On the structure of AP-4 responsive element in the LTR of Jembrana disease virus

Previous studies with deletion and sequence analysis of JDV LTR showed that there is a putative AP-4 responsive element in LTR. By antisense transient assay and gel shifting assay, we for the first time demonstrated that AP-4 modulated JDV gene expression by binding DNA di-rectly to bovine cells. The results, derived from site-directed mutagenesis experiments, suggest that the six base pairs of AP-4 binding site (CAGCTG) have different effects on JDV gene expression. When the first two base pairs changed to GC, JDV gene expression is severely decreased.