Identification and analysis of a lytic-phase origin of DNA replication in human herpesvirus 7.

Human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) DNA sequences colinear with the HHV-6 lytic-phase origin of DNA replication (oriLyt) were amplified by PCR. Plasmid constructs containing these sequences were replicated in HHV-7-infected cord blood mononuclear cells but not in HHV-6-infected cells. In contrast, plasmids bearing HHV-6 oriLyt were replicated in both HHV-6- and HHV-7-infected cells. Finally, the minimal HHV-7 DNA element necessary for replicator activity was mapped to a 600-bp region which contains two sites with high homology to the consensus binding site for the HHV-6 origin binding protein. At least one of these binding sites was shown to be essential for replicator function of HHV-7 oriLyt.     

Identification of a lytic-phase origin of DNA replication in human herpesvirus 6B strain Z29.

DNA sequences which have structural features suggestive of their functioning as an origin of lytic-phase DNA replication were previously identified in both human herpesvirus 6B strain Z29 [HHV-6B (Z29)] and in HHV-6A (U1102). Plasmid constructs containing the putative HHV-6B (Z29) oriLyt element were replicated after transfection into permissive T cells, when trans-acting factors were provided by HHV-6B (R-1) infection. By using this assay, the HHV-6B (Z29) oriLyt was mapped to a minimal region of approximately 400 bp which lies upstream of the gene that is homologous to herpes simplex virus UL29, a region that carries an origin in other betaherpesviruses and in some alphaherpesviruses.     

Adenovirus origin of DNA replication: sequence requirements for replication in vitro.

The initiation of adenovirus DNA takes place at the termini of the viral genome and requires the presence of specific nucleotide sequence elements. To define the sequence organization of the viral origin, we tested a large number of deletion, insertion, and base substitution mutants for their ability to support initiation and replication in vitro. The data demonstrate that the origin consists of at least three functionally distinct domains, A, B, and C. Domain A (nucleotides 1 to 18) contains the minimal sequence sufficient for origin function. Domains B (nucleotides 19 to 40) and C (nucleotides 41 to 51) contain accessory sequences that significantly increase the activity of the minimal origin. The presence of domain B increases the efficiency of initiation by more than 10-fold in vitro, and the presence of domains B and C increases the efficiency of initiation by more than 30-fold. Mutations that alter the distance between the minimal origin and the accessory domains by one or two base pairs dramatically decrease initiation efficiency. This critical spacing requirement suggests that there are specific interactions between the factors that recognize the two regions.     

The origin of bidirectional DNA replication in polyoma virus.

The nucleotide locations of RNA-p-DNA covalent linkages in polyoma virus (PyV) replicating DNA were mapped in the region containing the genetically required origin of DNA replication (ori). These linkages mark the initiation sites for RNA-primed DNA synthesis. A clear transition was identified between the presence of these linkages (discontinuous DNA synthesis) and their absence (continuous DNA synthesis) on each strand of ori. This demonstrated that PyV DNA replication, like simian virus 40 (SV40), is semi-discontinuous, and thus revealed the location of the origin of bidirectional DNA replication (OBR). The transition site on the template encoding PyV late mRNA occurred at the junction of ori-core and T-antigen binding site A. This was essentially the same site as previously observed in SV40 (Hay and DePamphilis, 1982). However, in contrast to SV40, the transition site on the template encoding PyV early mRNA was displaced towards the late gene side of ori. This resulted in a 16 nucleotide gap within ori in which no RNA-p-DNA linkages were observed on either strand. A model for the initiation of PyV DNA replication is presented.     

The origin of DNA genomes and DNA replication proteins

In recent years, it has became clear that most proteins involved in cellular DNA precursor synthesis or DNA replication have been 'invented' more than once, indicating that the transition from RNA to DNA genomes was more complex than previously thought. Several authors have suggested that DNA viruses, which often encode their own version of these proteins, played an important role in this process. The nature of the genome of the last universal cellular ancestor (LUCA) -- that is, RNA or DNA, prokaryotic-like or eukaryotic-like -- remains in dispute. A hyperthermophilic LUCA would have suggested a circular, double-stranded DNA genome; however, recent data favor a mesophilic or moderately thermophilic LUCA.     

Polyomavirus origin for DNA replication comprises multiple genetic elements.

To define the minimal cis-acting sequences required for polyomavirus DNA replication (ori), we constructed a number of polyomavirus-plasmid recombinants and measured their replicative capacity after transfection of a permissive mouse cell line capable of providing polyomavirus large T antigen in trans (MOP cells). Recombinant plasmids containing a 251-base-pair fragment of noncoding viral DNA replicate efficiently in MOP cells. Mutational analyses of these viral sequences revealed that they can be physically separated into two genetic elements. One of these elements, termed the core, contains an adenine-thymine-rich area, a 32-base-pair guanine-cytosine-rich palindrome, and a large T antigen binding site, and likely includes the site from which bidirectional DNA replication initiates. The other, termed beta, is located adjacent to the core near the late region and is devoid of outstanding sequence features. Surprisingly, another sequence element named alpha, located adjacent to beta but outside the borders of the 251-base-pair fragment, can functionally substitute for beta. This sequence too contains no readily recognized sequence features and possesses no obvious homology to the beta element. The three elements together occupy a contiguous noncoding stretch of DNA no more than 345 base pairs in length in the order alpha, beta, and core. These results indicate that the polyomavirus origin for DNA replication comprises multiple genetic elements.     

In vitro replication of a DNA fragment containing the vicinity of the origin of E. coli DNA replication.

Summary The restriction nuclease cleavage pattern of E. coli DNA synthesized in vitro in the cellophane membrane system (Schaller et al., 1972) is similar to the one obtained after labelling E. coli in vivo. This is shown for exponentially growing cells and for cells synchronized by amino acid starvation followed by thymine starvation. In synchronized cells a piece of some 180 kilobase pairs is labelled containing oriC and neighbouring regions at 82 min on the genetic map of E. coli. A pulse label in vitro is incorporated into the same piece of DNA, but the center of this region, i.e. the EcoR1 fragment of 8.6 kbp length which contains the oriC region (Marsh and Worcel, 1977; v. Meyenburg et al., 1977; Yasuda and Hirota, 1977) is missing.     

Cloning of the replication origin from Drosophila virilis mitochondrial DNA.

Mitochondrial DNA from $\text{Drosophila}$ contains high “A+T”-rich region. Its DNA replication starts in the “A+T”-rich region and proceeds unidirectionally around the molecule. In order to determine precise location of the DNA replication origin and elucidate unique feature of its nucleotide sequence, the “A+T”-rich region of mitochondrial DNA from $\text{Drosophila}\text{virilis}$ has been cloned in $\text{Escherichia}\text{coli}$. The chimeric plasmid DNA containing the “A+T”-rich region stimulates $\text{in}\text{vitro}$ DNA replication system from $\text{Drosophila}\text{virilis}$ mitochondria about ten fold higher than the parental plasmid DNA, as does native mitochondrial DNA.     

Global effects of DNA replication and DNA replication origin activity on eukaryotic gene expression

This report provides a global view of how gene expression is affected by DNA replication. We analyzed synchronized cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under conditions that prevent DNA replication initiation without delaying cell cycle progression. We use a higher‐order singular value decomposition to integrate the global mRNA expression measured in the multiple time courses, detect and remove experimental artifacts and identify significant combinations of patterns of expression variation across the genes, time points and conditions. We find that, first, ～88% of the global mRNA expression is independent of DNA replication. Second, the requirement of DNA replication for efficient histone gene expression is independent of conditions that elicit DNA damage checkpoint responses. Third, origin licensing decreases the expression of genes with origins near their 3′ ends, revealing that downstream origins can regulate the expression of upstream genes. This confirms previous predictions from mathematical modeling of a global causal coordination between DNA replication origin activity and mRNA expression, and shows that mathematical modeling of DNA microarray data can be used to correctly predict previously unknown biological modes of regulation.     

DNA replication origin of polyoma virus: early proximal boundary.

We constructed a series of deleted polyoma genomes by Bal 31 nuclease digestion from the unique Bg/I site at nucleotide 86 on the "early" side of the origin of DNA replication. The ability of the cloned deleted genomes to replicate was tested after transfection into mouse 3T6 fibroblasts or into the polyomatransformed C127 (COP5) mouse cell line (Tyndall et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 9:6231-6251, 1981). Deletions up to nucleotide 64-had no effect on the amount of replicated DNA accumulated, but larger deletions, extending up to nucleotide 42, decreased this amount 7- to 10-fold. By nucleotide 38, the quantity of detected DNA was down 100-fold, and by nucleotide 20, no replication could be detected. The minimum origin segment does not contain any known high-affinity, large tumor antigen binding site.     

The origin of adenovirus DNA replication: minimal DNA sequence requirement in vivo.

Adenovirus mini-chromosomes which contain two cloned, inverted adenovirus termini replicate in vivo when supplied with non-defective adenovirus as a helper. This system has been used to define the minimum cis acting DNA sequences required for adenovirus DNA replication in vivo. Deletions into each end of the adenovirus inverted terminal repeat (ITR) were generated with Bal31 exonuclease and the resulting molecules constructed into plasmids which contained two inverted copies of the deleted ITR separated by the bacterial neomycin phosphotransferase gene. To determine the effect of the deletion in vivo plasmids cleaved to expose the adenovirus termini were co-transfected with adenovirus type 2 DNA into tissue culture cells. The replicative ability of the molecules bearing adenovirus termini was assayed by Southern blotting of extracted DNA which had been treated with DpnI, a restriction enzyme which cleaves only methylated and therefore unreplicated, input DNA. Molecules containing the terminal 45 bp of the viral genome were fully active whereas molecules containing only 36 bp were in-active in this assay. Therefore sequences required for DNA replication are contained entirely within the terminal 45 bp of the viral genome. Thus, both the previously described highly conserved region (nucleotides 9-18) and the binding site for the cellular nuclear factor I (nucleotides 19-48) are essential for adenovirus DNA replication in vivo.