An RNA stem-loop structure involved in the packaging of bovine leukemia virus genomic RNA in vivo.
An RNA secondary structure of the bovine leukemia virus (BLV) 5'-terminal RNA sequence was constructed by computer-assisted RNA secondary structure analysis. Mutations were created in the noncoding region (NCR) of BLV, which contains a conserved consensus sequence, to disrupt predicted secondary structure of this region. After transfection of these constructs into FLK-BLV cells and analysis of viral particles a reduction in mutant RNA content was observed relative to that of unmutated vector RNA. The packaging efficiency of the mutant with a substitution in the consensus sequence was reduced threefold and that of the mutant with a deleted 5' NCR was reduced fivefold. We conclude that predicted RNA secondary structure and/or nucleotide sequence of the BLV noncoding region is essential for BLV RNA packaging in vivo.
Kurg
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A
Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Estonian Biocenter, Tartu University.
Sommer
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G
Metspalu
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D016679:Genome, Viral; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep
D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D012367:RNA, Viral