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Cofolding organizes alfalfa mosaic virus RNA and coat protein for replication
Laura M Guogas1, David J Filman, James M Hogle
1Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Abstract:
Alfalfa mosaic virus genomic RNAs are infectious only when the viral coat protein binds to the RNA 3' termini. The crystal structure of an alfalfa mosaic virus RNA-peptide complex reveals that conserved AUGC repeats and Pro-Thr-x-Arg-Ser-x-x-Tyr coat protein amino acids cofold upon interacting. Alternating AUGC residues have opposite orientation, and they base pair in different adjacent duplexes. Localized RNA backbone reversals stabilized by arginine-guanine interactions place the adenosines and guanines in reverse order in the duplex. The results suggest that a uniform, organized 3' conformation, similar to that found on viral RNAs with transfer RNA-like ends, may be essential for replication.
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