Secondary structural ensembles of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome in infected cells.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus with a single-stranded, positive-sense, 30-kilobase RNA genome responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Although population average structure models of the genome were recently reported, there is little experimental data on native structural ensembles, and most structures lack functional characterization. Here we report secondary structure heterogeneity of the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome in two lines of infected cells at single nucleotide resolution. Our results reveal alternative RNA conformations across the genome and at the critical frameshifting stimulation element (FSE) that are drastically different from prevailing population average models. Importantly, we find that this structural ensemble promotes frameshifting rates much higher than the canonica

SUBMITTER: Lan TCT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8891300 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature