Evaluation of a Prediction Protocol to Identify Potential Targets of Epigenetic Reprogramming by the Cancer Associated Epstein Barr Virus

BACKGROUND: Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infects the majority of the human population, causing fatal diseases in a small proportion in conjunction with environmental factors. Following primary infection, EBV remains latent in the memory B cell population for life. Recurrent reactivation of the virus occurs, probably due to activation of the memory B-lymphocytes, resulting in viral replication and re-infection of B-lymphocytes. Methylation of the viral DNA at CpG motifs leads to silencing of viral gene expression during latency. Zta, the key viral protein that mediates the latency/reactivation balance, interacts with methylated DNA. Zta is a transcription factor for both viral and host genes. A sub-set of its DNA binding sites (ZREs) contains a CpG motif, which is recognised in its methylated form. Detailed analysis of the promoter of the viral gene BRLF1 revealed that interaction with a methylated CpG ZRE (RpZRE3) is key to overturning the epigenetic silencing of the gene. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we question whether we can use this information to identify which host genes contain promoters with similar response elements. A computational search of human gene promoters identified 274 targets containing the 7-nucleotide RpZRE3 core element. DNA binding analysis of Zta with 17 of these targets revealed that the flanking context of the core element does not have a profound effect on the ability of Zta to interact with the methylated sites. A second juxtaposed ZRE was observed for one promoter. Zta was able to interact with this site, although co-occupancy with the RpZRE3 core element was not observed. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This research demonstrates 274 human promoters have the potential to be regulated by Zta to overturn epigenetic silencing of gene expression during viral reactivation from latency.