Moloney murine sarcoma virus genomic RNAs dimerize via a two-step process: a concentration-dependent kissing-loop interaction is driven by initial contact between consecutive guanines.

ABSTRACT: Retroviruses contain two plus-strand genomic RNAs, which are stably but noncovalently joined in their 5' regions by a dimer linkage structure (DLS). Two models have been put forward to explain the mechanisms by which the RNAs dimerize; each model emphasizes the role of specific molecular determinants. The kissing-loop model implicates interactions between palindromic sequences in the DLS region. The second model proposes that purine-rich stretches in the region form purine quartet structures. Here, we present an examination of the in vitro dimerization of Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MuSV) RNA in the context of these two models. Dimers were found to form spontaneously in a temperature-, time-, concentration-, and salt-dependent manner. In contrast to earlier reports, we found that deletio

SUBMITTER: Ly H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC104250 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature