title: Interaction between retroviral U5 RNA and the T psi C loop of the tRNA(Trp) primer is required for efficient initiation of reverse transcription.
abstract: The 5' end of avian sarcoma and leukosis virus RNA near the primer binding site forms two RNA secondary structures, U5-inverted repeat (U5-IR) and U5-leader stems, which are required for efficient initiation of reverse transcription. Lying between these two secondary structures is a 7-base sequence that can anneal to the T psi C loop of the tRNA(Trp) primer. Base substitutions in U5 RNA which disrupt this potential interaction result in a defect in the initiation of reverse transcription both in vivo and in vitro. The defect can be complemented in vitro by base substitutions in the primer. The U5 RNA-T psi C interaction is also dependent upon the presence of both the U5-IR and the U5-leader structures. These RNA secondary structures and primer interactions are conserved in other type C and D retroviruses, suggesting that there is a common mechanism for the initiation of reverse transcription in all of these retroviruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aiyar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cobrinik
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leis
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D012364:RNA, Transfer, Trp / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013698:Templates, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear; D012364:RNA, Transfer, Trp; D012367:RNA, Viral