Conference paper

Publication year: 2018

Pages: 44-55

Journal: Virology

Volume number: 517

ISSN: 0042-6822

Open access status: Green

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2017.11.025

Conference: 14th International Nidovirus Symposium (Nido)

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
Structure predictions suggest a partial conservation of RNA structure elements in coronavirus terminal genome regions. Here, we determined the structures of stem-loops (SL) 1 and 2 of two alphacoronaviruses, human coronavirus (HCoV) 229E and NL63, by RNA structure probing and studied the functional relevance of these putative cis-acting elements. HCoV-229E SL1 and SL2 mutants generated by reverse genetics were used to study the effects on viral replication of single-nucleotide substitutions predicted to destabilize the SL1 and SL2 structures. The data provide conclusive evidence for the critical role of SL1 and SL2 in HCoV-229E replication and, in some cases, revealed parallels with previously characterized betacoronavirus SL1 and SL2 elements. Also, we were able to rescue viable HCoV-229E mutants carrying replacements of SL2 with equivalent betacoronavirus structural elements. The data obtained in this study reveal a remarkable degree of structural and functional conservation of 5'-terminal RNA structural elements across coronavirus genus boundaries.

Harvard Citation style: Madhugiri, R., Karl, N., Petersen, D., Lamkiewicz, K., Fricke, M., Wend, U., et al. (2018) Structural and functional conservation of cis-acting RNA elements in coronavirus 5′-terminal genome regions, Virology, 517, pp. 44-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2017.11.025

APA Citation style: Madhugiri, R., Karl, N., Petersen, D., Lamkiewicz, K., Fricke, M., Wend, U., Scheuer, R., Marz, M., & Ziebuhr, J. (2018). Structural and functional conservation of cis-acting RNA elements in coronavirus 5′-terminal genome regions. Virology. 517, 44-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2017.11.025