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Updated: May 12, 2026
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Phage Phenomics: Physiological Approaches to Characterize Novel Viral Proteins
Published on: June 11, 2015
A mobile genetic element with unknown function found in distantly related viruses.
Torstein Tengs1, Anja Bråthen Kristoffersen, Tsvetan R Bachvaroff
1National Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway. torstein.tengs@vetinst.no
Virology Journal
|April 27, 2013
Summary
The s2m genetic element is found in four RNA virus families, suggesting it
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- The s2m genetic element is a rare example of a mobile genetic element in viruses.
- Its function is largely unknown, and its distribution across virus families is scattered.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify all viral accessions containing s2m(-like) sequence motifs.
- To investigate the mobile nature and evolutionary history of s2m using phylogenetic analyses.
Main Methods:
- Searched GenBank for viral sequences with s2m(-like) motifs.
- Performed rigorous phylogenetic analyses and constrained tree topology testing.
Main Results:
- The s2m stem-loop structure was identified in Astroviridae, Caliciviridae, Picornaviridae, and Coronaviridae (+ ssRNA virus families).
- The distribution indicates multiple gains and/or losses of s2m across these families, suggesting mobility.
Conclusions:
- s2m is a mobile genetic element with a unique evolutionary trajectory across the four identified virus families.
- A hypothesis for an RNAi-like function of s2m is proposed based on findings and literature review.
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