Transcription termination within the E1A gene of adenovirus induced by insertion of the mouse β-major globin terminator element

In induced erythroleukemia cells, transcription of the β-globin gene terminates in a region 600-1500 nucleotides downstream of the poly(A) site. To determine whether this region of the mouse DNA functions to terminate transcription when moved to another genomic site, portions of the putative termination region have been inserted into the E1A transcription unit of the adenovirus (type 5) chromosome. Analysis of RNA labeled either in isolated nuclei or in whole cells early after infection with reconstructed viruses indicated that transcription is terminated if the inserted DNA is oriented in the same direction as in the β-globin transcription unit and contains the globin poly(A) site plus an additional 1395 nucleotides downstream. In addition to halting transcription within the E1A unit, the insertion of the terminator region had a negative cis effect on the E1B transcription unit, which normally initiates 363 bp downstream of the site of the globin insert. The EIB transcription unit was the only early gene affected, and complementation of the terminator virus with a wild-type E1A gene did not restore transcription of the EIB gene.