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Palindromic sequence plays a critical role in human foamy virus dimerization.
1Department of G.U. Medicine and Communicable Diseases, Jefferiss Research Trust Laboratories, Wright-Fleming Institute, Imperial College School of Medicine at St. Mary's, London W2 1PG, United Kingdom.
Journal of Virology
|March 27, 2001
Summary
Efficient human foamy virus (HFV) RNA dimerization is crucial for generating infectious virus, but not required for packaging. Mutations in the SII palindrome significantly impair dimerization and abolish virus replication.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Retroviral genomes are dimeric, composed of two identical RNA strands.
- Human foamy virus (HFV) RNA dimerization involves specific sites (SI, SII, SIII).
Purpose of the Study:
- To further characterize the role of SI, SII, and SIII sites in HFV RNA dimerization.
- To investigate the impact of dimerization on HFV replication.
Main Methods:
- In vitro transcription and dimerization assays of wild-type and mutant HFV RNA.
- Nondenaturing gel electrophoresis to assess RNA dimer formation.
- Transfection of mutant constructs into BHK-21 cells to evaluate virus replication.
Main Results:
- Mutations in the SII palindrome critically impaired in vitro dimerization and abolished virus replication.
- Mutations in SI and SIII reduced dimer formation and viral replication, but replication occurred to some extent.
- HFV RNA dimerization is essential for infectious virus production but not for nucleic acid packaging into virions.
Conclusions:
- The sequence and length of the SII palindrome are critical for efficient HFV RNA dimerization.
- Effective dimerization is a prerequisite for HFV replication, but not for viral packaging.
- SI and SIII sites also contribute to dimerization and viral replication.