JC virus: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy

The T protein is a DNA-binding protein and is responsible for initiation of viral DNA replication and transcription of the capsid proteins. In certain rodent and nonhuman primate cells, JCV T-protein expression is consistent with a malignant transformation or tumor induction, particularly of astroglial cells into astrocytomas [29-31]. In these cells, Figure 1 Organization of the 5.1 kilobase JC virus (JCV) genome. The regulatory region (RR) directs transcription of T RNA followed by transcription of agnoprotein and capsid protein (VP1, VP2, VP3) RNA. T RNA and its splice variants yielding t and T′ transcripts are produced from the opposite strand and in the opposite direction of agnoprotein and capsid protein RNA.