Capping of vesicular stomatitis virus pre-mRNA is required for accurate selection of transcription stop-start sites and virus propagation.

ABSTRACT: The multifunctional RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L protein of vesicular stomatitis virus catalyzes unconventional pre-mRNA capping via the covalent enzyme-pRNA intermediate formation, which requires the histidine-arginine (HR) motif in the polyribonucleotidyltransferase domain. Here, the effects of cap-defective mutations in the HR motif on transcription were analyzed using an in vitro reconstituted transcription system. The wild-type L protein synthesized the leader RNA from the 3'-end of the genome followed by 5'-capped and 3'-polyadenylated mRNAs from internal genes by a stop-start transcription mechanism. Cap-defective mutants efficiently produced the leader RNA, but displayed aberrant stop-start transcription using cryptic termination and initiation signals within the first gene, resu

SUBMITTER: Ogino T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4231761 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature