Structural characterization of the Rous sarcoma virus RNA stability element.

ABSTRACT: In eukaryotic cells, an mRNA bearing a premature termination codon (PTC) or an abnormally long 3' untranslated region (UTR) is often degraded by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway. Despite the presence of a 5- to 7-kb 3' UTR, unspliced retroviral RNA escapes this degradation. We previously identified the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) stability element (RSE), an RNA element downstream of the gag natural translation termination codon that prevents degradation of the unspliced viral RNA. Insertion of this element downstream of a PTC in the RSV gag gene also inhibits NMD. Using partial RNase digestion and selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) chemistry, we determined the secondary structure of this element. Incorporating RNase and SHAPE data into structura

SUBMITTER: Weil JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2643715 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature