Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “RNA, Complementary”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,153 records · Page 64Linked to original sources

The segments of influenza viral mRNA.

Influenza viral mRNA, i.e., complementary RNA (cRNA), isolated from infected cells , was resolved into six different species by electrophoresis in 2.1% acrylamide gels containing 6 M urea. The cRNA's were grouped into three size classes: L (large), M (medium-size), and S (small). Similarly, when gels were sliced for analysis, the virion RNA (vRNA) also distributed into six peaks because the three largest vRNA segments were closely spaced and were resolved only when the gels were autoradiographed or stained. Because of their attached polyadenylic acid [poly(A)]sequences, the cRNA segments migrated more slowly than did the corresponding vRNA segments during gel electrophoresis. After removal of the poly(A) by RNase H, the cRNA and vRNA segments comigrated, indicating that they were approximately the same size. One of the cRNA segments, S2, was shown by annealing to contain the genetic information in the vRNA segment with which it comigrated, strongly suggesting that each cRNA segment was transcribed from the vRNA segment of the same size. In contrast to the vRNA segments, which when isolated from virions were present in approximately 1:1 molar ratios, the segments of the isolated cRNA were present in unequal amounts, with the segments M2 and S2 predominating, suggesting that different amounts of the cRNA segments were synthesized in the infected cell. The predominant cRNA segments, M2 and S2, and also the S1 segment, were active as mRNA's in wheat germ extracts. The M2 cRNA was the mRNA for the nucleocapsid protein; S1 for the membrane protein; and S2 for the nonstructural protein NS1.

Cell Line↗

State of the viral DNA in rat cells transformed by polyma virus. II. Identification of the cells containing nonintegrated viral DNA and the effect of viral mutations.

F2408 rat cells transformed by polyoma virus contained integrated and nonintegrated viral DNA. The presence of nonintegrated viral DNA is under control of the A early viral function. Polyoma ts-a-transformed rat cells lose the free viral DNA when growth at the nonpermissive temperature (40 degrees C), but they reexpress it 1 to 3 days after they are shifted back to the permissive temperature. In contrast, rat cells transformed by a late viral mutant, ts-8, contain free viral DNA at both permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. Treatment of the transformed rat cells with mitomycin C produces a large increase in the quantity of free viral DNA and some production of infectious virus. Experiments of in situ hybridization, with 3H-labeled polyoma complementary RNA as a probe, show that only a minority (approximately 0.1%) of the transformed cells contain nonintegrated viral DNA at any given time. These results suggest that the presence of free viral DNA in polyoma-transformed rat cells is caused by a spontaneous induction of viral DNA replication, occurring with low but constant probability in the transformed cell population, and that the free viral DNA molecules originate from the integrated ones, probably through a phenomenon of excision and limited replication.

Animals↗

Absence of detectable capping and methylating enzymes in influenza virions.

In the presence of Mg(2+) and a specific dinucleotide primer (ApG or GpG), the influenza virion transcriptase synthesizes the eight discrete segments of complementary RNA (cRNA) containing polyadenylic acid (Plotch and Krug, J. Virol. 21:24-34, 1977). Virions were examined for their ability to cap and methylate cRNA containing di- or triphosphorylated 5' termini. By using the primers ppApG, pppApG, or ppGpG, viral cRNA was synthesized in vitro with [alpha-(32)P]-GTP and S-[methyl-(3)H]adenosylmethionine as labeled precursors. DEAE-Sephadex chromatography of the RNase T2 digest of the cRNA product demonstrated no (3)H incorporation at all and the absence of a (32)P-labeled cap structure. The 5' terminus of ppApG-primed cRNA could be capped and methylated by enzymes from vaccinia virus, indicating that the two 5'-terminal phosphates derived from the primer were preserved in the product cRNA. The cap structure formed by the vaccinia enzymes and released by RNase T2 digestion as m(7)GpppA(m)pGp was radioactively labeled at its 3'-terminal phosphate only when [alpha-(32)P]CTP was used as the labeled precursor during transcription. This indicates that the 5'-terminal sequence of the cRNA is ppApGpC and that, therefore, ppApG most probably initiates transcription exactly at the 3' GpCpU(OH) terminus of the virion RNA templates. Virions were also tested for their ability to cap and methylate ppApG in the absence of transcription. No such activities were detected, whereas under the same conditions the vaccinia virus enzymes successfully capped and methylated this compound. Consequently, these experiments, together with those reported earlier, have not detected in influenza virions any capping and methylating enzymes active on the 5'-initiated termini of viral cRNA chains synthesized in vitro, whether these termini possess one, two, or three phosphates. Some mechanism for capping and methylation of viral cRNA must, however, exist, because the viral mRNA (cRNA) synthesized in the infected cell contains 5'-terminal methylated cap structures (Krug et al., J. Virol. 20:45-53, 1976). Possible mechanisms are discussed.

Cell-Free System↗

5'-terminal nucleotide sequences of the Rauscher leukemia virus and gibbon ape leukemia virus genomes exhibit a high degree of correspondence.

The 5'-terminal regions of gibbon ape leukemia virus-Hall's Island and Rauscher murine leukemia virus have been completely sequenced. The chain length for the 5'-terminal region of Rauscher murine leukemia virus is 140 nucleotides, and that for gibbon ape leukemia virus-Hall's Island is 144 nucleotides. An alignment of the sequences maximizing the number of ocrrespondences with the minimum introduction of gaps shows 81% nucleotide matches. From the complementary RNA, secondary structures of this region have been proposed. These data demonstrate the conservation of the 5'-terminal genetic sequences of these viruses and strongly reinforce the concept that viruses of murine origin and viruses of the gibbon ape leukemia virus-Simian sarcoma-associated virus group are closely related.

Animals↗

DNA binding properties of simian virus 40 T-antigens synthesized in vivo and in vitro.

Simian virus 40 large T- and small t-antigens have been shown previously to share immunological determinants and common sequences and to have roles in virus-induced cell transformation. However, only large T-antigen is a DNA binding protein. Under all conditions tested, small t-antigen did not interact with DNA. Large T-antigen synthesized in infected cells bound to both native calf thymus and simian virus 40 DNAs. As its binding efficiency was less than 100%, it is likely that there are different forms of T-antigen which vary in their affinity for DNA. Large T-antigen synthesized in cell-free protein-synthesizing systems primed by simian virus 40 mRNA also bound to DNA-cellulose, whereas small t-antigen similarly synthesized in vitro did not. An 82,000-molecular-weight T-antigen polypeptide synthesized in cell-free protein-synthesizing systems primed by simian virus 40 complementary RNA transcribed in vitro from simian virus 40 DNA by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase bound efficiently to simian virus 40 DNA. As this product did not share sequences with the small t-antigen, it can be concluded that the amino-terminal portion of the T-antigen is not required for some of its specific DNA binding properties.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Growth dynamics of a latent primate papovavirus.

The stumptailed macaque papovavirus strain HD was discovered in a persistently infected cell line of primate origin designated Vero 76 (K. Bosslet and G. Sauer, J. Virol. 25:596--607, 1978; W. Waldeck and G. Sauer, Nature [London] 269:171--173, 1977). In clonal derivatives of Vero 76 cells a minor and variable proportion of cells is engaged in the productive synthesis of the HD virus strain. A combination of immunofluorescence using simian virus 40 polyoma subgroup-specific antiserum and in situ hybridization with HD complementary RNA revealed that only those cells which harbor discernible amounts of HD DNA also contain the subgroup-specific antigen. Treatment with arabinofuranosylcytosine caused irreversible disappearance of the antigen, whereas actinomycin D, in contrast, reversibly inhibited both HD DNA replication and synthesis of the subgroup-specific antigen. The proportion of HD DNA and subgroup-specific antigen-synthesizing cells in Vero 76 clonal lines could be either decreased or increased by the mode of passaging of the cell cultures. When cell cultures were split every 3 to 7 days at a 1:4 ratio, the amount of HD DNA sequences as revealed by DNA-DNA reassociation and by the Southern blotting technique fell below the level of detection after only a few passages. Furthermore, expression of the viral subgroup-specific antigen was no longer discernible. However, viral DNA persists in such latently infected cells, because a change in the splitting protocol to a 2-week passaging rhythm led to reinitiation of both viral DNA replication and expression of the subgroup-specific antigen. The HD DNA is perpetuated in a restricted state in latently infected cells in an episomal, unintegrated form as shown by Southern blot analysis. This finding complies with the fact that HD DNA-free subclones could be derived from persistently infected clonal Vero 76 cells. Such subclones have lost the viral genomes, probably owing to segregation during cell division.

Animals↗

Analysis of polyomavirus middle-T-antigen-transformed rat cell variants expressing different levels of pp60c-src.

We characterize two independent variant cellular clones which arose following in vitro passage of polyomavirus middle-T-antigen (MTAg)-transformed FR3T3 cells expressing RNA complementary to c-src mRNA. These clones were initially flat and underwent morphologic transformation at a high frequency to a phenotype indistinguishable from that of parental MTAg-transformed FR3T3 cells. Biochemical analysis of the flat clones prior to phenotypic conversion revealed that these cells synthesized little detectable pp60c-src and had correspondingly low levels of pp60c-src protein kinase activity and MTAg-associated protein kinase activity. The flat cell clones did not possess detectable focus-forming activity, were not capable of detectable anchorage-independent growth, and had saturation densities and doubling times below those normally observed for FR3T3 cells. Following conversion of the flat clones to a shape resembling that of typical MTAg-transformed cells, the abundance of pp60c-src, pp60c-src kinase activity, and MTAg-associated in vitro protein kinase activity were all restored to the levels found in the parental MTAg transformants. These cells had growth rates, focus-forming activities, anchorage-independent growth rates, and saturation densities similar to those of the parental MTAg-transformed rat cells. These data provide additional evidence that maintenance of a transformed phenotype by polyomavirus MTAg in established rat cell lines depends, at least in part, on a minimal threshold level of pp60c-src.

Animals↗

The PB1 subunit alone can catalyze cRNA synthesis, and the PA subunit in addition to the PB1 subunit is required for viral RNA synthesis in replication of the influenza virus genome.

We indicated that the PB1 and PA subunits of RNA polymerase and nucleoprotein (NP) can support replication of the influenza virus genome as well as transcription to yield uncapped poly(A)(+)-RNA (Y. Nakagawa, N. Kimura, T. Toyoda, K. Mizumoto, A. Ishihama, K. Oda, and S. Nakada, J. Virol. 69:728-733, 1995). To analyze the functions of the PB1 and PA subunits in replication and transcription, YP1N clones in which the PB1 and NP genes can be expressed in response to dexamethasone were established. cRNA was transcribed from model viral RNA (vRNA), but vRNA synthesis from model cRNA was not detected in YP1N clones. Furthermore, poly(A)(+)-RNA directed from model vRNA was synthesized in YP1N clones. These results indicated that PB1 and NP can support the syntheses of cRNA and poly(A)(+)-RNA and that the PA subunit, in addition to that of PB1 and to NP, is required for vRNA synthesis. In summary, the PB1 subunit is involved in the catalytic activities of nucleotide elongation, and the PA subunit may act as an allosteric modulator and cause a conformational change from a cRNA-to a vRNA-synthesizing form of the PB1 subunit.

Animals↗

An endonuclease switching mechanism in the virion RNA and cRNA promoters of Thogoto orthomyxovirus.

An in vitro assay was developed to investigate endonuclease activity of Thogoto virus, a tick-borne orthomyxovirus. Endonuclease activity relied on an interaction between the 3' and 5' termini of virion RNA (vRNA) and not those of cRNA. Evidence was obtained that cap structures are cleaved directly from cap donors and that cleavage does not occur after pyrimidines. A 5' hook structure, present in the vRNA promoter but not the cRNA promoter, was introduced into cRNA promoter mutants. These mutants stimulated endonuclease activity, although at levels slightly lower than that of vRNA. The ability of the cRNA promoter to stimulate endonuclease activity when mutated to contain a 5' hook structure indicates that this structure constitutes a switching mechanism for endonuclease activity between the vRNA and cRNA promoters.

Animals↗

Attenuation of influenza A virus mRNA levels by promoter mutations.

We have engineered influenza A/WSN/33 viruses which have viral RNA (vRNA) segments with altered base pairs in the conserved double-stranded region of their vRNA promoters. The mutations were introduced into the segment coding for the neuraminidase (NA) by using a reverse genetics system. Two of the rescued viruses which share a C-G-->A-U double mutation at positions 11 and 12' at the 3' and 5' ends of the NA-specific vRNA, respectively, showed approximately a 10-fold reduction of NA levels. The mutations did not dramatically affect the NA-specific vRNA levels found in virions or the NA-specific vRNA and cRNA levels in infected cells. In contrast, there was a significant decrease in the steady-state levels of NA-specific mRNAs in infected cells. Transcription studies in vitro with ribonucleoprotein complexes isolated from the two transfectant viruses indicated that transcription initiation of the NA-specific segment was not affected. However, the majority of NA-specific transcripts lacked poly(A) tails, suggesting that mutations in the double-stranded region of the influenza virus vRNA promoter can attenuate polyadenylation of mRNA molecules. This is the first time that a promoter mutation in an engineered influenza virus has shown a differential effect on influenza virus RNA transcription and replication.

Animals↗

Functional analysis of the genomic and antigenomic promoters of human respiratory syncytial virus.

The promoters involved in transcription and RNA replication by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were examined by using a plasmid-based minireplicon system. The 3' ends of the genome and antigenome, which, respectively, contain the 44-nucleotide (nt) leader (Le) and 155-nt trailer-complement (TrC) regions, should each contain a promoter for RNA replication. The 3' genome end also should have the promoter for transcription. Substitution for the Le with various lengths of TrC demonstrated that the 3'-terminal 36 nt of TrC are sufficient for extensive (but not maximal) replication and that when juxtaposed with a transcription gene-start (GS) signal, this sequence was also able to direct transcription. It was also shown that the region of Le immediately preceding the GS signal of the first gene could be deleted with either no effect or with a slight decrease in transcription initiation. Thus, the TrC is competent to direct transcription even though it does not do so in nature, and the partial sequence identity it shares with the 3' end of the genome likely represents the important elements of a conserved promoter active in both replication and transcription. Increasing the length of the introduced TrC sequence incrementally to 147 nt resulted in a fourfold increase in replication and a nearly complete inhibition of transcription. These two effects were unrelated, implying that transcription and replication are not interconvertible processes mediated by a common polymerase, but rather are independent processes. The increase in replication was specific to the TrC sequence, implying the presence of a nonessential, replication-enhancing cis-acting element. In contrast, the inhibitory effect on transcription was due solely to the altered spacing between the 3' end of the genome and GS signal, which implies that the transcriptase recognizes the first GS signal as a promoter element. Neither the enhancement of replication nor the inhibition of transcription was due to increased base-pairing potential between the 3' and 5' ends. The relative strengths of the Le and TrC promoters for directing RNA synthesis were compared and found to be very similar. Thus, these findings highlighted a high degree of functional similarity between the RSV antigenomic and genomic promoters, but provided a further distinction between promoter requirements for transcription and replication.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

Mutagenic analysis of the 5' arm of the influenza A virus virion RNA promoter defines the sequence requirements for endonuclease activity.

Short synthetic influenza virus-like RNAs derived from influenza virus promoter sequences were examined for their ability to stimulate the endonuclease activity of recombinant influenza virus polymerase complexes in vitro, an activity that is required for the cap-snatching activity of primers from host pre-mRNA. An extensive set of point mutants of the 5' arm of the influenza A virus viral RNA (vRNA) was constructed to determine the cis-acting elements which influenced endonuclease activity. Activity was found to be dependent on three features of the conserved vRNA termini: (i) the presence of the 5' hairpin loop structure, (ii) the identity of residues at positions 5 and 10 bases from the 5' terminus, and (iii) the presence of base pair interactions between the 5' and 3' segment ends. Further experiments discounted a role for the vRNA U track in endonuclease activation. This study represents the first mutagenic analysis of the influenza virus promoter with regard to endonuclease activity.

Endonucleases↗

Differential activation of influenza A virus endonuclease activity is dependent on multiple sequence differences between the virion RNA and cRNA promoters.

Influenza virus endonuclease activity was studied in vitro with model virion RNA (vRNA) and cRNA molecules. We show that endonuclease activity can be partially rescued by transplanting vRNA-like promoter features into the model cRNA promoter. This study defines three distinctive features within the vRNA promoter--absent in the cRNA promoter--that are required for endonuclease cleavage.

Base Sequence↗

Mutational analysis of the influenza virus cRNA promoter and identification of nucleotides critical for replication.

Replication of the influenza A virus virion RNA (vRNA) requires the synthesis of full-length cRNA, which in turn is used as a template for the synthesis of more vRNA. A "corkscrew" secondary-structure model of the cRNA promoter has been proposed recently. However the data in support of that model were indirect, since they were derived from measurement, by use of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter in 293T cells, of mRNA levels from a modified cRNA promoter rather than the authentic cRNA promoter found in influenza A viruses. Here we measured steady-state cRNA and vRNA levels from a CAT reporter in 293T cells, directly measuring the replication of the authentic influenza A virus wild-type cRNA promoter. We found that (i) base pairing between the 5' and 3' ends and (ii) base pairing in the stems of both the 5' and 3' hairpin loops of the cRNA promoter were required for in vivo replication. Moreover, nucleotides in the tetraloop at positions 4, 5, and 7 and nucleotides forming the 2-9 base pair of the 3' hairpin loop were crucial for promoter activity in vivo. However, the 3' hairpin loop was not required for polymerase binding in vitro. Overall, our results suggest that the corkscrew secondary-structure model is required for authentic cRNA promoter activity in vivo, although the precise role of the 3' hairpin loop remains unknown.

Base Sequence↗

Different de novo initiation strategies are used by influenza virus RNA polymerase on its cRNA and viral RNA promoters during viral RNA replication.

Various mechanisms are used by single-stranded RNA viruses to initiate and control their replication via the synthesis of replicative intermediates. In general, the same virus-encoded polymerase is responsible for both genome and antigenome strand synthesis from two different, although related promoters. Here we aimed to elucidate the mechanism of initiation of replication by influenza virus RNA polymerase and establish whether initiation of cRNA and viral RNA (vRNA) differed. To do this, two in vitro replication assays, which generated transcripts that had 5' triphosphate end groups characteristic of authentic replication products, were developed. Surprisingly, mutagenesis screening suggested that the polymerase initiated pppApG synthesis internally on the model cRNA promoter, whereas it initiated pppApG synthesis terminally on the model vRNA promoter. The internally synthesized pppApG could subsequently be used as a primer to realign, by base pairing, to the terminal residues of both the model cRNA and vRNA promoters. In vivo evidence, based on the correction of a mutated or deleted residue 1 of a cRNA chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter construct, supported this internal initiation and realignment model. Thus, influenza virus RNA polymerase uses different initiation strategies on its cRNA and vRNA promoters. To our knowledge, this is novel and has not previously been described for any viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Such a mechanism may have evolved to maintain genome integrity and to control the level of replicative intermediates in infected cells.

Base Pairing↗

An enhancer/locus control region is not sufficient to open chromatin.

To study the way in which an enhancer/locus control region (LCR) activates chromatin, we examined transgenic mice carrying various combinations of the chicken beta A-globin gene coding region, promoter, and 3' enhancer/LCR. We compared lines carrying only the coding region and enhancer R (E) and only the coding region and promoter (P) with those containing all three elements (PE). We have shown previously that all PE mice transcribe the transgene in a copy number-dependent manner while the P mice do not express their transgene. In the current study, we examined chromatin activation by monitoring formation of erythroid-specific hypersensitive sites at the promoter and enhancer. We found that all of the PE lines but none of the P lines show hypersensitivity. In contrast, only three of six E lines are hypersensitive (two strongly and one weakly), demonstrating position dependence of this transgene. The two E lines with strong hypersensitive sites were found also to have RNA complementary to the transgene, presumably starting from an adjacent adventitious mouse promoter. In all of these lines, we found a correlation between erythroid-specific hypersensitivity and erythroid-specific general DNase I sensitivity, an indicator of regional chromatin activation. The results support a mutual interaction model for the mechanism of chromatin opening by LCRs in which the enhancer/LCR and promoter must cooperate in order to generate open chromatin. The data are not consistent with a dominant enhancer model in which the enhancer/LCR can open chromatin autonomously.

Animals↗

Transcript-selective translational silencing by gamma interferon is directed by a novel structural element in the ceruloplasmin mRNA 3' untranslated region.

Transcript-selective translational control of eukaryotic gene expression is often directed by a structural element in the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the mRNA. In the case of ceruloplasmin (Cp), induced synthesis of the protein by gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in U937 monocytic cells is halted by a delayed translational silencing mechanism requiring the binding of a cytosolic inhibitor to the Cp 3'-UTR. Silencing requires the essential elements of mRNA circularization, i.e., eukaryotic initiation factor 4G, poly(A)-binding protein, and poly(A) tail. We here determined the minimal silencing element in the Cp 3'-UTR by progressive deletions from both termini. A minimal, 29-nucleotide (nt) element was determined by gel shift assay to be sufficient for maximal binding of the IFN-gamma-activated inhibitor of translation (GAIT), an as-yet-unidentified protein or complex. The interaction was shown to be functional by an in vitro translation assay in which the GAIT element was used as a decoy to overcome translational silencing. Mutation analysis showed that the GAIT element contained a 5-nt terminal loop, a weak 3-bp helix, an asymmetric internal bulge, and a proximal 6-bp helical stem. Two invariant loop residues essential for binding activity were identified. Ligation of the GAIT element immediately downstream of a luciferase reporter conferred the translational silencing response to the heterologous transcript in vitro and in vivo; a construct containing a nonbinding, mutated GAIT element was ineffective. Translational silencing of Cp, and possibly other transcripts, mediated by the GAIT element may contribute to the resolution of the local inflammatory response following cytokine activation of macrophages.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Structure and expression of mouse VL30 genes.

DNA sequencing and blot hybridization analyses have been used to study the structure of a mouse VL30 gene and the molecular nature of VL30-related RNA which is induced upon the stimulation of cultured AKR mouse embryo cells with defined peptide growth factors. An integrated mouse VL30 gene was found to contain identical 601-base-pair long terminal repeats (LTRs) which were themselves terminated in short inverted repeats. The entire VL30 gene was flanked by a 4-base-pair direct repeat of cellular DNA. Thus, VL30 genes are structurally analogous to integrated forms of retrovirus proviruses and certain other classes of mobile genetic elements. The LTR sequence was found to contain putative promoter and polyadenylation signals and generally exhibited little sequence homology to murine leukemia virus proviral LTRs. Certain short regions of sequence conservation, however, were evident, including the inverted terminal repeat, LTR-adjacent regions corresponding to origins of murine leukemia virus proviral DNA synthesis, and a 36-base-pair direct repeat bearing homology to the 72-base-pair direct repeat (enhancer sequence) of the murine leukemia virus-related Moloney sarcoma virus. Upon mitogenic stimulation of quiescent cells with epidermal growth factor and insulin, a major 5.5-kilobase VL30-specific RNA complementary to both LTR and non-LTR sequences was rapidly induced. We conclude that a complete VL30 gene(s) is highly regulated by peptide growth factor binding to specific membrane receptors in these cells.

Animals↗