Document Type

Article

Publication Version

Published Version

Publication Date

2006

Journal or Book Title

RNA

Volume

12

Issue

10

First Page

1893

Last Page

1906

DOI

10.1261/rna.115606

Abstract

The 3′-untranslated regions (UTRs) of a group of novel uncapped viral RNAs allow efficient translation initiation at the 5′-proximal AUG. A well-characterized model is the Barley yellow dwarf virus class of cap-independent translation elements (BTE). It facilitates translation by forming kissing stem-loops between the BTE in the 3′-UTR and a BTE-complementary loop in the 5′-UTR. Here we investigate the mechanisms of the long-distance interaction and ribosome entry on the RNA. Upstream AUGs or 5′-extensions of the 5′-UTR inhibit translation, indicating that, unlike internal ribosome entry sites in many viral RNAs, the BTE relies on 5′-end-dependent ribosome scanning. Cap-independent translation occurs when the kissing sites are moved to different regions in either UTR, including outside of the BTE. The BTE can even confer cap-independent translation when fused to the 3′-UTR of a reporter RNA harboring dengue virus sequences that cause base-pairing between the 3′ and 5′ ends. Thus, the BTE serves as a functional sensor to detect sequences capable of long-distance base-pairing. We propose that the kissing interaction is repeatedly disrupted by the scanning ribosome and re-formed in an oscillating process that regulates ribosome entry on the RNA.

Comments

This article is from RNA 12 (2006): 1893, doi: 10.1261/rna.115606. Posted with permission.

Copyright Owner

RNA Society

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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