%0 Journal Article %A Lin, Guangyun %A Slack, Jeffrey M. %A Blissard, Gary W. %T Expression and localization of LEF-11 in Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus-infected Sf9 cells %D 2001 %J Journal of General Virology, %V 82 %N 9 %P 2289-2294 %@ 1465-2099 %R https://doi.org/10.1099/0022-1317-82-9-2289 %I Microbiology Society, %X The Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) lef-11 gene was found previously to be necessary to support optimal levels of transient expression from an AcMNPV late promoter. The lef-11 gene is unusual in that it overlaps both upstream (orf38) and downstream (pp31) genes. In this study, the expression and cellular localization of LEF-11 were examined. The lef-11 transcripts were detected from 4 to 36 h post-infection (p.i.). The 1·5 kb lef-11 mRNA initiates 196 nt upstream of the lef-11 translation initiation codon, within the upstream orf38 gene. This relatively long 5′ upstream region encodes a potential small upstream open reading frame (ORF) of 58 amino acids that overlaps the lef-11 ORF. The 3′ end of the lef-11 mRNA was mapped as co-terminal with mRNAs from the downstream pp31 gene. Using affinity purified anti-LEF-11 antibodies, levels of LEF-11 expression were found to be maximal between approximately 8 and 24 h p.i., although LEF-11 could be detected as late as 72 h p.i. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, it was determined that LEF-11 localized to dense regions of infected cell nuclei, consistent with its role as a possible late transcription factor. %U https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/0022-1317-82-9-2289