The CERV protein of Cer1, a C. elegans LTR retrotransposon, is required for nuclear export of viral genomic RNA and can form giant nuclear rods.

ABSTRACT: Retroviruses and closely related LTR retrotransposons export full-length, unspliced genomic RNA (gRNA) for packaging into virions and to serve as the mRNA encoding GAG and POL polyproteins. Because gRNA often includes splice acceptor and donor sequences used to splice viral mRNAs, retroelements must overcome host mechanisms that retain intron-containing RNAs in the nucleus. Here we examine gRNA expression in Cer1, an LTR retrotransposon in C. elegans which somehow avoids silencing and is highly expressed in germ cells. Newly exported Cer1 gRNA associates rapidly with the Cer1 GAG protein, which has structural similarity with retroviral GAG proteins. gRNA export requires CERV (C. elegans regulator of viral expression), a novel protein encoded by a spliced Cer1 mRNA. CERV phosphorylation at

SUBMITTER: Sun B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10309623 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature