I shuttle vector and used to transfect mouse C127 cells. Transformed lines were isolated that efficiently produce both authentic MVM capsid proteins at a ratio similar to that seen in a normal viral infection, and these proteins assemble into intact empty virions. The only transcription of MVM sequences detected in these lines was representative of the viral P39 transcription unit, which therefore contains sufficient information to encode both authentic capsid proteins at the same regulated ratio seen in an infected cell.

Minute virus of mice (MVM) mRNAs predominantly polyadenylate at a single site.

The polyadenylation sites for MVM(p) and MVM(i) mRNAs were determined by a quantitative hybridization-S1 protection assay. mRNAs produced by MVM(p) both early and late in infection of mouse A9 fibroblasts, and by MVM(p) and MVM(i) late in infection of human NB324K cells, polyadenylate predominantly at a single site, at nucleotide 4908 +/- 2 for MVM(p) and 4843 +/- 2 for MVM(i), shortly downstream of the final AATAAA in each viral genome. These results demonstrate that although the right-hand end of MVM has multiple AATAAA signals, and MVM(p) and MVM(i) vary significantly within this region, 3' end processing of viral mRNAs is not a prevalent mechanism for the regulation of MVM gene expression.

The small non-structural protein NS2 of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice is required for virus growth in murine cells.

Mutants of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) strains MVM(p) and MVM(i) that either fail to produce or produce a truncated NS2 protein, were deficient in the production of infectious virus and attained lower levels of viral DNA synthesis than wild-type virus following infection of a series of normal and transformed murine cell lines. Mutant virus growth and the levels of DNA replication were similar to those of wild-type virus in the rat, hamster and human lines tested. These results suggest that the requirement of NS2 for the growth of MVM is murine species-specific.

Recombination within the nonstructural genes of the parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVM) generates functional levels of wild-type NS1, which can be detected in the absence of selective pressure following transfection of nonreplicating plasmids.

Recombination within the coding region of the nonstructural genes of minute virus of mice (MVM), which generates functional levels of wild-type NS1, was observed in the absence of selective pressure following cotransfection of nonreplicating plasmids. P38 activity was used as a measure of recombinant NS1 production, which, together with direct detection of recombinant-generated products by RT-PCR, allowed an estimation of recombination efficiency. In addition, we show that very low levels of wild-type NS1 were able to significantly transactivate P38. Given that recombination following cotransfection can generate NS1 at these levels, our observations have implications for the study of parvoviral genetics, the construction of recombinant parvoviral vectors for gene therapy applications, and perhaps other systems using cotransfection of plasmids that share homologous sequences.

Characterization of the minute virus of mice P38 core promoter elements.

While the minute virus of mice (MVM) P4 promoter, which drives the viral nonstructural genes, is highly active in the absence of viral proteins, P38, the capsid gene promoter, is strictly dependent on the viral nonstructural protein NS1. Once fully transactivated, however, P38 mediates twice the steady-state level of expression achieved by P4. In this report, we address the discrepancy between the ability of P38 to mediate very high levels of activated transcription yet only low levels of basal expression, and we investigate the determinants that govern P38 basal expression. The isolated P38 core promoter elements (the P38 Sp1-binding site and TATA element) are at least as transcriptionally competent as the analogous P4 promoter elements. Proximally positioning P4 enhancer factor-binding sequences (nucleotides [nt] 57 to 157) upstream of isolated P38 core transcription regulatory elements or upstream of a native, though abbreviated, P38 cassette (MVM nt 1938 to 2072) confers significant levels of expression to P38 in the absence of NS1, while the full left-end hairpin sequences (nt 1 to 133) elevate basal P38 activity to levels equivalent to P4 basal levels. In the context of the complete viral genome, however, proximally positioned enhancer sequences are unable to confer significant levels of expression to P38, suggesting that low P38 basal levels are a consequence not only of a lack of proximal enhancer elements but also of additional positional regulatory constraints which can be overcome by NS1.

Intron definition is required for excision of the minute virus of mice small intron and definition of the upstream exon.

Alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs plays a critical role in maximizing the coding capacity of the small parvovirus genome. The small-intron region of minute virus of mice (MVM) pre-mRNAs undergoes an unusual pattern of overlapping alternative splicing--using two donors (D1 and D2) and two acceptors (A1 and A2) within a region of 120 nucleotides--that determines the steady-state ratios of the various viral mRNAs. In this report, we show that the determinants that govern excision of the small intron are complex and are also required for efficient definition of the upstream exon. For the MVM small intron in its natural context, the two donors appear to compete for the splicing machinery: the position of D1 favors its usage, while the primary sequence of D2 must be more like the consensus sequence than is D1 to be used efficiently. We have genetically defined the branch points that are used for generation of the major and minor spliced forms and show that recognition of components of the small-intron acceptors is likely to be the dominant determinant in alternative small-intron excision. We have also identified a G-rich intronic enhancer sequence within the small intron that is essential for splicing of the minor form (D2 to A2) but not the major form (D1 to A1) of MVM mRNAs and is required for efficient definition of the upstream NS2-specific exon. In its natural context, the small intron appears to be excised by a mechanism consistent with intron definition. When the MVM small intron is expanded, various parameters of its excision are altered, indicating that critical cis-acting signals are context dependent. Relative use of the donors and acceptors is altered, and the upstream NS2-specific exon is no longer efficiently defined. The fact that definition of the upstream NS2-specific exon can be achieved by the MVM small intron in its natural context, but not when it is expanded, suggests that the multiple determinants that govern definition and excision of the small intron are required, in concert, for upstream exon definition. Our data are consistent with a model in which alternative splicing of the MVM P4-generated pre-mRNAs is governed by a hybrid of intron- and exon-defining mechanisms.

Amino acids 16-275 of minute virus of mice NS1 include a domain that specifically binds (ACCA)2-3-containing DNA.

GST-NS1 purified from Escherichia coli and insect cells binds double-strand DNA in an (ACCA)2-3-dependent fashion under similar ionic conditions, independent of the presence of anti-NS1 antisera or exogenously supplied ATP and interacts with single-strand DNA and RNA in a sequence-independent manner. An amino-terminal domain (amino acids 1-275) of NS1 [GST-NS1(1-275)], representing 41% of the full-length NS1 molecule, includes a domain that binds double-strand DNA in a sequence-specific manner at levels comparable to full-length GST-NS1, as well as single-strand DNA and RNA in a sequence-independent manner. The deletion of 15 additional amino-terminal amino acids yielded a molecule [GST-NS1(1-275)] that maintained (ACCA)2-3-specific double-strand DNA binding; however, this molecule was more sensitive to increasing ionic conditions than full-length GST-NS1 and GST-NS1(1-275) and could not be demonstrated to bind single-strand nucleic acids. A quantitative filter binding assay showed that E. coli- and baculovirus-expressed GST-NS1 and E. coli GST-NS1(1-275) specifically bound double-strand DNA with similar equilibrium kinetics [as measured by their apparent equilibrium DNA binding constants (KD)], whereas GST-NS1(16-275) bound 4- to 8-fold less well.

Inclusion of the NS2-specific exon in minute virus of mice mRNA is facilitated by an intronic splicing enhancer that affects definition of the downstream small intron.

Alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs plays a critical role in maximizing the coding capacity of the small parvovirus genome. The small-intron region of minute virus of mice (MVM) pre-mRNAs undergoes an unusual pattern of overlapping alternative splicing, using two donors, D1 and D2, and two acceptors, A1 and A2, within a region of 120 nucleotides, that governs the steady-state ratios of the various viral mRNAs. In a previous report we demonstrated that a complex interaction between both donor and acceptor sequences, as well as the constraints of size, defines the small intron and governs its alternative splicing. We also identified a G-rich intronic splicing enhancer sequence (IES) that appeared to function as both an intron- and an exon-defining element. In this report we further examined the components that govern MVM small-intron splicing. In fully processed wild-type mRNAs, A1 is used preferentially over A2. In this report, we show that in the context of the wild-type small intron the position of the downstream acceptor A2 was preferred, and the primary sequence of A1 must be stronger for it to be utilized at wild-type efficiency. Use of A2 in generation of the minor spliced forms D2/A2 required the IES because of a weak A2 polypyrimidine tract and because of the relative strength of A1. The small size of the intron and the relative position of the IES were also shown to play a critical role in donor and acceptor site selection. Finally, we have further characterized how the IES functions as an intronic enhancer of upstream exon definition. When the small intron was expanded, upstream exon inclusion was dependent upon the position of the IES. Within the context of the small intron, alterations of the small intron that overcame the requirement for the IES for splicing to A2 also permitted wild-type levels of upstream exon inclusion in the absence of the IES, suggesting that, in its natural context, the IES facilitates upstream exon inclusion by affecting small-intron definition.

Accumulation of MVM gene products is differentially regulated by transcription initiation, RNA processing and protein stability.

The accumulation and stability of minute virus of mice (MVMp) RNA and protein as well as comparative strengths of the two viral promoters have been analyzed in highly synchronous infections of murine A9 fibroblasts. Results indicate that there is a temporal phasing of the accumulation of MVM RNA and protein: the RNA products of the P4 promoter appear prior to the products of the P38 promoter and NS1 and NS2 appear prior to the capsid proteins. Total and cytoplasmic spliced RNA accumulate similarly, although there is a lag in cytoplasmic accumulation of about 2 hr. Total RNA contains abundant unspliced R1 and R3 which are confined to the nucleus. There is no detectable difference in the ratio of the various spliced versions of each RNA species throughout infection. R2 accumulates faster and in a greater amount than R1 in both total and cytoplasmic RNA even though they are generated from the same promoter. During this same period, however, NS1 and NS2 accumulate to similar levels during 1-hr pulses. The stabilities of all MVM RNA species produced at both 9 and 12 hr postrelease are equivalent. Late in infection R3 accumulates faster and in greater amounts than the combined products of the P4 promoter, by approximately two- to threefold. This increase can be accounted for by an increase in the frequency of initiation from the P38 promoter, relative to P4, as assayed by nuclear run-on experiments. Therefore, the steady-state levels of the individual viral proteins during infection is controlled by specific regulation at the level of the initiation of transcription, RNA processing, and protein stability.

The NS2 protein generated by the parvovirus minute virus of mice is degraded by the proteasome in a manner independent of ubiquitin chain elongation or activation.

The NS2 protein generated by the parvovirus minute virus of mice is very labile, having a half-life during infection of approximately 90 min. The degradation of NS2 is blocked by proteasome inhibitors but is likely ubiquitin independent: NS2 does not form detectable higher molecular weight ubiquitin-containing conjugates, and NS2 degradation requires neither ubiquitin chain elongation nor intracellular ubiquitin activation. We have also identified a region in the carboxyl half of NS2 that is required for its proteasome-mediated degradation.

NS2 is required for efficient translation of viral mRNA in minute virus of mice-infected murine cells.

Detailed analysis of five NS2 mutants of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice (MVMp) has revealed the following. At low multiplicities of infection, NS2 mutants killed NB324K cells as well as wild-type (wt) MVM did and grew to high titers, while in contrast they grew poorly and did not readily kill murine A9 cells. Following CaPO4 transfection of murine fibroblasts, NS2 mutant infectious clones generated approximately 10-fold less monomer replicative-form DNA than wt and no detectable progeny single-stranded DNA. On nonmurine semipermissive NB324K cells, however, these mutant plasmid clones generated near wt levels of all replicative DNA forms. After infection of highly synchronized murine fibroblasts by NS2 mutant virus at inputs equivalent to those of the wt, mutant monomer replicative-form DNA was decreased 5- to 10-fold compared with that of the wt, and progeny single-stranded DNA accumulation was decreased to an even greater extent. Both total and cytoplasmic NS2 mutant RNA was decreased, but the amount of total viral mRNA generated, relative to accumulated viral DNA in the same experiments, was similar to that seen in wt infection. The accumulation of virus-generated proteins was also decreased in NS2 mutant infection; however, the magnitude of this decrease, compared with that of wt infections, was significantly greater than the concomitant decrease in mutant-generated levels of accumulated cytoplasmic RNA, and this effect was most dramatic for VP2. There was no such disparity between the relative accumulation of mutant-generated RNA and protein in cells permissive for the growth of these mutants. These results suggest that translation of MVM viral RNA is specifically reduced in NS2 mutant infection of restrictive cells. Because the affected viral proteins are required for the efficient production of viral replicative DNA forms, these results reveal a fundamental, although perhaps not the only, role for NS2 in parvovirus infection.

Characterization of the temporal accumulation of minute virus of mice replicative intermediates.

We have characterized the temporal appearance and accumulation of minute virus of mice (MVM) replicative forms (RF) in highly synchronized single rounds of infection using a combination of restriction endonuclease analysis and two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis. Between 4 and 12 h after release of infected cells into the S-phase, both monomer (mRF) and dimer RF (dRF) increased exponentially at similar rates such that the ratio of mRF relative to dRF remained unchanged. These DNA forms accumulated at a faster rate than MVM RNAs, suggesting that the number of DNA templates available for replication is limiting, not the expression of MVM gene products, and that the majority of DNA templates are likely to be destined for DNA amplification rather than transcription and further gene expression. During this exponential DNA amplification phase, approximately 65% of mRF were in a fully extended form, whereas most of the remaining mRF were covalently closed in the left end and extended in the right end. Although MVM replication presumably generates right-hand turn-around mRF, only a low level of this form persists (5 to 10% of total mRF) at all times examined, suggesting that this form must be quickly converted to the extended form. Greater than 90% of dRF, which have right-hand palindromes on both ends of the molecule, were extended on both ends. A significant proportion of dRF and higher concatemers are nicked in the left-hand palindrome, suggesting that resolution of dRF into two mRFs may occur via single-stranded nicks rather than a double-stranded cut. An additional replicative form, previously termed band X, has been identified as an RNA-DNA duplex. This band is formed predominantly intracellularly, before cell lysis but its biological significance remains unclear. Our results provide direct experimental support for many of the predictions of the current models of parvovirus replication and suggest that the kinetic hairpin transfer model should be adjusted to include a strand-transfer of similar mechanism for the resolution of dRF to account adequately for the production of left-end turn-around forms.