title: New insights into RNA packaging in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus.
abstract: While identifying whether the smallest packaged heteroclite subgenomic RNA (S9) of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) contains a packaging signal, we found that S9 was capable of binding to the basic amino acid-rich domain (synthetic peptide of aa 34-53) of the packaging protein (N). In addition, by using truncations at the 5' and 3' ends of S9, a minimal binding region of 35 nt was found to be essential for binding to both the synthetic peptide and to the full-length N protein. Furthermore, by using cell-culture experiments, we found that S9 was capable of packaging non-viral RNA sequence into PRRSV particles and that the 35 nt region was essential for this activity. Taken together, our data suggest that this 35 nt region might be an important element for packaging PRRSV genomic RNA into virus particles.
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), 120 Veterinary Road, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada.
authors.forename: Tayyba T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.affiliation: Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), 120 Veterinary Road, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zakhartchouk
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005819:Genetic Markers; D019316:Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011485:Protein Binding; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine / Q000821:virology*; D019065:Virus Assembly
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D020121:5' Untranslated Regions; D005819:Genetic Markers; D012367:RNA, Viral