title: The 5' region of Tacaribe virus L RNA encodes a protein with a potential metal binding domain.
abstract: We have just completed the Tacaribe arenavirus (TV) genome structure by sequencing the 5' region of the L RNA. Analysis of the sequence has indicated the existence of an open reading frame (ORF) in the viral sense RNA encoding a 95 amino acid polypeptide. The first in phase AUG codon is in positions 70-72 from the 5' end of the viral RNA surrounded by a sequence favorable for the initiation of protein synthesis. The ORF ends at positions 355-357. The predicted polypeptide (P11) contains a cysteine-rich sequence bearing a remarkable similarity to the "zinc finger" sequences found in a number of proteins. We have recently reported that the 3' region of the TV L RNA encodes a polypeptide comprising 2210 amino acids in the viral-complementary sequence. This latter gene, i.e., the L gene, terminates at positions 442-440 from the 5' end of the viral RNA. The two genes encoded by the L RNA (L and P11) are in opposite strands of the RNA in sequences that do not overlap, but are separated by a noncoding intergenic region of 82 nucleotides. The nucleotide sequence of the intergenic region leads to the prediction of a strong secondary structure.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Virología Animal, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iapalucci
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Zakin
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Franze-Fernández
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001116:Arenaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D014709:Vero Cells; D015032:Zinc
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008667:Metalloproteins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015032:Zinc