Coordinate regulation of two cytoplasmic RNA species transcribed from early region 2 of the adenovirus 2 genome

Early region 2 (E2) of the adenovirus 2 genome specifies a 72,000-dalton DNA-binding protein that is required for viral DNA replication. Electron microscopy studies have detected two major forms of 20S E2 mRNA, one species with a 5' leader from map position 75 and a second form having a leader from position 72 (Chow et al., J. Mol. Biol. 134:265-303, 1979). Only the species with a leader from position 75 was detected at early times; however, both forms were found at late times. We have analyzed the temporal regulation of E2 expression by documenting mRNA accumulation in the cytoplasm. Kinetic studies of pulse-labeled RNAs demonstrated a peak of E2 cytoplasmic RNa synthesis at 10 to 12 h, coinciding with the time of maximal synthesis of the 72,000-dalton DNA binding protein and viral DNA. To estimate the relative abundances of the two major E2 RNA species at various times during infection, total E2 cytoplasmic and polysomal 20S RNAs were isolated by hybridization-selection with specific DNA probes. The leader sequences in the selected RNAs were then quantitated by further RNA-DNA hybridization. We found that the elevated accumulation rate for E2 cytoplasmic RNA at late times reflected an increase in formation of both major species. Moreover, for all time points examined 66% of the mRNA species had a 5' end from map position 75, and 33% had a 5' terminus from position 72. Continuous labeling experiments provided evidence that both RNA forms have comparable half-lives. The results suggest that the two major species encoded by E2 are regulated in a coordinate fashion late in infection.