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The protamine-like DNA-binding protein P6.9 epigenetically up-regulates Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus gene transcription in the late infection phase

Virologica Sinica volume 27, pages 57–68 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Protamines are a group of highly basic proteins first discovered in spermatozoon that allow for denser packaging of DNA than histones and will result in down-regulation of gene transcription[1]. It is well recognized that the Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) encodes P6.9, a protamine-like protein that forms the viral subnucleosome through binding to the viral genome[29]. Previous research demonstrates that P6.9 is essential for viral nucleocapsid assembly, while it has no influence on viral genome replication[31]. In the present study, the role of P6.9 in viral gene transcription regulation is characterized. In contrast to protamines or other protamine-like proteins that usually down-regulate gene transcription, P6.9 appears to up-regulate viral gene transcription at 12–24 hours post infection (hpi), whereas it is non-essential for the basal level of viral gene transcription. Fluorescence microscopy reveals the P6.9’s co-localization with DNA is temporally and spatially synchronized with P6.9’s impact on viral gene transcription, indicating the P6.9-DNA association contributes to transcription regulation. Chromatin fractionation assay further reveals an unexpected co-existence of P6.9 and host RNA polymerase II in the same transcriptionally active chromatin fraction at 24 hpi, which may probably contribute to viral gene transcription up-regulation in the late infection phase.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Agricultural & Environmental Microbiology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Ying Peng, Kun Li & Yun Wang

  2. Skate Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Rong-juan Pei, Chun-chen Wu & Xin-wen Chen

  3. College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225000, China

    Chang-yong Liang

Authors
  1. Ying Peng
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  2. Kun Li
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Correspondence to Yun Wang.

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Foundation items: the National Nature Science Foundations of China (31030027, 30400271) and the National Natural Science Foundations of China for Young Scholars (31000081).

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Peng, Y., Li, K., Pei, Rj. et al. The protamine-like DNA-binding protein P6.9 epigenetically up-regulates Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus gene transcription in the late infection phase. Virol. Sin. 27, 57–68 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12250-012-3229-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12250-012-3229-x

Key words

  • Epigenetics
  • AcMNPV
  • P6.9
  • Protamine
  • Subnucleosome