Activity of Toscana and Rift Valley fever virus transcription complexes on heterologous templates.
A transcription system for Toscana virus (TOSV) (a member of the family BUNYAVIRIDAE:, genus PHLEBOVIRUS:) was constructed. For in vivo expression, the TOSV transcription system uses the viral N and L proteins and an S-like RNA genome containing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene in the antisense orientation flanked by the viral genomic 5'- and 3'-terminal S sequences. It was found that the N and L proteins represent the minimal protein requirement for an active transcription complex. To investigate the possibility of reassortment between TOSV and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), the activity of their polymerase complexes was tested on their heterologous S-like RNA genomes and this showed that both virus complexes were active. Moreover, hybrid transcriptase complexes with protein components originating from the two viruses were tested on both virus templates and only the combination RVFV L + TOSV N on RVFV S-like RNA was found to be active in this assay. These results suggest that virus reassortants might be generated whenever the two viruses infect the same host.
Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy1.
Luisa
L
Accardi
Groupes des Bunyaviridés, Unité des Arbovirus et virus des Fièvres Haemorragiques, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex, France2.
Christophe
C
Prehaud
Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy1.
Paola
P
Di Bonito
Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy1.
Stefania
S
Mochi
Groupes des Bunyaviridés, Unité des Arbovirus et virus des Fièvres Haemorragiques, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex, France2.
Michèle
M
Bouloy
Laboratory of Virology, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy1.
Colomba
C
Giorgi
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002043:Bunyaviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D012296:Rift Valley fever virus / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014709:Vero Cells
D012367:RNA, Viral