title: Phylogenetic prediction of cis-acting elements: a cre-like sequence in Norovirus genome?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Discrete RNA structures such as cis-acting replication elements (cre) in the coding region of RNA virus genomes create characteristic suppression of synonymous site variability (SSSV). Different phylogenetic methods have been developed to predict secondary structures in RNA viruses, for high-resolution thermodynamic scanning and for detecting SSSV. These approaches have been successfully in predicting cis-acting signals in different members of the family Picornaviridae and Caliciviridae. In order to gain insight into the identification of cis-acting signals in viruses whose mechanisms of replication are currently unknown, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of complete genome sequences from 49 Human Norovirus (NoV) strains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complete coding sequences of NoV ORF1 were obtained from the DDBJ database and aligned. Shannon entropy calculations and RNAalifold consensus RNA structure prediction identified a discrete, conserved, invariant sequence region with a characteristic AAACG cre motif at positions 240 through 291 of the RNA dependant RNA polymerase (RdRp) sequence (relative to strain [EMBL:EU794713]). This sequence region has a high probability to conform a stem-loop.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new predicted stem-loop has been identified near the 5' end of the RdRp of Human NoV genome. This is the same location recently reported for Hepatovirus cre stem-loop.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia Comparada e Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio deJaneiro, RJ, Brasil. matvicmon@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Matías
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Victoria
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colina
authors.forename: Marize Pereira
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Miagostovich
authors.forename: José P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cristina