title: Echovirus-9 protein 2C binds single-stranded RNA unspecifically.
abstract: Polypeptide 2C is essential for picornavirus replication. Although many data on multiple functions of this highly conserved protein are available, the mechanism of RNA binding is still obscure. In this work, protein 2C of echovirus-9 strain Barty was expressed as a histidine-tagged protein in E. coli followed by nondenaturing purification to homogeneity. After incubation of 2C protein with different kinds of RNA fragments, binding was shown in gel retardation assays. Competition experiments revealed that 2C targets linear RNA unspecifically; however, single-stranded linear DNA does not react with this protein. In contrast to poliovirus, protein 2C of echovirus-9 only recognizes RNA with a low content of secondary structures. This may be a first hint of a different binding specificity of 2C in echo- and polioviruses.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie der Universität zu Köln, Fürst-Pückler-Str. 56, 50935 Köln, Germany1.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie der Universität zu Köln, Fürst-Pückler-Str. 56, 50935 Köln, Germany1.
authors.forename: Hans J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Eggers
authors.affiliation: Institut für Virologie der Universität zu Köln, Fürst-Pückler-Str. 56, 50935 Köln, Germany1.
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nelsen-Salz
mesh_terms: D004459:Echovirus 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism*; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; C116598:2C helicase; D020365:RNA Helicases