Discovery of frameshifting in Alphavirus 6K resolves a 20-year enigma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The genus Alphavirus includes several potentially lethal human viruses. Additionally, species such as Sindbis virus and Semliki Forest virus are important vectors for gene therapy, vaccination and cancer research, and important models for virion assembly and structural analyses. The genome encodes nine known proteins, including the small '6K' protein. 6K appears to be involved in envelope protein processing, membrane permeabilization, virion assembly and virus budding. In protein gels, 6K migrates as a doublet--a result that, to date, has been attributed to differing degrees of acylation. Nonetheless, despite many years of research, its role is still relatively poorly understood.

Results

We report that ribosomal -1 frameshifting, with an estimated efficiency of ap

SUBMITTER: Firth AE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2569925 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature