The interaction between KSHV RTA and cellular RBP-Jkappa and their subsequent DNA binding are not sufficient for activation of RBP-Jkappa.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) replication and transcription activator (RTA) is necessary and sufficient for the switch from KSHV latency to lytic replication. RTA activates promoters by several mechanisms. RTA can bind to sequences in viral promoters and activate transcription.

Epstein-Barr virus inhibits Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus lytic replication in primary effusion lymphomas.

The majority of AIDS-associated primary effusion lymphomas (PEL) are latently infected with both Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). PELs harboring two viruses have higher oncogenic potential, suggesting functional interactions between EBV and KSHV. The KSHV replication and transcription activator (K-RTA) is necessary and sufficient for induction of KSHV lytic replication.

Optimal random libraries for the isolation of catalytic RNA.

The relationship between ribozyme size and catalytic activity is of fundamental importance for RNA catalysis and molecular evolution in the RNA world. We have performed a series of competitive in vitro selection experiments to probe the relationship using RNA libraries containing size-heterogeneous random regions. Our experiments have established an inverse correlation between RNA replication efficiency (the combined efficiency of PCR amplification, transcription, and reverse transcription) and RNA size.

Superior 5' homogeneity of RNA from ATP-initiated transcription under the T7 phi 2.5 promoter.

Transcription from the commonly used GTP- initiating T7 class III promoter phi6.5 frequently produces heterogeneous RNA at both 3' and 5' ends. We demonstrate here that RNA transcripts from the T7 class II promoter phi2.

Synthesis of adenosine derivatives as transcription initiators and preparation of 5' fluorescein- and biotin-labeled RNA through one-step in vitro transcription.

Expanding our previous finding of an adenosine-initiated transcription system, we now demonstrate that either the 5' site or the N6 site of adenosine nucleotides can be modified extensively without abolishing their ability to initiate transcription under the T7 phi2.5 promoter. Two series of amino derivatives of adenosine nucleotides were synthesized.

RNA-catalyzed thioester synthesis.

A series of efficient ribozymes with thioester synthetase activities have been isolated from CoA-linked RNA libraries containing four different lengths (30N, 60N, 100N, and 140N) of random nucleotide regions. Competitive evolution of these size-heterogeneous CoA-RNA libraries resulted in an RNA size population in the order of 30N > 60N >> 100N > 140N. From isolated clones in the 30N and 60N size groups, two predominant RNA sequences, TES1 (30N) and TES33 (60N), have been shown to catalyze the synthesis of different thioesters using various acyl adenylates as the substrates.