A second functional RNA domain in the 5' UTR of the Tomato bushy stunt virus genome: intra- and interdomain interactions mediate viral RNA replication.

ABSTRACT: The 5' untranslated regions (UTRs) of (+)-strand RNA viruses play a variety of roles in the reproductive cycles of these infectious agents. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) belongs to this class of RNA virus and is the prototype member of the genus Tombusvirus. Previous studies have demonstrated that a T-shaped domain (TSD) forms in the 5' half of the TBSV 5' UTR and that it plays a central role in viral RNA replication. Here we have extended our structure-function analysis to the 3' half of the 5' UTR. Investigation of this region in the context of a model viral replicon (i.e., a TBSV-derived defective interfering [DI] RNA) revealed that this segment contains numerous functionally relevant structural features. In vitro solution structure probing along with comparative and computer-aided RN

SUBMITTER: Ray D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1370487 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature