Extensive Epitranscriptomic Methylation of A and C Residues on Murine Leukemia Virus Transcripts Enhances Viral Gene Expression.

ABSTRACT: While it has been known for several years that viral RNAs are subject to the addition of several distinct covalent modifications to individual nucleotides, collectively referred to as epitranscriptomic modifications, the effect of these editing events on viral gene expression has been controversial. Here, we report the purification of murine leukemia virus (MLV) genomic RNA to homogeneity and show that this viral RNA contains levels of N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A), 5-methylcytosine (m⁵C), and 2'O-methylated (Nm) ribonucleotides that are an order of magnitude higher than detected on bulk cellular mRNAs. Mapping of m⁶A and m⁵C residues on MLV transcripts identified multiple discrete editing sites and allowed the construction of MLV va

SUBMITTER: Courtney DG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6561033 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature