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Title: FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE MDV BASIC-LEUCINE ZIPPER PRODUCT, MEQ

Author
item BRUNOVSKIS, PETER - CASE WESTERN RESERVE
item QIAN, ZHENG - CASE WESTERN RESERVE
item LI, DESHAN - CASE WESTERN RESERVE
item Lee, Lucy
item KUNG, HSING-JIEN - CASE WESTERN RESERVE

Submitted to: International Marek's Disease Symposium Abstracts and Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We have recently described the identification and preliminary characterization of a novel, MDV-encoded basic-leucine zipper (bZIP)-containing transcription factor (Jones et al., PNAS 89:4042-4046, 1992; Qian et al., J. Virol. 69:4037-4044, 1995). Through a combination of co-precipitation and gel shift analyses, we have identified multiple bZIP (Jun, Fos, ATF/CREB) and the non-bZIP (p53, RB, ICP4) polypeptides capable of interacting with Meq. To examine the functional significance of these various protein-protein interactions in vivo, we have recently focused on the use of transient cotrasfection analyses using luciferase-based reporter constructs. These experiments involve the use of reporter constructs containing AP-1, p53- or Rb-response elements, as well as several others containing MDV promoters linked to luciferase. These assays have served, in some cases, to validate our previously observed protein-protein interactions. Additional studies, currently in progress, are seeking to map the different functional domains important in transcriptional regulation and responsive to different signal transduction pathways. We have also recently identified a site in the putative MDV origin of replication that can bind to Meq-Meq homodimers and Meq-Jun heterodimers. We are therefore investigating a potential role for Meq in MDV DNA replication. The results of this analysis will be presented.