An RNA Thermometer Activity of the West Nile Virus Genomic 3'-Terminal Stem-Loop Element Modulates Viral Replication Efficiency during Host Switching.

ABSTRACT: The 3'-terminal stem-loop (3'SL) of the RNA genome of the flavivirus West Nile (WNV) harbors, in its stem, one of the sequence elements that are required for genome cyclization. As cyclization is a prerequisite for the initiation of viral replication, the 3'SL was proposed to act as a replication silencer. The lower part of the 3'SL is metastable and confers a structural flexibility that may regulate the switch from the linear to the circular conformation of the viral RNA. In the human system, we previously demonstrated that a cellular RNA-binding protein, AUF1 p45, destabilizes the 3'SL, exposes the cyclization sequence, and thus promotes flaviviral genome cyclization and RNA replication. By investigating mutant RNAs with increased 3'SL stabilities, we showed the specific conformation of

SUBMITTER: Meyer A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7019923 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature