Gene overlap and site-specific attenuation of transcription of the viral polymerase L gene of human respiratory syncytial virus.
Sequence analysis of the gene encoding polymerase L protein of respiratory syncytial virus showed that L-gene transcription initiates within its upstream neighbor, the gene encoding the 22-kDa protein 22K. This is an exception to the canonical mode of sequential transcription of nonoverlapping genes described for other nonsegmented negative-strand RNA viruses. As a consequence of the gene overlap, the termination/polyadenylylation signal for the 22K gene is located at nucleotides 56-68 within the L gene. L-gene transcription yielded two RNAs: an abundant, truncated, polyadenylylated transcript resulting from termination at the internal signal and a markedly less abundant large polyadenylylated transcript representing the complete L gene. This result showed that the internal termination/polyadenylylation signal is an attenuator of L-gene transcription.
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D005814:Genes, Viral; D006801:Humans; D011061:Poly A / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D012136:Respiratory Syncytial Viruses / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D011061:Poly A; D012313:RNA