DNA-binding activity of simian virus 40 large T antigen correlates with a distinct phosphorylation state

The state of phosphorylation and the relationship of various subclasses of simian virus 40 large T antigen (large T) differing in DNA-binding activity, degree of oligomerization, age, and subcellular distribution were investigated. Young large T (continuously labeled for 4 h late in infection) comprised about 20% of the total cellular large T. It was phosphorylated to a low degree and existed primarily in a monomeric form, sedimenting at 5S. More than 50% of this fraction bound to simian virus 40 DNA, preferentially to origin-containing sequences. Old large T (continuously labeled for 17 h, followed by a 4-h chase) represented the majority of the population. It was highly phosphorylated and predominantly in an oligomeric form, sedimenting at 15S to 23S. Only 10 to 20% of this fraction bound to simian virus 40 DNA. Another subclass of large T which was extracted from nuclei with 0.5 M salt resembled newly synthesized molecules in all properties tested; it was phosphorylated to a low degree, sedimented at 5S, and bound to viral DNA with high efficiency (greater than 70%). Two-dimensional phosphopeptide analysis of the individual subclasses revealed two distinct phosphorylation patterns, one characteristic for young, monomeric, and DNA-binding large T, the other for old, oligomeric, and non-DNA-binding large T. All sites previously identified in unfractionated large T (K.H. Scheidtmann et al., J. Virol. 44:116-133, 1982) were also phosphorylated in the various subclasses, but to different degrees. Peptide maps of the DNA-binding fraction, the 5S form, and the nuclear high-salt fraction showed two prominent phosphopeptides not previously characterized. Both peptides were derived from the amino-terminal region of large T, presumably involved in origin binding, and probably represent partially phosphorylated intermediates of known phosphopeptides. Our data show that the DNA-binding activity, age, and oligomerization of large T correlate with distinct states of phosphorylation. We propose that differential phosphorylation might play a role in the interaction of large T with DNA.