A DNA molecule having a gene expression repressing function derived from
human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) existing in a region which is
missing in a mutant provirus that is expressing p21Xm RNA but exists in
the genome of a complete provirus, and a plasmid including the DNA
molecule are provided. Furthermore, a novel protein (TRP-1) which
specifically binds to U5RE and a structural gene for the protein is
provided, which can be useful for elucidation of the transcription
repression activity and elucidation of the oncogenesis mechanism of
neurocytes, in which a transcriptional repressive region (U5RE) existing
in the U5 region of human T-cell leukemia virus type I gene LTR is
involved. Furthermore, an expression vector including the gene, a
transformant into which the expression vector is introduced, and a process
for producing the TRP-1 protein using the transformant are provided.