Visualization of Molecular Biology: the LANA Tether Vaibhav Jaina and Rolf Rennea,B,C,1

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Visualization of Molecular Biology: the LANA Tether Vaibhav Jaina and Rolf Rennea,B,C,1 COMMENTARY COMMENTARY Visualization of molecular biology: The LANA tether Vaibhav Jaina and Rolf Rennea,b,c,1 The latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) plays we focus on the role of LANA with respect to ge- a central role in the biology and pathogenesis of nome persistence during latency. The first evidence Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). that KSHV LANA, like EBNA1 from the related hu- Both classical and endemic KS in HIV-infected individ- man tumor virus Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), is re- uals and two lymphoproliferative diseases are associ- sponsibleforgenomesegregationcamein1999, ated with KSHV. During the latent phase of the viral when it was demonstrated that plasmids containing TR life cycle in dividing tumor cells, the LANA protein en- sequences were stably segregated in cells expressing sures that viral genomes persist by supporting both LANA (9, 10). Multiple groups identified the TR se- the initiation of DNA replication and segregation of quences as cis-regulatory elements essential for both viral episomes (nonintegrated circular viral genomes) the initiation of DNA replication and the segregation into daughter cells. Arguably, interrupting these com- of TR-containing plasmids during mitosis. The LANA plex LANA-dependent processes could be one of the C-terminal domain was mapped and shown to bind most promising antiviral and antitumor therapeutic to two LANA binding sites (LBS1 and LBS2) in a co- strategies. Hence, studying the molecular and cell bio- operative manner (11). Next, elegant structural and ge- logical details of LANA’s host/viral protein and chro- netic approaches demonstrated that an 18-aa-long matin interactions has been a focus in a number of N-terminal peptide specifically interacts with the H2A/ laboratories since 1996. In PNAS, Grant et al. (1) pro- H2B histone interface, and that this interaction is re- pose an intriguing model of the architectural super- quired for episomal segregation (12). The model that structure of LANA multimers bound to the terminal arose from these molecular studies is that LANA binds repeats (TRs) of KSHV genomes by applying superre- to the viral TR sequences via its C-terminal DNA binding solution microscopy in combination with computational domain in a highly sequence-specific manner, while modeling. tethering viral episomes to host chromatin through in- teraction of the LANA N-terminal domain with histones. A Brief History In other words, LANA forms a “tether” or “bridge” Shortly after KSHV was discovered in KS lesions and between viral and host chromatin. As described above, primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) cells had been many molecular details are now known. identified as a source for KS virus, reports described characteristic nuclear speckles that were observed by The Challenges of Unraveling the LANA Tether immunofluorescence when staining PEL cells with sera When imaging the structure of the LANA tether in from patients who were PCR-positive for KSHV (2–4). the context of infected cells, many challenges and Soon after, cloning and sequencing of the complete hurdles exist. For one, only recently have X-ray crys- KSHV genome and identification of the major KSHV tallographic data revealed the structure of the C- latency-associated genes, in combination with trans- terminal DNA binding domain (less than 25% of fection experiments, revealed that LANA encoded by LANA), either bound or unbound to TR sequences. ORF73 is the antigen that reacts with KSHV-positive These data revealed a third, previously overlooked, patient antisera to give rise to “LANA speckles” (5, binding site for LANA, termed LBS3, adjacent to 6). To date, detection of LANA speckles is the gold LBS1 and LBS2 (13–16). To the best of our knowl- standard for KSHV diagnostics (7). LANA is a large edge, no crystals have been obtained for full-length 220- to 240-kDa nuclear protein that interacts with LANA. Second, KSHV-infected cells contain many many host cellular proteins involved in DNA replication episomes, each containing between 21 and 45 801-bp and transcriptional regulation (8). For this discussion, TR sequences; each TR contains three LBSs. Third, it is aDepartment of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610; bUF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610; and cUF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 Author contributions: V.J. and R.R. wrote the paper. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Published under the PNAS license. See companion article on page 4992. 1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: [email protected]. Published online April 24, 2018. 4816–4818 | PNAS | May 8, 2018 | vol. 115 | no. 19 www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1804797115 Downloaded by guest on September 30, 2021 important to note that both viral DNA and host DNA are fully chro- domain folded as a coiled-coil, only three of these epitopes matinized and additionally carry specific epigenetic modifications should be accessible for antibody binding, which was confirmed that dictate both transcriptional status and chromatin accessibility. by the observed dSTORM signals. Putting it all together, Grant Facing these challenging circumstances, the Kedes laboratory et al. (1) simulate a large number of different models by varying focused on applying high-resolution imaging techniques to LANA occupancy across LBS1, LBS2, and LBS3; the linkage gather structural insight about the LANA tether. They began in between the LANA N terminus and C terminus as a coiled-coil 2006, using flow cytometry analysis of LANA epifluorescence in domain; and the X-ray crystal structures observed for the C ter- primary infected B cells in combination with qPCR to demonstrate minus, and, importantly, the angle between LANA tethers in the that each LANA speckle is composed of LANA molecules bound two-TR model by phasing 10 nucleotides along 360° of the DNA to a single viral episome, thereby taking out one of the many helix. The calculations result in a model with full LANA occu- stoichiometric variables (17). In this collaborative study between pancy at each TR and phase 8 for the two-TR model. In- Kedes and Smith and their coworkers (1), direct stochastic optical terestingly, when analyzing infected cells with multiple TRs, the reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) is applied to generate a 3D phasing varies between different TR tethers. In summary, as in- architectural model of one-half of the LANA tether consisting of dicated in the title, the combination of dSTORM and computa- LANA molecules bound to different numbers of TR sequences tional modeling resulted in a beautiful model that integrates either in the context of viral infection or in cells transfected with dSTORM data with many previous in vitro observations, and TR-containing plasmids and a LANA expression construct. Using therefore lets us “see” the underlying molecular biology of the this platform in combination with elegant genetic tools, they make LANA tether. several key observations that are based on imaging of photons emitted from specific antibodies that stain full-length LANA. First, What’s Next? they show that each tether has specific dimensions in two different This working model provides a significant step toward addressing cell types infected with the same virus strain. Imaging cells additional open questions. For example, how can these studies transfected with different copy numbers of TRs (2, 8, or 21) extend to the other half of the LANA tether to host chromatin? showed linear scaling with LANA binding, suggesting that all TRs Additionally, a number of proteins, including BRD4, have been are occupied by LANA. By integrating previously published data proposed to be part of the tether, and recent imaging data on on the dimensions of active versus transcriptionally suppressed chromatin, they determine that those TR regions between occu- episomes have suggested diversity or clustering during cell divi- pied LANA binding sites that are nucleosome-associated show sions between EBV and KSHV episomes (14, 16, 19, 20). These the characteristics of active chromatin. This latter finding is in issues could be addressed by applying dSTORM to EBV-infected agreement with studies demonstrating active chromatin region at cells. Furthermore, dSTORM can be extended to multiple color TRs, but in contrast to studies that identified repressive chromatin channels, thereby allowing the simultaneous staining of LANA remodelers at TRs (11, 18). To construct an overall model of the plus BRD4, and by using modalities to stain viral DNA, for ex- LANA tether in infected cells, many observations based on the ample, with custom-designed zinc fingers. Additional structural two-TR tether structure are incorporated and integrated with insight may come from applying cryoelectron microscopy, many of the above-described molecular details, such as the whose resolution is constantly improving, and which recently has bending of DNA by LANA, and the proposed coil-coil domain of resolved molecular interactions within viral capsids and even the central domain, which will have an impact on the overall tether ribonucleotide protein complexes of large RNA virus polymer- architecture. To structurally interrogate this domain, a LANA- ases (21, 22). We are confident that we will have the opportunity specific antibody recognizing 22 potential epitopes within the to see the next generation of the LANA tether in action in the central region was used for imaging. However, if the central LANA near future. 1 Grant MJ, Loftus MS, Stoja AP, Kedes DH, Smith MM (2018) Superresolution microscopy reveals structural mechanisms driving the nanoarchitecture of a viral chromatin tether. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 115:4992–4997. 2 Chang Y, et al. (1994) Identification of herpesvirus-like DNA sequences in AIDS-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma. Science 266:1865–1869. 3 Kedes DH, et al. (1996) The seroepidemiology of human herpesvirus 8 (Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus): Distribution of infection in KS risk groups and evidence for sexual transmission. Nat Med 2:918–924.
Recommended publications
  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE Short Telomeres and High Telomerase Activity in T
    Leukemia (2007) 21, 2456–2462 & 2007 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0887-6924/07 $30.00 www.nature.com/leu ORIGINAL ARTICLE Short telomeres and high telomerase activity in T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia ARo¨th1,JDu¨rig1, H Himmelreich2,3, S Bug4, R Siebert4,UDu¨hrsen1, PM Lansdorp5,6 and GM Baerlocher2,3 1Department of Hematology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; 2Department of Hematology, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland; 3Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland; 4Institute of Human Genetics, Christian-Albrechts-University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany; 5Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Research Centre, Vancouver, Canada and 6Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 4 5 To test the role of telomere biology in T-cell prolymphocytic repeats of the sequence T2AG3 and associated proteins folded leukemia (T-PLL), a rare aggressive disease characterized by into a telomere loop structure.6 Telomeres are required to the expansion of a T-cell clone derived from immuno-compe- tent post-thymic T-lymphocytes, we analyzed telomere length maintain chromosomal integrity and prevent end-to-end fusions and telomerase activity in subsets of peripheral blood leuko- of chromosomes. When telomeric ends become too short, DNA cytes from 11 newly diagnosed or relapsed patients with damage signals from telomeres can induce apoptosis or a state sporadic T-PLL. Telomere length values of the leukemic T cells of replicative senescence.7,8 Telomeres shorten with each round (mean7s.d.: 1.5370.65 kb) were all below the 1st percentile of of cell division as a result of failure to completely replicate the 30 telomere length values observed in T cells from healthy age- end of chromosomes9,10 as well as other causes.11 The average matched controls whereas telomere length of normal T- and telomere length in cells from most human tissues decreases with B cells fell between the 1st and 99th percentile of the normal 12,13 distribution.
    [Show full text]
  • S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Lana2 Protein Interacts with the Pocket Proteins and Inhibits Their Sumoylation
    Oncogene (2014) 33, 495–503 & 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved 0950-9232/14 www.nature.com/onc ORIGINAL ARTICLE Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lana2 protein interacts with the pocket proteins and inhibits their sumoylation L Marcos-Villar1,5, P Gallego1,5, C Mun˜ oz-Fontela2, CF de la Cruz-Herrera1, M Campagna1, D Gonza´lez1, F Lopitz-Otsoa3, MS Rodrı´guez3,4 and C Rivas1 The pocket proteins retinoblastoma protein (pRb), p107 and p130 are the key targets of oncoproteins expressed by DNA tumor viruses. Some of these viral proteins contain an LXCXE motif that mediates the interaction with the three pocket proteins and the inhibition of the pRb SUMOylation. Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) contains at least two proteins that can regulate pRb function but, so far, a KSHV-encoded protein targeting p107 and p130 has not been identified. Here, we show that the KSHV latent protein LANA2 binds to pRb, p107 and p130. LANA2 contains an LXCXE motif that is required for bypassing pRb-mediated cell-cycle arrest and for inhibiting pRb SUMOylation. Finally, we demonstrate that, in addition to pRb, both p107 and p130 can be SUMOylated, and this modification is also inhibited by LANA2 in an LXCXE-dependent manner. These results demonstrate, for the first time, the SUMOylation of p107 or p130 and, so far, they represent the first example of a KSHV protein able to interact with the three pocket proteins and to inhibit their conjugation to SUMO. Oncogene (2014) 33, 495–503; doi:10.1038/onc.2012.603; published online 14 January 2013 Keywords: pocket proteins; KSHV; LANA2; pocket proteins; sumoylation; LXCXE domain INTRODUCTION vIRF3, interacts with pRb, p130 and p107 in vitro and in vivo.
    [Show full text]
  • THE NANOARCHITECTURE of the KSHV LANA TETHER and APPROACHES to ITS DISRUPTION Margaret Josephine Grant Shelton, CT B.S., Brown U
    THE NANOARCHITECTURE OF THE KSHV LANA TETHER AND APPROACHES TO ITS DISRUPTION Margaret Josephine Grant Shelton, CT B.S., Brown University, 2007 A Dissertation presented to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Virginia in Candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology University of Virginia May 2018 _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ ii ABSTRACT Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the causative agent of three human malignancies and presents a special concern to immunocompromised individuals. Its latency-associated nuclear antigen protein (LANA) tethers latent viral genomes to host chromatin, thereby maintaining viral infection, and as such, is an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. In an effort to better understand this protein and its tethering function, we have used super-resolution microscopy to examine LANA tethers, obtaining information that remained obscured in earlier studies using standard epifluorescence microscopy. We have determined several characteristics of these tethers, including the folding properties of the underlying viral DNA and occupancy of LANA on its available viral binding sites. Quantitative data support the prediction of a coiled-coil feature in LANA dimers, and computer modeling of a minimal LANA tether illustrates the importance of viral DNA bending and nucleosome positioning on tether structure. Preliminary data examining LANA tethers during cellular mitosis suggest a potential role for mitotic machinery in manipulating tether positioning and condensation. This work also begins to address the relative timing of host chromosome condensation and LANA tether formation. These promising early results compel further study of the mitotic LANA tether and its dynamics.
    [Show full text]
  • Transcription Profile of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus in Primary Kaposi's Sarcoma Lesions As Determined by Real-Time PCR Arrays
    [CANCER RESEARCH 63, 2010–2015, May 1, 2003] Advances in Brief Transcription Profile of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-associated Herpesvirus in Primary Kaposi’s Sarcoma Lesions as Determined by Real-Time PCR Arrays1 Dirk P. Dittmer2 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104 Abstract tumor cell expresses at least one viral protein: the LANA/orf73 (2). Antibodies to LANA exist in virtually all HIV-infected as well as Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) is the signature pathology of AIDS. KS-associ- non-HIV-infected KS patients, and other viral antigens have also been ated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8) is causally linked to KS. Here, we report identified as the targets of this response. Prospective, longitudinal the first complete profile of KSHV transcription in primary KS lesions studies found that increases in peripheral blood viral load as well as using a novel, real-time PCR array. The KSHV latency I mRNAs [latency- associated nuclear antigen (LANA)/orf73, v-cyclin/orf72, and v-FLIP/ KSHV-specific antibody titers precede the onset of disease and cor- orf71] were invariably present in all biopsies. Yet, viral lytic mRNAs were relate with increased risk for KS. In addition, two lymphoproliferative detectable in only a subset of tumors. Interestingly, there was a difference disorders, primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and multicentric Castle- in the expression pattern of the viral IFN-regulatory factors (vIRFs) man’s disease (MCD), are associated with KSHV (3, 4). These ob- encoded by KSHV. The vIRF-1/K9 clustered with LANA in KS, in con- servations imply (a) that KSHV viral oncogenes are required for KS trast to its homologue, vIRF-3/LANA-2, which is transcribed only in development and (b) that the identification of these viral genes may KSHV-associated lymphomas.
    [Show full text]
  • Herpesviral Latency—Common Themes
    pathogens Review Herpesviral Latency—Common Themes Magdalena Weidner-Glunde * , Ewa Kruminis-Kaszkiel and Mamata Savanagouder Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, Tuwima Str. 10, 10-748 Olsztyn, Poland; [email protected] (E.K.-K.); [email protected] (M.S.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 22 January 2020; Accepted: 14 February 2020; Published: 15 February 2020 Abstract: Latency establishment is the hallmark feature of herpesviruses, a group of viruses, of which nine are known to infect humans. They have co-evolved alongside their hosts, and mastered manipulation of cellular pathways and tweaking various processes to their advantage. As a result, they are very well adapted to persistence. The members of the three subfamilies belonging to the family Herpesviridae differ with regard to cell tropism, target cells for the latent reservoir, and characteristics of the infection. The mechanisms governing the latent state also seem quite different. Our knowledge about latency is most complete for the gammaherpesviruses due to previously missing adequate latency models for the alpha and beta-herpesviruses. Nevertheless, with advances in cell biology and the availability of appropriate cell-culture and animal models, the common features of the latency in the different subfamilies began to emerge. Three criteria have been set forth to define latency and differentiate it from persistent or abortive infection: 1) persistence of the viral genome, 2) limited viral gene expression with no viral particle production, and 3) the ability to reactivate to a lytic cycle. This review discusses these criteria for each of the subfamilies and highlights the common strategies adopted by herpesviruses to establish latency.
    [Show full text]
  • Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated
    JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, Oct. 2004, p. 10348–10359 Vol. 78, No. 19 0022-538X/04/$08.00ϩ0 DOI: 10.1128/JVI.78.19.10348–10359.2004 Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Up-Regulates Transcription of Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Promoter through Interaction with Transcription Factor Sp1 Subhash C. Verma, Sumit Borah, and Erle S. Robertson* Department of Microbiology and Abramson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Received 20 March 2004/Accepted 11 May 2004 Telomerase is required for the maintenance of telomere length and is an important determinant for cell immortalization. In human cells, telomerase activity is due to the expression of its enzymatic subunit, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). The expression of hTERT is not typically detectable in healthy somatic human cells but is present in cancerous tissues and immortalized cells. We have previously shown that hTERT promoter activity is up-regulated by the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-encoded latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA). LANA is expressed in all forms of human malignancies associated with KSHV. The hTERT promoter sequence located at positions ؊130 to ؉5 contains several Sp1 binding motifs and was shown be important for up-regulation by LANA. In this report, we demonstrate that hTERT promoter activity is due to the direct interaction of LANA with Sp1. The interaction of LANA with Sp1 was demonstrated through in vitro binding experiments and coimmunoprecipitation and is supported by the colocalization of these two molecules in the nuclei of KSHV-infected cells.
    [Show full text]
  • Deregulation of C-Myc in Primary Effusion Lymphoma by Kaposi's
    Oncogene (2007) 26, 4979–4986 & 2007 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0950-9232/07 $30.00 www.nature.com/onc ORIGINAL ARTICLE Deregulation of c-Myc in primary effusion lymphoma by Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus latency-associated nuclear antigen D Bubman1, I Guasparri2 and E Cesarman3 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA; 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA and 3Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare subtype of Introduction non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is associated with infec- tion by Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV)/human Kaposi’s sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), or human herpesvirus-8. The c-Myc transcription factor plays an herpesvirus-8, is a lymphotrophic g2-herpesvirus that is important role in cellular proliferation, differentiation the etiologic agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma (Moore and and apoptosis. Lymphomas frequently have deregulated Chang, 1995), a subset of multicentric Castleman’s c-Myc expression owing to chromosomal translocations, disease (Soulier et al., 1995) and primary effusion amplifications or abnormal stabilization. However, no lymphoma (PEL) (Cesarman et al., 1995a). PEL is a structural abnormalities were found in the c-myc oncogene rare subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that is most in PEL. Given that c-Myc is often involved in lympho- common in human immunodeficiency virus-infected magenesis, we hypothesized that it is deregulated in PEL. individuals, usually presenting as lymphomatous effu- We report that PEL cells have abnormally stable c-Myc sions in serous cavities.
    [Show full text]
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Interacts with the Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen of Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirusᰔ Wuguo Chen and Dirk P
    JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, Sept. 2011, p. 9495–9505 Vol. 85, No. 18 0022-538X/11/$12.00 doi:10.1128/JVI.02620-10 Copyright © 2011, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved. Ribosomal Protein S6 Interacts with the Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen of Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirusᰔ Wuguo Chen and Dirk P. Dittmer* Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Center for AIDS Research (CfAR), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7290 Received 16 December 2010/Accepted 28 June 2011 The latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is central to the maintenance of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associ- ated herpesvirus (KSHV) and to the survival of KSHV-carrying tumor cells. In an effort to identify interaction partners of LANA, we purified authentic high-molecular-weight complexes of LANA by conventional chroma- tography followed by immunoprecipitation from the BC-3 cell line. This is the first analysis of LANA- interacting partners that is not based on forced ectopic expression of LANA. Subsequent tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis identified many of the known LANA-interacting proteins. We confirmed LANA’s interactions with histones. Three classes of proteins survived our stringent four-step purification procedure (size, heparin, anion, and immunoaffinity chromatography): two heat shock proteins (Hsp70 and Hsp96 precursor), signal recognition particle 72 (SRP72), and 10 different ribosomal proteins. These proteins are likely involved in structural interactions within LANA high-molecular-weight complexes. Here, we show that ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6) interacts with LANA. This interaction is mediated by the N-terminal domain of LANA and does not require DNA or RNA.
    [Show full text]
  • CRISPR Interference Efficiently Silences Latent and Lytic Viral Genes in Kaposi’S Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Infected Cells
    viruses Article CRISPR Interference Efficiently Silences Latent and Lytic Viral Genes in Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Infected Cells Kevin Brackett 1, Ameera Mungale 1, Mary Lopez-Isidro 1, Duncan A. Proctor 1, Guillermo Najarro 1 and Carolina Arias 1,2,3,* 1 Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA; [email protected] (K.B.); [email protected] (A.M.); [email protected] (M.L.-I.); [email protected] (D.A.P.); [email protected] (G.N.) 2 Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA 3 Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Uncovering viral gene functions requires the modulation of gene expression through overexpression or loss-of-function. CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), a modification of the CRISPR- Cas9 gene editing technology, allows specific and efficient transcriptional silencing without genetic ablation. CRISPRi has been used to silence eukaryotic and prokaryotic genes at the single-gene and genome-wide levels. Here, we report the use of CRISPRi to silence latent and lytic viral genes, with an efficiency of ~80–90%, in epithelial and B-cells carrying multiple copies of the Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) genome. Our results validate CRISPRi for the analysis of KSHV viral elements, providing a functional genomics tool for studying virus–host interactions. Citation: Brackett, K.; Mungale, A.; Keywords: KSHV; CRISPR-interference; dCas9-KRAB; Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus; Lopez-Isidro, M.; Proctor, D.A.; gene expression; gene silencing Najarro, G.; Arias, C.
    [Show full text]
  • Superresolution Microscopy Reveals Structural Mechanisms Driving the Nanoarchitecture of a Viral Chromatin Tether Margaret J
    Superresolution microscopy reveals structural mechanisms driving the nanoarchitecture of a viral chromatin tether Margaret J. Granta, Matthew S. Loftusa, Aiola P. Stojaa, Dean H. Kedesa,b,1, and M. Mitchell Smitha,1 aDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908; and bDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908 Edited by Donald E. Ganem, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Inc., Emeryville, CA, and approved March 2, 2018 (received for review December 13, 2017) By tethering their circular genomes (episomes) to host chromatin, qPCR to demonstrate a direct proportionality between the num- DNA tumor viruses ensure retention and segregation of their ber of LANA punctae and the amount of viral DNA, leading to genetic material during cell divisions. Despite functional genetic the conclusion that each nuclear dot represented a single viral and crystallographic studies, there is little information address- episome. Previous studies examining these punctae showed asso- ing the 3D structure of these tethers in cells, issues critical for ciation of LANA with mitotic chromosomes at the resolution understanding persistent infection by these viruses. Here, we of epifluorescence microscopy (12, 27). Kelley-Clarke et al. (28) have applied direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy later suggested preferential localization of these LANA punc- (dSTORM) to establish the nanoarchitecture of tethers within cells tae to centromeric and telomeric regions on metaphase chromo- latently infected with the oncogenic human pathogen, Kaposi’s some. Such studies have provided a solid foundation for further sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). Each KSHV tether com- inquiry into the nature of this tethering mechanism.
    [Show full text]
  • Cell Cycle Regulatory Functions of the KSHV Oncoprotein LANA
    fmicb-07-00334 March 25, 2016 Time: 17:58 # 1 REVIEW published: 30 March 2016 doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00334 Cell Cycle Regulatory Functions of the KSHV Oncoprotein LANA Fang Wei1, Jin Gan2, Chong Wang2, Caixia Zhu2 and Qiliang Cai2* 1 ShengYushou Center of Cell Biology and Immunology, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China, 2 MOE & MOH Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology, School of Basic Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China Manipulation of cell cycle is a commonly employed strategy of viruses for achieving a favorable cellular environment during infection. Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the primary etiological agent of several human malignancies including Kaposi’s sarcoma, and primary effusion lymphoma, encodes several oncoproteins that deregulate normal physiology of cell cycle machinery to persist with endothelial cells and B cells and subsequently establish a latent infection. During latency, only a small subset of viral proteins is expressed. Latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is one of the latent antigens shown to be essential for transformation of endothelial cells in vitro. It has been well demonstrated that LANA is critical for the maintenance of latency, episome DNA replication, segregation and gene transcription. In this review, we summarize recent studies and address how LANA Edited by: functions as an oncoprotein to steer host cell cycle-related events including proliferation Erle S. Robertson, and apoptosis by interacting with various cellular and viral factors, and highlight the University of Pennsylvania, USA potential therapeutic strategy of disrupting LANA-dependent signaling as targets in Reviewed by: Masahiro Fujimuro, KSHV-associated cancers.
    [Show full text]
  • Virus-Driven Carcinogenesis
    cancers Review Virus-Driven Carcinogenesis Yuichiro Hatano 1,* , Takayasu Ideta 2,3, Akihiro Hirata 4, Kayoko Hatano 5, Hiroyuki Tomita 1 , Hideshi Okada 6 , Masahito Shimizu 2 , Takuji Tanaka 7 and Akira Hara 1 1 Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan; [email protected] (H.T.); [email protected] (A.H.) 2 Department of Gastroenterology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan; [email protected] (T.I.); [email protected] (M.S.) 3 Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan 4 Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1194, Japan; [email protected] 5 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gifu University Hospital, Gifu 501-1194, Japan; [email protected] 6 Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan; [email protected] 7 Department of Diagnostic Pathology (DDP) and Research Center of Diagnostic Pathology (RC-DiP), Gifu Municipal Hospital, Gifu 500-8513, Japan; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +81-58-230-6225 Simple Summary: Carcinogens, causes of cancer, are usually invisible and therefore in vivo carcino- genesis is difficult to detect. Tumor viruses, definitive carcinogens, are also usually unremarkable, particularly due to latent infection. However, recent developments in tumor virology are unraveling how a single infected cell becomes a life-threatening cell population from a molecular perspective.
    [Show full text]