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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Murine Cytomegalovirus Major Immediate-Early Enhancer Region Operating as a Genetic Switch in Bidirectional Gene Pair Transcription

Matthias J. ReddehaseNatascha K. A. GrzimekBirgit KühnapfelChristian O. Simon

subject

GeneticsMice Inbred BALB CBase SequenceTranscription GeneticGeneral transcription factorImmunologyResponse elementCytomegalovirusEnhancer RNAsE-boxPromoterBiologyMicrobiologyGenome Replication and Regulation of Viral Gene ExpressionMiceEnhancer Elements GeneticVirologyInsect ScienceTAF2AnimalsEnhancer trapEnhancerGenes Immediate-EarlyDNA Primers

description

ABSTRACT Enhancers are defined as DNA elements that increase transcription when placed in any orientation relative to a promoter. The major immediate-early (MIE) enhancer region of murine cytomegalovirus is flanked by transcription units ie1/3 and ie2 , which are transcribed in opposite directions. We have addressed the fundamental mechanistic question of whether the enhancer synchronizes transcription of the bidirectional gene pair (synchronizer model) or whether it operates as a genetic switch, enhancing transcription of either gene in a stochastic alternation (switch model). Clonal analysis of cytokine-triggered, transcription factor-mediated MIE gene expression from latent viral genomes provided evidence in support of the switch model.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2007-07-15Journal of Virology
https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.02388-06