Activation of c-Jun by human cytomegalovirus UL42 through JNK activation

c-Jun is a major component of the AP-1 transactivator complex. In this report, we demonstrated that AP-1 was activated by the expression of UL42, a human cytomegalovirus-encoded membrane protein that has two PPXY (PY) motifs and a C-terminal transmembrane domain (TMD). Although UL42 interacts with Itch, an ubiquitin E3 ligase, through the PY motifs, UL42 phosphorylated c-Jun and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the absence of any interaction with Itch. Experiments using mutated versions of UL42 suggest the importance of the carboxyl half (a.a. 52-124) of UL42 for the activation of the JNK signaling, while C-terminal TMD alone is not sufficient. Thus, we hypothesize that UL42 plays a role in the activation of JNK signaling in HCMV-infected cells. (118 words).