Vaccinia virus belongs to the poxvirus family of viruses and contains a large, double-stranded DNA genome. Its genes are divided into early, intermediate and late classes depending on their time of synthesis after host cell infection. Recently, we have found that a host cell factor participates in viral late gene expression and that a DNA binding activity co-purifies with this factor. Current studies are focussed on identification of this factor and its role in late transcription activation.
Transcription defects in malignant rhabdoid tumor.
Recently, a gene on chromosome 22 was identified that is often disrupted in these tumors and is potentially involved in their genesis. A.E. Hubbs, S.K. Gunasinghe, and B.W. Oswald, A vaccinia virus late transcription factor copurifies with a factor that binds to a viral late promoter and is complemented by extracts from uninfected HeLa cells, Journal of Virology , 1998. Rosson, G.B., D.J. Hazen-Martin, J.A. Biegel, M.C. Willingham, A.J. Garvin, B.W. Oswald, L. Wainwright, N.A. Brownlee, and C.F. Wright, Establishment and molecular characterization of five cell lines derived from renal and extrarenal malignant rhabdoid tumors, Modern Pathology , 1998. Gunasinghe, S.K., A.E. Hubbs, and C.F. Wright, A vaccinia virus late transcription factor with biochemical and molecular identity to a human cellular protein, Journal of Biological Chemistry , 1998.