title: Self-catalyzed linkage of poliovirus terminal protein VPg to poliovirus RNA.
abstract: The poliovirus terminal protein, VPg, was covalently linked to poliovirus RNA in a reaction that required synthetic VPg, Mg2+, and a replication intermediate synthesized in vitro. The VPg linkage reaction did not require the viral polymerase, host factor, or ribonucleoside triphosphates and was specific for template-linked minus-strand RNA synthesized on poliovirion RNA. The covalent nature of the bond between VPg and the RNA was demonstrated by the isolation of VPg-pUp from VPg-linked RNA. A model is proposed in which the tyrosine residue in VPg forms a phosphodiester bond with the 5'UMP in minus-strand RNA in a self-catalyzed transesterification reaction. It appears that either the RNA, VPg, or a combination of both forms the catalytic center for this reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Medical Microbiology College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Flanegan
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D007700:Kinetics; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017955:Poliovirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D015636:Magnesium Chloride; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases