Nucleotide sequence requirements at the 5' end of the influenza A virus M RNA segment for efficient virus replication.
The mechanism by which the influenza A virus genome is packaged into virions is not fully understood. The coding and noncoding regions necessary for packaging of the viral RNA segments, except for the M segment, have been identified. Here, we delineate the M segment regions by incorporating a reporter viral RNA into virions and by generating viruses possessing mutations in the regions. We found that, like the other segments, the M segment coding regions are essential for virion incorporation and that the nucleotide length rather than the nucleotide sequence of the 5' end of the coding region is important.
Ozawa
Makoto
M
Division of Virology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Tokyo, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
Maeda
Junko
J
Iwatsuki-Horimoto
Kiyoko
K
Watanabe
Shinji
S
Goto
Hideo
H
Horimoto
Taisuke
T
Kawaoka
Yoshihiro
Y
D001483:Base Sequence; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019065:Virus Assembly
D012367:RNA, Viral