A cis-acting DNA signal for encapsidation of simian virus 40

Encapsidation of simian virus 40 is a complex biological process involving DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions in the formation of a unique three-dimensional structure around the viral minichromosome. A pseudoviral system developed in our laboratory, in which the viral early and late gene products are supplied in trans (by helpers), was used to analyze the encapsidation process independent of viral gene expression. With this experimental system we have discovered a requirement for a specific DNA signal for encapsidation, ses (for simian virus 40 encapsidation signal).ses is present within a 200-bp DNA fragment, which includes, in addition to the viral origin of replication (ori), six GGGCGG repeats (GC boxes) and 26 bp of the enhancer element. Deletion of the GC boxes and the enhancer sequences almost abolished encapsidation, while DNA replication was only moderately decreased. The ability to encapsidate was not regained by reinserting a DNA fragment carrying ses in the sesdeleted plasmid 2 kbp away from the ori, suggesting that for encapsidation the two DNA elements have to be close to each other. These findings afford novel strategies for the investigation of viral encapsidation.