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Intramolecular recombination in polyomavirus DNA is controlled by promoter elements
C Nault1, S Veilleux, L Delbecchi
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
Nucleic Acids Research
|February 11, 1994
Summary
Intramolecular homologous recombination in polyomavirus (Py) DNA is influenced by regulatory elements controlling transcription. Modifying the early or late promoters significantly impairs this recombination process, suggesting transcription
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Virology
- Genetics
Background:
- Intramolecular homologous recombination is a key process in viral DNA maintenance and evolution.
- The regulatory region of polyomavirus (Py) DNA contains elements involved in transcription initiation and replication control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of specific sequence elements within the Py viral regulatory region in intramolecular homologous recombination.
- To determine if transcription initiation elements influence viral DNA recombination.
Main Methods:
- Deletion of the viral early promoter (EP).
- Inversion of the viral late promoter (LP).
- Assessment of viral DNA recombination and replication under modified promoter conditions.
Main Results:
- Deleting the viral early promoter (EP) significantly impaired intramolecular homologous recombination.
- Inverting the viral late promoter (LP) also strongly impaired viral DNA recombination.
- These effects were observed while viral DNA replication proceeded normally.
Conclusions:
- Discrete sequence elements regulating transcription initiation are crucial for intramolecular homologous recombination in Py DNA.
- Bi-directional transcription originating from the intergenic region appears to favor intramolecular recombination.
- Viral promoters play a significant role in recombination, independent of their direct role in replication.