title: Picornavirus IRES elements: RNA structure and host protein interactions.
abstract: Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements were discovered in picornaviruses. These elements are cis-acting RNA sequences that adopt diverse three-dimensional structures and recruit the translation machinery using a 5' end-independent mechanism assisted by a subset of translation initiation factors and various RNA binding proteins termed IRES transacting factors (ITAFs). Many of these factors suffer important modifications during infection including cleavage by picornavirus proteases, changes in the phosphorylation level and/or redistribution of the protein from the nuclear to the cytoplasm compartment. Picornavirus IRES are amongst the most potent elements described so far. However, given their large diversity and complexity, the mechanistic basis of its mode of action is not yet fully understood. This review is focused to describe recent advances on the studies of RNA structure and RNA-protein interactions modulating picornavirus IRES activity.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolas Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: emartinez@cbm.csic.es.
authors.forename: Encarnación
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martínez-Salas
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolas Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Francisco-Velilla
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolas Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Chamorro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolas Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lozano
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolas Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diaz-Toledano
mesh_terms: D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D000067556:Internal Ribosome Entry Sites; D008954:Models, Biological; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010849:Picornaviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D059370:RNA Folding; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D014780:Viruses
chemical_list: D000067556:Internal Ribosome Entry Sites; D011506:Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Host factors; IRES elements; RNA structure; RNA–protein interactions; Translation control; Untranslated regions