Role of RNA Structures in Genome Terminal Sequences of the Hepatitis C Virus for Replication and Assembly
Keyword(s):
Hcv Rna
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ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a positive-strand RNA virus replicating its genome via a negative-strand [(−)] intermediate. Little is known about replication signals residing in the 3′ end of HCV (−) RNA. Recent studies identified seven stem-loop structures (SL-I′, -IIz′, -IIy′, -IIIa′, -IIIb′, -IIIcdef′, and -IV′) in this region. In the present study, we mapped the minimal region required for RNA replication to SL-I′ and -IIz′, functionally confirmed the SL-IIz′ structure, and identified SL-IIIa′ to -IV′ as auxiliary replication elements. In addition, we show that the 5′ nontranslated region of the genome most likely does not contain cis-acting RNA structures required for RNA packaging into infectious virions.
Kissing-Loop Interaction in the 3′ End of the Hepatitis C Virus Genome Essential for RNA Replication
2005 ◽
Vol 79
(1)
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pp. 380-392
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2004 ◽
Vol 78
(20)
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pp. 11393-11400
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Keyword(s):
Keyword(s):