Specialized cis-Acting RNA Elements Balance Genome Cyclization to Ensure Efficient Replication of Yellow Fever Virus.

ABSTRACT: Genome cyclization is essential for viral RNA (vRNA) replication of the vertebrate-infecting flaviviruses, and yet its regulatory mechanisms are not fully understood. Yellow fever virus (YFV) is a notorious pathogenic flavivirus. Here, we demonstrated that a group of cis-acting RNA elements in YFV balance genome cyclization to govern efficient vRNA replication. It was shown that the downstream of the 5'-cyclization sequence hairpin (DCS-HP) is conserved in the YFV clade and is important for efficient YFV propagation. By using two different replicon systems, we found that the function of the DCS-HP is determined primarily by its secondary structure and, to a lesser extent, by its base-pair composition. By combining in vitro RNA binding and ch

SUBMITTER: Li D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10134800 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature