We provide a novel strategy to isolate viral replication compartments (RC) from adenovirus (Ad)-infected human cells. This approach represents a cell-free system that can help to elucidate the molecular mechanisms regulating viral genome replication and expression as well as regulation of viral-host interactions established at the RC.
During infection of human cells by adenovirus (Ad), the host cell nucleus is dramatically reorganized, leading to formation of nuclear microenvironments through the recruitment of viral and cellular proteins to sites occupied by the viral genome. These sites, called replication compartments (RC), can be considered viral-induced nuclear domains where the viral genome is localized and viral and cellular proteins that participate in replication, transcription and post-transcriptional processing are recruited. Moreover, cellular proteins involved in the antiviral response, such as tumor suppressor proteins, DNA damage response (DDR) components and innate immune response factors are also co-opted to RC. Although RC seem to play a crucial role to promote an efficient and productive replication cycle, a detailed analysis of their composition and associated activities has not been made. To facilitate the study of adenoviral RC and potentially those from other DNA viruses that replicate in the cell nucleus, we adapted a simple procedure based on velocity gradients to isolate Ad RC and established a cell-free system amenable to conduct morphological, functional and compositional studies of these virus-induced subnuclear structures, as well as to study their impact on host-cell interactions.
Adenoviruses contain a double-stranded DNA genome that replicates in the infected cell nucleus. When the viral DNA enters the nucleus, it localizes adjacent to PML nuclear bodies1. Following viral early gene expression, the nuclear architecture is dramatically reorganized, inducing formation of viral microenvironments, termed viral Replication Compartments (RC)2. Since adenovirus (Ad) RC are sites where viral genome replication and expression of viral late genes take place, they provide an environment for recruitment of all the necessary viral and cellular factors that participate in these processes. Interestingly, a variety of cellular proteins responsible for the cellular antiviral response, such as the DNA damage response, the innate immune response and tumor suppression are co-opted to these viral sites2. Hence, Ad RC can be considered regulatory hubs that promote efficient viral replication while concomitantly regulating the cellular antiviral response, indicating that these structures are key to the understanding of virus-host cell interactions. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms of RC formation, their composition and associated activities are poorly understood.
Adenoviral RC, as well as RC from other DNA viruses that replicate in the nucleus are not associated to membranes, in contrast to cytoplasmic RC3. Moreover, these virus-induced structures are likely to be composed entirely of proteins and nucleic acids. RC formed in cells infected with RNA viruses (usually termed viral factories) have been isolated, taking advantage of their cytoplasmic localization and membrane-bound status, which has facilitated their detailed morphological, functional and biochemical characterization4.
To our knowledge, nuclear viral RC have not been isolated, perhaps due to the complexity of the nuclear architecture and absence of intranuclear membranes that would facilitate their isolation. Their study has relied instead on immunofluorescence microscopy, FISH and transmission electron microscopy. However, despite complications inherent to isolating subnuclear structures, other nuclear domains such as nucleoli and Cajal Bodies have been isolated before 5,6. Since nucleoli and RC are both composed of proteins and nucleic acids, and have a diameter between 0.5 – 5 µm, we hypothesized that RC should also be amenable to isolation. Therefore, in order to more precisely characterize the molecular composition and functions associated to RC, we established a novel method to isolate subnuclear fractions enriched with RC. To this end, we prepared sub-nuclear fractions using velocity gradients and sucrose cushions similar to procedures used to isolate nucleoli7 or other nuclear domains6 and established a cell-free system that allows the study of the molecular composition and associated activities of RC. This technique should therefore advance the understanding of virus-host cell interactions and represents a powerful tool that should also facilitate the detailed analysis of RC from other viruses that replicate in the nucleus and induce formation of replication compartments of similar dimensions to those formed in adenovirus-infected-cells, such as, herpesviruses, papillomaviruses or polyomaviruses.
1. HFF Cell Culture and Ad-infection
2. Preparation of Sub-nuclear Fractions Enriched with Adenovirus RC
3. Western Blot Analyses of RCf
NOTE: For Western Blot analysis of Npl and RCf fractions set aside 640 µl for Npl and 300 µl for RCf from the total volume obtained in step 2.11.
4. Viral DNA Detection in RCf
NOTE: For DNA isolation from both Npl and RCf fractions, use 210 µl for Npl and 100 µl for RCf of the total volume obtained in step 2.11.
5. Late Viral mRNA Detection in RCf
NOTE: For RNA isolation from both Npl and RCf fractions, use 640 µl for Npl and 300 µl for RCf from the total volume obtained in step 2.11.
6. Immunofluorescence Visualization of RCf
NOTE: Carry-out this procedure under a laminar flow cabinet to avoid contamination of the samples with any dust particles, and filter all solutions before use.
Since viral replication compartments (RC) are subnuclear viral-induced structures composed of proteins and nucleic acids, similar to other nuclear domains, they proved to be amenable to isolation by velocity gradients based on biochemical features. Critical steps in the fractionation protocol are illustrated in Figure 1. At each step the samples need to be monitored by bright field microscopy to ensure integrity of the different sub-cellular fractions. For example, when swelling the cells, incubation time in the hypotonic buffer needs to be standardized in order to swell the cytoplasm avoiding damage to the nuclei. After cell homogenization, intact nuclei, free of cytoplasmic components including endoplasmic reticulum membranes, need to be obtained. Also, sonication time needs to be standardized in order to rupture the nuclear membrane of all cells without disrupting RC.
After obtaining the sub-nuclear fractions, key controls need to be included to determine the association and enrichment of bona fide RC markers in the RCf. Adenoviral RC are commonly visualized in infected cells by immunofluorescence using antibodies against the viral E2A-72K protein (DBP). DBP is a viral protein that participates directly in viral genome replication; therefore, the presence of DBP in particles enriched in the RCf demonstrates the direct association of this viral protein with the isolated particles, as shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, detection of DBP in RCf by Western Blot confirms the association of this protein to the isolated RC. In Figure 2 it is shown that by late times post-infection (36 hpi), DBP is enriched in the RCf compared to the nucleoplasmic fraction (Npl), demonstrating that RC obtained with this procedure at different times post-infection reflect the expected temporal pattern of DBP association to RC. An essential viral component of RC is the viral DNA itself. In experiments like that shown in Figure 3 we demonstrate that increasing amounts of viral DNA associate with RCf as the replication cycle of the virus progresses, indicating that, as for DBP, the temporal pattern of DNA replication in these fractions can also be studied.
Besides containing viral proteins and the viral genome, RC are also sites of viral late gene expression. In Figure 4 we present representative results of experiments designed to measure by RT-PCR the level of various species of viral late mRNA and their segregation between RCf and Npl at 36 hpi. Viral late mRNA are synthesized in RC and their postranscriptional processing initiates in these sites; later these viral mRNA dissociate from RC, are liberated to the nucleoplasm, and are subsequently exported to the cytoplasm. The total pool of mature viral late mRNA (ML mRNA) was measured using primers that amplify an exon junction of the tripartite leader, a sequence that constitutes the 5’ of all adenoviral late mRNA (Figure 4A). Exon junctions in the mRNA of specific mature transcripts of the L2, L4 and L5 families were also measured. It has been established that as the late phase of the viral replication cycle progresses, increasing amounts of viral late mRNA are exported to the cytoplasm; however, by late times production of the L5 mRNA species increases further in comparison with the other late mRNA families. In the representative results sown in Figure 4 an approximately 2.5-fold difference in ML mRNA is observed in Npl compared with RCf, as expected. Interestingly when we compare mRNA from specific families, both L2 and L4 mRNA appear to be distributed in similar levels between both subnuclear fractions (Figure 4B and C, respectively), while in contrast, the L5 mRNA showed an almost 2-fold increase in Npl compared to RCf. These results suggest a differential pattern in the synthesis and liberation of the different viral late mRNA species from adenoviral RC (as has been suggested before10). Significantly, these results also demonstrate that precise measurements of the different steps in the biogenesis of the viral mRNA can be performed using isolated RC with this novel procedure.
Figure 1. Bright Field Microscopy of Different Steps during the Fractionation Procedure. During the isolation of RC, the samples need to be monitored by an optical microscope to ensure integrity of sub-cellular fractions. The figure shows the steps used in the procedure to obtain RCf, from the swelling of HFF cells, to separation of nuclei and isolation of RCf through sucrose cushions. 40x micrographs: scale bar 50 µm; 63x micrographs: scale bar 5 µm; DBP is shown in green. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 2. Western Blot against DBP. The samples are analyzed by SDS-PAGE and processed for western blot against DBP, a bona fide marker of viral RC. To determine the enrichment of the protein in RCf, it is useful to compare the presence and relative abundance of DBP in both RCf and Npl at different times post-infection. In HFF cells 16 hpi represents an early time during the adenoviral replication cycle; 24 hpi marks the transition to the late phase of infection as viral DNA synthesis begins; 36 hpi represents a late time post-infection. The expected molecular mass of DBP is shown. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 3. PCR Assay to Detect Viral DNA (vDNA) in RCf. DNA was purified from RCf and Npl at 24 and 36 hpi. Viral DNA was amplified by PCR using primers specific for the viral genome. The graph shows the enrichment of viral DNA in RCf at 36 hpi. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Figure 4. Analysis of Viral Late mRNA. RNA was isolated from RCf and Npl and analyzed by RT-PCR to detect specific viral late mRNA. (A) Total Viral Late mRNA (ML: Major Late); (B) mRNA from the L2 Family; (C) mRNA from the L4 Family; (D) mRNA from the L5 Family. Values represent mean ± standard deviation of triplicate samples. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Name | Forward primer sequence (5'-3') | Reverse primer sequence (5'-3') | Annealing temperature |
ML mRNA | GCCTCCGAACGGTACTCCGCC | CGCCACGGTGCTCAGCCTACC | 60 ºC |
L2 mRNA | GTCACAGTCGCAAGATGTCCAAGC | GCAACGCCAGCATGTCCTTATGC | 58 ºC |
L4 mRNA | CCTCCGAACGGTACTCCGC | CCTTGCTCATCTTGCGACTGTG | 58 ºC |
L5 mRNA | GTCACAGTCGCAAGATGAAGCG | GGTAACTAGAGGTTCGGATAGGCG | 60 ºC |
Table 1. Primers Used for Viral Late mRNA Amplification. ML mRNA: these primers allow the amplification of a region within the tripartite leader, the 5’ sequence that is common to all viral late mRNA; L2 mRNA primers allow the amplification of a specific region within the pV mRNA; L4 mRNA primers allow the amplification of a specific region within the 100 K mRNA; L5 mRNA allows the amplification of a region within the fiber mRNA. The sequence and annealing temperatures for each primer are shown.
In order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that govern regulation of cellular activities by viral infection understanding the composition and activities associated with RC would be instrumental. Therefore, to make a detailed analysis of RC, we established a cell-free system that takes advantage of the size and biochemical composition of these virus-induced structures, to isolate subnuclear fractions enriched with RC using a simple procedure that relies on velocity gradients with sucrose cushions. Critical steps of the procedure that require standardization depending on the cell type used are: i) standardization of the times used for cell swelling to avoid disruption of nuclei; ii) formation of the sucrose gradients so that fractions can be properly separated; iii) constant monitoring of the samples throughout the procedure by bright field microscopy; iv) sonication time and intensity to ensure that all nuclei are lysed but RC are not disrupted; v) all fractionation steps should be carried out on ice to avoid disruption of nuclear structures.
Limitations of the technique that can be encountered or can be anticipated are: i) that nucleoli and perhaps other subnuclear structures or domains that share similar dimensions and biochemical composition are coisolated in the RC fraction, making the relative abundance of replication compartments versus other similar nuclear bodies variable depending on the virus, cell type and time post-infection used for their isolation; ii) it is possible that just as the size and composition of RC changes as the replication cycle of the virus progresses, the compactness of the RC particles may also change, making it necessary to perform experiments designed to determine detailed ultrastructural changes of the RC particles at different times post-infection to evaluate not only changes in the particles composition and activities, but whether their stability may vary. While these issues may limit the characterization of RC composition and activities at various different times post-infection, as less stable RC obtained by this procedure may not recapitulate their counterpart in the infected cell nucleus, such limitations may be overcome by using higher multiplicities of infection or by determining the times post-infection at which viral RC have attained a minimum size and abundance in the infected cell nucleus. These potential limitations notwithstanding, the technique reported here provides several advantages over the analysis that has hitherto solely relied on microscopy; namely that the precise biochemical and functional analysis of RC can be performed using this novel approach.
We show here that the RC-fractions (RCf) obtained are enriched with bona fide RC markers, such as the viral E2-72K DBP protein, viral DNA and RNA. Using biochemical analysis by immunoblotting and PCR, we have confirmed that this approach facilitates the detailed analysis of components and activities associated to RC and should help unravel molecular mechanisms that regulate virus-host cell interactions in the infected-cell nucleus.
It is well established that DNA replication, transcription and post-transcriptional processing of viral late mRNA are closely associated to viral replication compartments, events that lead to viral progeny production2,11,12. In adenovirus-infected cells the onset of viral DNA replication marks the transition to the late phase of infection and results in the activation of the Major Late promoter, which directs the production of high quantities of viral late transcripts. However, the L4 genes are expressed through a novel promoter (L4P) that is independent from the MLP13,14. Besides this complex program of late promoter activation, the selection of 3’ splice sites for longer introns is progressively favored as the late phase proceeds. In addition, production of these transcripts is regulated by their selective release from the site of synthesis and by selective export to the cytoplasm.
However, regulation of the late promoters and molecular events that lead to the selective production of viral late mRNA is incompletely understood. Therefore, as a proof of concept for the procedure reported here, we demonstrate that viral DNA and viral late mRNA can be isolated in RCf, suggesting that these subnuclear fractions can be used to determine the pattern of synthesis and partitioning of different species of viral late mRNA, hence allowing the use of quantitative techniques and potentially advancing the detailed study of the complex pattern of viral late mRNA biogenesis.
Furthermore, this technique can be used to study the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the efficient replication of the viral genome, regulation of the complex program of viral gene transcription and cellular factors that are co-opted in RC, as well as morphological and ultrastructural studies of these viral induced structures. Moreover this system should be easily adapted to isolate RC from other nuclear replicating viruses, and should help unravel viral mechanisms that govern virus-cell interactions.
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This work was supported by grants from CONACyT-SEP (SEP-2008-84582; CB-2011-01-168497) and Promep-SEP for R.A.G.; P.H. received a scholarship from CONACyT (447442).
DMEM | Gibco | 12100-046 | Warm in 37 ºC water bath before use |
Fetal Bovine Serum | Gibco | 12484-028 | |
Sucrose, Ultra Pure | Research Organics | 0928S | Prepare a 2.55 M stock solution and store at 4 ºC |
Dounce homogenizer | Kontess Glass Company | 884900-0000 | |
Branson 1800 Ultrasonic Bath | Branson | Z769533 SIGMA | Turn on 15 min before use. |
Peroxidase AffiniPure F(ab')₂ Fragment Goat Anti-Mouse IgG (H+L) | Jackson ImmunoResearch | 115-036-003 | Use at a 1:10,000 dilution in PBS/0.03% non-fat milk |
Goat anti-Mouse IgG1 Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 488 conjugate | Life Technologies | A-21121 | Use at a 1:2,000 dilution in PBS |
Silane-Prep Slides | Sigma | S4651-72EA | Open in a laminar flow cabinet |
SuperSignal West Pico Chemiluminescent Substrate | Pierce ThermoScientific | 34080 |