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J Med Virol 2003 ;70 Suppl 1:S90-4

Department of Microbiology, 138 Farber Hall, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA.

The varicella zoster virus IE62 protein transactivates promoters representing all three kinetic classes of viral genes. This is accomplished in conjunction with the general transcription machinery of the cell and specific cellular transcription factors that act at sites located within viral promoters. The incidence of a subset of specific recognition sites was examined for the ubiquitous cellular factors Sp1 and USF within the VZV genome. Read More

Virology 2013 Jun 21;440(2):171-81. Epub 2013 Mar 21.

Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, United States.

The varicella zoster virus (VZV) immediate early 62 protein (IE62) activates most if not all identified promoters of VZV genes and also some minimum model promoters that contain only a TATA box element. Analysis of the DNA elements that function in IE62 activation of the VZV ORF3 promoter revealed that the 100 nucleotides before the translation start site of the ORF3 gene contains the promoter elements. This promoter lacks any functional TATA box element. Read More

J Microbiol 2018 Jun 1;56(6):441-448. Epub 2018 Jun 1.

Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Suwon, 16419, Republic of Korea.

Live attenuated vaccine strains have been developed for Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV). Compared to clinically isolated strains, the vaccine strains contain several non-synonymous mutations in open reading frames (ORFs) 0, 6, 31, 39, 55, 62, and 64. In particular, ORF62, encoding an immediate-early (IE) 62 protein that acts as a transactivator for viral gene expression, contains six non-synonymous mutations, but whether these mutations affect transactivation activity of IE62 is not understood. Read More

Virology 2014 Jan 12;449:244-53. Epub 2013 Dec 12.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Witebsky Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, United States.

Several cellular transcription factors have been shown to be involved in IE62-mediated activation. The YY1 cellular transcription factor has activating and repressive effects on gene transcription. Analysis of the VZV genome revealed 19 postulated YY1 binding sites located within putative promoters of 16 VZV genes. Read More