Human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) E2 is a DNA-binding protein that regulates transcription, replication and potentially, segregation of the HPV16 genome during the viral life cycle. In the segregation model, E2 simultaneously binds to viral and host chromatin, acting as a bridge to ensure that viral genomes reside in daughter nuclei following cell division. The host chromatin receptor for E2 mediating this function is unknown. Recently, we demonstrated that CK2 phosphorylation of E2 on serine 23 (S23) is required for interaction with TopBP1, and that this interaction promotes E2 and TopBP1 recruitment to mitotic chromatin. Here, we demonstrate that in U2OS cells expressing wild-type E2 and a non-TopBP1-binding mutant (S23A, serine 23 mutated to alanine), interaction with TopBP1 is essential for E2 recruitment of plasmids to mitotic chromatin. Using novel quantitative segregation assays, we demonstrate that interaction with TopBP1 is required for E2 plasmid segregation function in U2OS and N/Tert-1 cells. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of TopBP1 or CK2 enzyme components disrupts E2 segregation/retention function. The interaction of E2 with TopBP1 promotes increased levels of E2 protein during mitosis in U2OS and N/Tert-1 cells, as well as in human foreskin keratinocytes (HFK) immortalized by the HPV16 genome. Overall, our results demonstrate that E2 has plasmid segregation activity, and that the E2-TopBP1 interaction is essential for this E2 function. IMPORTANCE HPV16 causes 3% to 4% of all human cancers. It is proposed that during the viral life cycle, the viral genome is actively segregated into daughter nuclei, ensuring viral replication in the subsequent S phase. The E2 protein potentially bridges the viral and host genomes during mitosis to mediate segregation of the circular viral plasmid. Here, we demonstrate that E2 has the ability to mediate plasmid segregation, and that this function is dependent upon interaction with the host protein TopBP1. Additionally, we demonstrate that the E2-TopBP1 interaction promotes enhanced E2 expression during mitosis, which likely promotes the plasmid segregation function of E2. Overall, our results present a mechanism of how HPV16 can segregate its viral genome during an active infection, a critical aspect of the viral life cycle.
Keywords: E2; TopBP1; chromosome segregation; papillomavirus; plasmid retention.