Polyomavirus large T-antigen binds the ‘pRb related’ protein p130 through sequences in conserved region 2

The transforming potential of DNA tumor viruses derives mainly from the ability of their encoded oncogene products to interact with cellular proteins. Many of these viral oncoproteins share regions of sequence similarity, designated conserved region 1 and 2, which have been implicated in complex formation with pRb, the product of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene, and related p107 and p130 species. It has now been shown that the E1A protein of adenovirus is able to bind to all three pRb-related proteins through sequences in conserved region 1 and 2. We have shown previously that polyomavirus large T-antigen also interacts with pRb and p107 in vitro. The pRb and p107 binding domains reside between residues 141–158, which include conserved region 2. In the present study, we demonstrate that polyomavirus large T-antigen also interacted with p130 in vitro through the same sequences in conserved region 2.