Influenza A virus transcription generates capped cRNAs that activate RIG-I.

ABSTRACT: During influenza A virus (IAV) infection, host pathogen receptor retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) detects the partially complementary, 5'-triphosphorylated ends of the viral genome segments and non-canonical replication products. However, it has also been suggested that innate immune responses may be triggered by viral transcription. In this study, we investigated whether an immunostimulatory RNA is produced during IAV transcription. We show that the IAV RNA polymerase can read though the polyadenylation signal during transcription termination, generating a capped complementary RNA (ccRNA), which contains the 5' cap of an IAV mRNA and the 3' terminus of a cRNA instead of a poly(A) tail. ccRNAs are detectable in vitro and in both ribonucleoprotein reconstitution assays and IAV

SUBMITTER: Elshina E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11601390 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature