Promoter/origin structure of the complementary strand of hepatitis C virus genome.
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B protein encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Sequences in the 3' termini of both the plus and minus strand of HCV genomic RNA harbor the activity of a replication origin and a transcription promoter. There are unique stem-loop structures in both termini of the viral RNA. We found that the complementary strand of the internal ribosome-binding site (IRES) showed strong template activity in vitro. The complementary strand RNA of the HCV genome works as a template for mRNA and viral genomic RNA. We analyzed the promoter/origin structure of the complementary sequence of IRES and found that the first and second stem-loops worked as negative and positive elements in RNA synthesis, respectively. The complementary strand of the second stem-loop of IRES was an important element also for binding to HCV RdRp.
Kashiwagi
Takahito
T
Department of Virology, Kurume University, School of Medicine, 67 Asahimachi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan.
Hara
Koyu
K
Kohara
Michinori
M
Iwahashi
Jun
J
Hamada
Nobuyuki
N
Honda-Yoshino
Haruhito
H
Toyoda
Tetsuya
T
D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D017353:Gene Deletion; D016679:Genome, Viral; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018741:Replication Origin; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins