Multiple sets of adjacent mu E1 and oct-1 binding sites upstream of the pseudorabies virus immediate-early gene promoter.

Binding of cellular proteins to specific motifs in the promoter region of the immediate-early gene of pseudorabies virus was studied. The region was dissected into several portions that were used with HeLa cell nuclear proteins in mobility shift assays, DNase I footprinting, and a methylation interference assay. Close to the transcription start site (nucleotide + 1) are a TATA-box (-26 to -29), an Sp 1-binding motif (GGGGCGGGC) (-45 to -54), a CCAAT motif (-66 to -70), and, further upstream, an NF-microE1-binding site (AAGATGGC) (-161 to -168). Binding of a protein to the Sp1 site was demonstrated. Competition experiments show that the CCAAT motif might bind the NF-microE1 factor, rather than any of the known CCAAT-specific factors. Four domains were identified further upstream (nucleotides -200 to -500) from this promoter, each of which contained closely associated motifs where cellular transcription factors NF-microE1 and oct-1 could bind. These domains comprise what we call the upstream element. The orientation of the four NF-microE1 motifs in the upstream element is opposite to the orientation of the two NF-microE1 motifs located closer to the transcription start site. Transient expression of reporter genes was used to study the activity of the upstream element after transfection into 3T3 and HeLa cells. The upstream element was necessary for efficient expression of the pseudorabies virus immediate-early gene and increased somewhat the efficiency of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter.