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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
18:10
Isolation of Fidelity Variants of RNA Viruses and Characterization of Virus Mutation Frequency
Published on: June 16, 2011
The viroid and viroid-like RNA database
D A Lafontaine1, S Mercure, V Poisson
1Département de Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada.
Nucleic Acids Research
|February 21, 1998
Summary
This study compiles natural viroid and viroid-like RNA sequences, offering insights into their structure, function, and evolutionary history. The database serves as a valuable resource for researchers studying these unique RNA molecules.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Bioinformatics
- Virology
Background:
- Viroids and viroid-like RNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules with unique biological properties.
- Understanding their structure and evolution is crucial for deciphering their roles in host-pathogen interactions.
- Existing sequence data was fragmented across various repositories, hindering comprehensive analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a centralized, comprehensive database of all known natural viroid and viroid-like RNA sequences.
- To provide valuable information on RNA structural domains and open reading frames.
- To facilitate phylogenetic and structure-function studies of these RNA species.
Main Methods:
- Compilation of sequences from peer-reviewed literature and major nucleotide sequence databases (GenBank, EMBL).
- Bioinformatic analyses including prediction of self-catalytic domains and open reading frames.
- Computational determination of ancestral sequences and secondary structures.
Main Results:
- A curated database of natural viroid and viroid-like RNA sequences is now available online.
- The database includes data on critical functional domains and evolutionary relationships.
- Predictions of ancestral sequences and stable secondary structures offer new avenues for research.
Conclusions:
- The developed database serves as a vital reference point for viroid and viroid-like RNA research.
- It significantly enhances the accessibility of sequence data for phylogenetic and structure-function investigations.
- This resource will accelerate discoveries in the field of small RNA biology and evolution.
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