Packaging of heterologous RNAs by a minimal bovine leukemia virus RNA packaging signal into virus particles.
A minimal bovine leukemia virus (BLV) RNA packaging sequence (E) required for heterologous RNAs to be packaged into BLV particles was analyzed. The BLV E was inserted into a non-viral vector, pLacZ, in order to determine if packaging of the non-viral vector RNA would occur. The construct was transfected into cells chronically infected with BLV in order to produce virus particles. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of viral RNA from virus particles revealed that non-viral RNA containing the BLV E was packaged into BLV particles, indicating that the BLV E is necessary and sufficient to allow for packaging of a non-viral vector RNA. We also analyzed the ability of a chimeric murine leukemia virus (MLV) retroviral vector (pLN) containing BLV E to be packaged into BLV particles. Interestingly, it was found that pLNDelta (which does not possess psi+) could be packaged into BLV particles. This indicates that a MLV RNA region outside of psi+ allows for packaging of the MLV RNA into BLV particles.
Jewell
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NA
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Mansky
L M
LM
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002460:Cell Line; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D001909:Leukemia Virus, Bovine / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014771:Virion / Q000378:metabolism*; D019065:Virus Assembly
D012367:RNA, Viral; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D012313:RNA