A new look at adenovirus splicing.

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Virology
• Genomics

Background:

• Adenovirus type 2 utilizes complex RNA splicing for gene expression.
• Previous mapping of splicing events had inconsistencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively map Adenovirus type 2 RNA splicing events.
• To accurately identify mRNA polyadenylation sites.
• To discover novel RNA species and assess their conservation.

Main Methods:

• Deep cDNA sequencing of Adenovirus type 2 RNA.
• Quantitative analysis of splice sites.
• Mapping of mRNA polyadenylation sites.

Main Results:

• Majority of previously identified splice sites were confirmed.
• Several previously mapped splice sites were corrected.
• New splice sites were identified, potentially coding for novel proteins or alternatively spliced mRNAs.
• Novel RNAs in the major late transcription unit showed high conservation.
• Adenovirus mRNA polyadenylation sites were accurately mapped and found to be heterogeneous.

Conclusions:

• Deep sequencing provides a more accurate map of Adenovirus type 2 RNA splicing.
• Novel RNA species identified warrant further investigation for their function.
• Accurate mapping of polyadenylation sites contributes to understanding Adenovirus gene regulation.