# THE GENES THAT REGULATE HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS EXPRESSION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 1987 · $153,992

## Abstract

We propose to investigate the immediate early (IE) genes of human
cytomegalovirus (CMV) to define their role in reactivation from latency and
enhancement of viral gene expression resulting in persistent infection of
the human host.  Elements upstream of the major IE gene will be
characterized to determine their role in transcription.  An analysis of the
structure of the IE genes as to exons, introns, DNA sequence, and protein
sequence will continue in order to better understand function of the IE
proteins.  The role of the major IE and/or minor IE proteins on
transcription of the CMV genome or transfected early or late viral genes
will be investigated using SV-ori expression vectors that replicate in
cells (COS) constitutively synthesizing T-antigen.  Two genes highly
transcribed at early times will be investigated as examples of regions
turned-on after synthesis of the IE proteins.  One gene is an early gene
based on mRNA and protein product in the cytoplasm.  This gene codes for a
protein kinase presumably necessary for regulation and/or viral DNA
replication.  Although transcribed at early times, the other gene is a late
gene according to the above criteria.  This gene codes for a virion
structural component.  These two different viral genes will be investigated
as an approach towards understanding posttranscriptional regulation of CMV
gene expression.  Human CMV replicates slowly in the infected cell.  It is
proposed that the major IE proteins of CMV enhance transcription of early
and late viral genes as well as cellular genes.  It is hypothesized that a
viral protein functions at three to four hours postinfection to control the
amount of transcription of the major IE gene.  The viral RNAs of defined
early and late genes are discriminated by a posttranscriptional regulation
mechanism.  These regulatory viral gene products and events play important
roles in the replication of infectious virus in the human host.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3125482
- **Project number:** 5R01AI013562-12
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Z1H9VJS8NG16
- **Principal Investigator:** MARK F STINSKI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1987
- **Award amount:** $153,992
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1976-09-01 → 1989-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3125482

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3125482, THE GENES THAT REGULATE HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS EXPRESSION (5R01AI013562-12). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3125482. Licensed CC0.

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