Simian virus 40 large T antigen binds a novel Bcl-2 homology domain 3- containing proapoptosis protein in the cytoplasm

A 193-kDa SV40 large T antigen (T-Ag)-binding protein, designated p193, was identified and cloned. Inspection of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed the presence of a short motif similar to the Bcl-2 homology (BH) domain 3, suggesting that p193 may be a member of a family of apoptosis promoting proteins containing only BH3 motifs. In support of this, p193 expression promoted apoptosis in NIH-3T3 cells. Deletion of the BH3 motif abolished p193 apoptosis activity, p193-induced apoptosis was antagonized by co-expression of Bcl-X(L). Immune cytologic analysis indicated that p193 is localized to the cytoplasm of transfected cells, p193-induced apoptosis was also antagonized by co-expression of T-Ag, which resulted in the cytoplasmic localization of both proteins. The p193 binding site was mapped to an N- terminal region of T-Ag previously implicated in transforming activity. These results suggest that T-Ag possesses an antiapoptosis activity, independent of p53 sequestration, which is actuated by T-Ag/p193 binding in the cytoplasm.