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Updated: Sep 23, 2026

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism
Published on: February 6, 2017
Modulating viral gene expression by aptamers to RNA structures
Jean-Jacques Toulmé1, Fabien Darfeuille, Gaëlle Kolb
1Inserm U386, IFR 66, Université Victor-Segalen, 146, rue Léo-Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux cedex 2, France. jean-jacques.toulme@bourdeaux.inserm.fr
Abstract:
Oligonucleotides exhibiting a strong affinity and a high specificity for RNA hairpins were obtained by in vitro selection. Such oligomers give rise to loop-loop complexes with the target hairpins: the trans-activation responsive (TAR) element of the Human Immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) or subdomains of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) mRNA. Chemically modified derivatives of an antiTAR aptamer were shown to compete out the binding of the viral protein Tat and to selectively inhibit the in vitro TAR-dependent transcription of a reporter gene. In addition, antisense oligomers derived from sequences selected against the domain IIId of the HCV internal ribosome entry site were shown to specifically block translation both in a cell-free assay and in cultured cells.
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