The 0.3-kb fragment containing the R-U5-5'leader sequence of Friend murine leukemia virus influences the level of protein expression from spliced mRNA.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A neuropathogenic variant of Friend murine leukemia virus (Fr-MLV) clone A8 induces spongiform neurodegeneration when infected into neonatal rats. Studies with chimeras constructed from the A8 virus and the non-neuropathogenic Fr-MLV clone 57 identified a 0.3-kb KpnI-AatII fragment containing a R-U5-5'leader sequence as an important determinant for inducing spongiosis, in addition to the env gene of A8 as the primary determinant. This 0.3-kb fragment contains a 17-nucleotide difference between the A8 and 57 sequences. We previously showed that the 0.3-kb fragment influences expression levels of Env protein in both cultured cells and rat brain, but the corresponding molecular mechanisms are not well understood.

Results

Studies with expression vectors constructed fr

SUBMITTER: Choo YC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3651342 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature