Two gamma interferon-activated site-like elements in the human cytomegalovirus major immediate-early promoter/enhancer are important for viral replication.

ABSTRACT: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection directly initiates a signal transduction pathway that leads to activation of a large number of cellular interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Our previous studies demonstrated that two interferon response elements, the interferon-stimulated response element and gamma interferon-activated site (GAS), in the ISG promoters serve as HCMV response sites (VRS). Interestingly, two GAS-like VRS elements (VRS1) were also present in the HCMV major immediate-early promoter-enhancer (MIEP/E). In this study, the importance of these VRS elements in viral replication was investigated. We demonstrate that the expression of the major IE genes, IE1 and IE2, is interferon inducible. To understand the biological significance of this signal transduction pathway in HCMV majo

SUBMITTER: Netterwald J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1069560 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature