High affinity binding site for nuclear factor I next to the hepatitis B virus S gene promoter

• Published in: The EMBO journal 1986-08, Vol.5 (8), p.1967-1971
• Main Authors: Shaul, Y., Ben‐Levy, R., De‐Medina, T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetyltransferases - genetics; Amnion; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; Cell Line; Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase; Deoxyribonuclease I; DNA, Viral - metabolism; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene expression; Genes; Genes, Bacterial; Genes, Viral; HeLa Cells - metabolism; Hepatitis B virus - genetics; Humans; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; NFI Transcription Factors; Nuclear Proteins; Plasmids; Pregnancy; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Protein Binding; Transcription Factors; Y-Box-Binding Protein 1
• ISSN: 0261-4189; 1460-2075
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04451.x

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAG) is encoded by the S gene under the regulation of a promoter in the pre‐S1 region. The S gene promoter does not contain a ‘TATA’ box‐like sequence, but there is a sequence resembling, in part, the late promoter of Simian virus 40 (SV40). In an attempt to study the regulation of the S gene promoter we looked for cellular proteins which bind to this region. We report here that a nuclear protein is tightly bound to the HBV genome at a position approximately 190 bases upstream from the S gene promoter. Evidence is provided to show that (a) this nuclear protein is the nuclear factor I (NF‐I) that was previously found to be bound to the inverted terminal repeat of the adenovirus (Ad) DNA and to enhance Ad DNA replication in vitro and (b) this NF‐I binding site is required for optimal activity of the S gene promoter.