The marburg virus 3' noncoding region structurally and functionally differs from that of ebola virus.

ABSTRACT: We have previously shown that the first transcription start signal (TSS) of Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV) is involved in formation of an RNA secondary structure regulating VP30-dependent transcription activation. Interestingly, transcription of Marburg virus (MARV) minigenomes occurs independently of VP30. In this study, we analyzed the structure of the MARV 3' noncoding region and its influence on VP30 necessity. Secondary structure formation of the TSS of the first gene was experimentally determined and showed substantial differences from the structure formed by the ZEBOV TSS. Chimeric MARV minigenomes mimicking the ZEBOV-specific RNA secondary structure were neither transcribed nor replicated. Mapping of the MARV genomic replication promoter revealed that the region homologous to the sequen

SUBMITTER: Enterlein S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2668471 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature