Adenovirus E1A negatively and positively modulates transcription of AP-1 dependent genes by dimer-specific regulation of the DNA binding and transactivation activities of Jun.

Adenovirus E1A proteins inhibit expression of the collagenase gene but activate expression of the c-jun gene. Both effects are mediated by TPA-responsive elements (TREs), the binding sites for members of the AP-1 transcription factor family. By a process that is independent of the retinoblastoma gene product, E1A distinguishes between different AP-1 factors: in vivo binding of Jun/Jun homodimers and Jun/Fos heterodimers to the collagenase TRE is totally blocked by E1A while, in contrast, there is no inhibition of Jun/ATF-2 binding to the TRE sequences in the c-jun promoter. Altered phosphorylation of the DNA binding domain of cJun is not involved in the inhibition of cJun/cJun and cJun/cFos binding. E1A does, however, cause hyperphosphorylation of the transactivation domain of cJun, which is likely to be responsible for the enhanced c-jun transcription by E1A mediated through cJun/ATF-2 heterodimers.