title: A single amino acid mutation in the PA subunit of the influenza virus RNA polymerase promotes the generation of defective interfering RNAs.
abstract: An R638A mutation of the polymerase acidic protein (PA) subunit of the RNA polymerase of influenza A/WSN/33 virus results in severe attenuation of viral growth in cell culture by promoting the synthesis of defective interfering RNAs. We propose that R638A is an "elongation" mutant that destabilizes PA-RNA template interactions during elongation. A C453R mutation in PA can compensate for this defect, suggesting that amino acids C453 and R638 form part of the same domain.
authors.affiliation: Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ervin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fodor
authors.forename: Louise J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Mingay
authors.forename: Mandy
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crow
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: George G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Brownlee
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D003673:Defective Viruses / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D034622:RNA Interference; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: C061290:PA protein, influenza viruses; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases