Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus Lana-1 is a major activator of the serum response element and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways via interactions with the Mediator complex

In cells infected with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways plays a crucial role early after virus infection as well as during reactivation. In order to systematically identify viral proteins activating MAPK pathways in KSHV-infected cells, a clone collection of KSHV open reading frames (ORFs) was screened for induction of the serum response element (SRE), as SRE is induced by MAPKs. The strongest induction of the SRE was found with ORF73 (latency-associated nuclear antigen 1, or Lana-1), although weaker activation was also found with the kaposin B isoform, ORF54 (dUTPase) and ORF74 (G-protein-coupled receptor). The bipartite SRE is bound by a ternary complex consisting of serum response factor (SRF) and ternary complex factor. Lana-1 bound directly to SRF, but also to the MED25 (ARC92/ACID-1), MED15 (PCQAP) and MED23 (Sur-2) subunits of the Mediator complex, a multi-subunit transcriptional co-activator complex for RNA polymerase II. Lana-1-induced SRE activation was inhibited by the dominant-negative N-terminal domain of the MED25 mediator subunit, suggesting that this subunit mediates Lana-1-induced SRE activation. In summary, these data suggest a model in which Lana-1 acts as an adaptor between the transcription factor SRF and the basal transcriptional machinery.