Enhanced activation of tax-dependent transcription of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) long terminal repeat by TORC3

J Biol Chem. 2004 Dec 17;279(51):52978-83. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M409021200. Epub 2004 Oct 4.

Abstract

Tax, a protein encoded by the env-pX gene of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I), interacts with various host cell transcription factors. Tax activates transcription from the long terminal repeat (LTR) of HTLV-I through association with cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB). Here, we present evidence that transducer of regulated cyclic AMP-response element-binding protein 3 (TORC3), a co-activator of CREB, is involved in Tax-induced transcriptional activation from the HTLV-I LTR. By using a luciferase assay system, we show that TORC3 alone can enhance transcription from the HTLV-I LTR, as well as from a cellular cyclic AMP-response element (CRE). Interestingly, we find that co-expression of TORC3 and Tax dramatically increased transcriptional activation at the HTLV-I LTR. We also show by glutathione S-transferase pull-down and co-immunoprecipitation experiments that TORC3 interacts with Tax. Using deletion mutant analysis, we identify the Tax interaction domain of TORC3 as a region spanning from amino acid 1 to 103, which contains a coiled-coil domain. These results provide important clues toward understanding the molecular mechanism of Tax-dependent transcriptional activation of the HTLV-I LTR.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • DNA, Complementary / metabolism
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Products, tax / metabolism*
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Glutathione Transferase / metabolism
  • Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunoprecipitation
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA Interference
  • Rats
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Terminal Repeat Sequences*
  • Trans-Activators / chemistry*
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • CRTC3 protein, human
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Gene Products, tax
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Luciferases
  • Glutathione Transferase