Distinct attenuation phenotypes caused by mutations in the translational starting window of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus.

ABSTRACT: Upon initiation of translation of picornavirus RNA, the ribosome is believed to bind the internal ribosome entry site of the template and then to form a productive complex with a downstream RNA segment, the starting window. The presence or absence of an AUG triplet within the starting window of the RNA of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (a picornavirus) is known to modulate its neurovirulence. In this study, mutants of this virus in which the starting windows, lying upstream of the viral polyprotein reading frame, had AUGs with different nonoptimal contexts were engineered. Upon intracerebral inoculation of mice, the mutants proved to be partially attenuated, as judged by a significant increase in the dose causing paralysis in 50% of the animals (PD50). Mutants with similar PD50s

SUBMITTER: Pilipenko EV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC104082 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature