Chemical synthesis of human papillomavirus type 16 E7 oncoprotein: autonomous protein domains for induction of cellular DNA synthesis and for trans activation.

The human papillomavirus type 16 E7 protein belongs to a family of nuclear oncoproteins that share amino acid sequences and functional homology. To localize biochemical activities associated with E7, we chemically synthesized the full-length 98-amino-acid polypeptide and several deletion mutant peptides. We show that the E7 polypeptide is biologically active and possesses at least two functional domains; the first induces cellular DNA synthesis in quiescent rodent cells, and the second trans activates the adenovirus E1A-inducible early E2 promoter and binds zinc. Further, each domain is autonomous and can function on separate peptides. DNA synthesis induction activity maps within the N-terminal portion of the molecule, which contains sequences related to adenovirus E1A conserved domains 1 and 2 required for cell transformation and binding of the retinoblastoma gene product. trans-Activation and Zn-binding activities map within the C-terminal portion of the molecule, a region which contains Cys-X-X-Cys motifs. trans Activation does not require protein synthesis, implying a mechanism that involves interaction with a preexisting cellular factor(s). E7 trans activates the adenovirus E2 promoter but not other E1A-inducible viral promoters, suggesting the possibility that E7 trans activation involves interaction, directly or indirectly, with cellular transcription factor E2F.