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Grybchuk D, Procházková M, Füzik T, Konovalovas A, Serva S, Yurchenko V, Plevka P. Structures of L-BC virus and its open particle provide insight into Totivirus capsid assembly. Commun Biol 2022; 5:847. [PMID: 35986212 PMCID: PMC9391438 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03793-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
L-BC virus persists in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whereas other viruses from the family Totiviridae infect a diverse group of organisms including protists, fungi, arthropods, and vertebrates. The presence of totiviruses alters the fitness of the host organisms, for example, by maintaining the killer system in yeast or increasing the virulence of Leishmania guyanensis. Despite the importance of totiviruses for their host survival, there is limited information about Totivirus structure and assembly. Here we used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of L-BC virus to a resolution of 2.9 Å. The L-BC capsid is organized with icosahedral symmetry, with each asymmetric unit composed of two copies of the capsid protein. Decamers of capsid proteins are stabilized by domain swapping of the C-termini of subunits located around icosahedral fivefold axes. We show that capsids of 9% of particles in a purified L-BC sample were open and lacked one decamer of capsid proteins. The existence of the open particles together with domain swapping within a decamer provides evidence that Totiviridae capsids assemble from the decamers of capsid proteins. Furthermore, the open particles may be assembly intermediates that are prepared for the incorporation of the virus (+) strand RNA. A 2.9 Å resolution structure of the L-BC virus provides insight into the contacts between capsid proteins and the mechanism of capsid assembly.
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Ramírez M, Martínez A, Molina F. New Insights into the Genome Organization of Yeast Double-Stranded RNA LBC Viruses. Microorganisms 2022; 10:173. [PMID: 35056622 PMCID: PMC8780742 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10010173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The yeasts Torulaspora delbrueckii (Td) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) may show a killer phenotype that is encoded in dsRNA M viruses (V-M), which require the helper activity of another dsRNA virus (V-LA or V-LBC) for replication. Recently, two TdV-LBCbarr genomes, which share sequence identity with ScV-LBC counterparts, were characterized by high-throughput sequencing (HTS). They also share some similar characteristics with Sc-LA viruses. This may explain why TdV-LBCbarr has helper capability to maintain M viruses, whereas ScV-LBC does not. We here analyze two stretches with low sequence identity (LIS I and LIS II) that were found in TdV-LBCbarr Gag-Pol proteins when comparing with the homologous regions of ScV-LBC. These stretches may result from successive nucleotide insertions or deletions (indels) that allow compensatory frameshift events required to maintain specific functions of the RNA-polymerase, while modifying other functions such as the ability to bind V-M (+)RNA for packaging. The presence of an additional frameshifting site in LIS I may ensure the synthesis of a certain amount of RNA-polymerase until the new compensatory indel appears. Additional 5'- and 3'-extra sequences were found beyond V-LBC canonical genomes. Most extra sequences showed high identity to some stretches of the canonical genomes and can form stem-loop structures. Further, the 3'-extra sequence of two ScV-LBC genomes contains rRNA stretches. The origin and possible functions of these extra sequences are here discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ramírez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
| | - Alberto Martínez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
| | - Felipe Molina
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Biología Molecular y Genética (Área de Genética), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
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Ramírez M, Velázquez R, López-Piñeiro A, Martínez A. Genome Features of a New Double-Stranded RNA Helper Virus (LBCbarr) from Wine Torulaspora delbrueckii Killer Strains. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13492. [PMID: 34948288 PMCID: PMC8709356 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The killer phenotype of Torulaspora delbrueckii (Td) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) is encoded in the genome of medium-size dsRNA viruses (V-M). Killer strains also contain a helper large size (4.6 kb) dsRNA virus (V-LA) which is required for maintenance and replication of V-M. Another large-size (4.6 kb) dsRNA virus (V-LBC), without known helper activity to date, may join V-LA and V-M in the same yeast. T. delbrueckii Kbarr1 killer strain contains the killer virus Mbarr1 in addition to two L viruses, TdV-LAbarr1 and TdV-LBCbarr1. In contrast, the T. delbrueckii Kbarr2 killer strain contains two M killer viruses (Mbarr1 and M1) and a LBC virus (TdV-LBCbarr2), which has helper capability to maintain both M viruses. The genomes of TdV-LBCbarr1 and TdV-LBCbarr2 were characterized by high-throughput sequencing (HTS). Both RNA genomes share sequence identity and similar organization with their ScV-LBC counterparts. They contain all conserved motifs required for translation, packaging, and replication of viral RNA. Their Gag-Pol amino-acid sequences also contain the features required for cap-snatching and RNA polymerase activity. However, some of these motifs and features are similar to those of LA viruses, which may explain that at least TdV-LBCbarr2 has a helper ability to maintain M killer viruses. Newly sequenced ScV-LBC genomes contained the same motifs and features previously found in LBC viruses, with the same genome location and secondary structure. Sequence comparison showed that LBC viruses belong to two clusters related to each species of yeast. No evidence for associated co-evolution of specific LBC with specific M virus was found. The presence of the same M1 virus in S. cerevisiae and T. delbrueckii raises the possibility of cross-species transmission of M viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ramírez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain; (R.V.); (A.M.)
| | - Rocío Velázquez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain; (R.V.); (A.M.)
| | - Antonio López-Piñeiro
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Ecología y Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain;
| | - Alberto Martínez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain; (R.V.); (A.M.)
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4
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Fredericks LR, Lee MD, Crabtree AM, Boyer JM, Kizer EA, Taggart NT, Roslund CR, Hunter SS, Kennedy CB, Willmore CG, Tebbe NM, Harris JS, Brocke SN, Rowley PA. The Species-Specific Acquisition and Diversification of a K1-like Family of Killer Toxins in Budding Yeasts of the Saccharomycotina. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009341. [PMID: 33539346 PMCID: PMC7888664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Killer toxins are extracellular antifungal proteins that are produced by a wide variety of fungi, including Saccharomyces yeasts. Although many Saccharomyces killer toxins have been previously identified, their evolutionary origins remain uncertain given that many of these genes have been mobilized by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) viruses. A survey of yeasts from the Saccharomyces genus has identified a novel killer toxin with a unique spectrum of activity produced by Saccharomyces paradoxus. The expression of this killer toxin is associated with the presence of a dsRNA totivirus and a satellite dsRNA. Genetic sequencing of the satellite dsRNA confirmed that it encodes a killer toxin with homology to the canonical ionophoric K1 toxin from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and has been named K1-like (K1L). Genomic homologs of K1L were identified in six non-Saccharomyces yeast species of the Saccharomycotina subphylum, predominantly in subtelomeric regions of the genome. When ectopically expressed in S. cerevisiae from cloned cDNAs, both K1L and its homologs can inhibit the growth of competing yeast species, confirming the discovery of a family of biologically active K1-like killer toxins. The sporadic distribution of these genes supports their acquisition by horizontal gene transfer followed by diversification. The phylogenetic relationship between K1L and its genomic homologs suggests a common ancestry and gene flow via dsRNAs and DNAs across taxonomic divisions. This appears to enable the acquisition of a diverse arsenal of killer toxins by different yeast species for potential use in niche competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lance R. Fredericks
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Mark D. Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Angela M. Crabtree
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Josephine M. Boyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Emily A. Kizer
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Nathan T. Taggart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Cooper R. Roslund
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Samuel S. Hunter
- iBEST Genomics Core, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Courtney B. Kennedy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Cody G. Willmore
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Nova M. Tebbe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Jade S. Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Sarah N. Brocke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Paul A. Rowley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
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5
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Ramírez M, Velázquez R, Maqueda M, Martínez A. Genome Organization of a New Double-Stranded RNA LA Helper Virus From Wine Torulaspora delbrueckii Killer Yeast as Compared With Its Saccharomyces Counterparts. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:593846. [PMID: 33324373 PMCID: PMC7721687 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.593846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Wine killer yeasts such as killer strains of Torulaspora delbrueckii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae contain helper large-size (4.6 kb) dsRNA viruses (V-LA) required for the stable maintenance and replication of killer medium-size dsRNA viruses (V-M) which bear the genes that encode for the killer toxin. The genome of the new V-LA dsRNA from the T. delbrueckii Kbarr1 killer yeast (TdV-LAbarr1) was characterized by high-throughput sequencing (HTS). The canonical genome of TdV-LAbarr1 shares a high sequence identity and similar genome organization with its Saccharomyces counterparts. It contains all the known conserved motifs predicted to be necessary for virus translation, packaging, and replication. Similarly, the Gag-Pol amino-acid sequence of this virus contains all the features required for cap-snatching and RNA polymerase activity, as well as the expected regional variables previously found in other LA viruses. Sequence comparison showed that two main clusters (99.2-100% and 96.3-98.8% identity) include most LA viruses from Saccharomyces, with TdV-LAbarr1 being the most distant from all these viruses (61.5-62.5% identity). Viral co-evolution and cross transmission between different yeast species are discussed based on this sequence comparison. Additional 5' and 3' sequences were found in the TdV-LAbarr1 genome as well as in some newly sequenced V-LA genomes from S. cerevisiae. A stretch involving the 5' extra sequence of TdV-LAbarr1 is identical to a homologous stretch close to the 5' end of the canonical sequence of the same virus (self-identity). Our modeling suggests that these stretches can form single-strand stem loops, whose unpaired nucleotides could anneal to create an intramolecular kissing complex. Similar stem loops are also found in the 3' extra sequence of the same virus as well as in the extra sequences of some LA viruses from S. cerevisiae. A possible origin of these extra sequences as well as their function in obviating ssRNA degradation and allowing RNA transcription and replication are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ramírez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
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6
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Fujimura T, Esteban R. The cap-snatching reaction of yeast L-A double-stranded RNA virus is reversible and the catalytic sites on both Gag and the Gag domain of Gag-Pol are active. Mol Microbiol 2018; 111:395-404. [PMID: 30427078 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The yeast L-A double-stranded RNA virus synthesizes capped transcripts by a unique cap-snatching mechanism in which the m7 Gp moiety of host mRNA (donor) is transferred to the diphosphorylated 5' end of the viral transcript (acceptor). This reaction is activated by viral transcription. Here, we show that cap snatching can be reversible. Because only m7 Gp is transferred during the reaction, the resulting decapped donor, as expected, retained diphosphates at the 5' end. We also found that the 5' terminal nucleotide of the acceptor needs to be G but not A. Interestingly, the A-initiated molecule when equipped with a cap structure (m7 GpppA…) could work as cap donor. Because the majority of host mRNAs in yeast have A after the cap structures at the 5' ends, this finding implies that cap-snatching in vivo is virtually a one-way reaction, in favor of furnishing the viral transcript with a cap. The cap-snatching sites are located on the coat protein Gag and also the Gag domain of Gag-Pol. Here, we demonstrate that both sites are functional, indicating that activation of cap snatching by transcription is not transmitted through the peptide bonding between the Gag and Pol domains of Gag-Pol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Fujimura
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rosa Esteban
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, CSIC/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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7
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Grybchuk D, Kostygov AY, Macedo DH, Votýpka J, Lukeš J, Yurchenko V. RNA Viruses in Blechomonas (Trypanosomatidae) and Evolution of Leishmaniavirus. mBio 2018; 9:e01932-18. [PMID: 30327446 PMCID: PMC6191543 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01932-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, we analyzed viral prevalence in trypanosomatid parasites (Blechomonas spp.) infecting Siphonaptera and discovered nine species of viruses from three different groups (leishbunyaviruses, narnaviruses, and leishmaniaviruses). Most of the flagellate isolates bore two or three viral types (mixed infections). Although no new viral groups were documented in Blechomonas spp., our findings are important for the comprehension of viral evolution. The discovery of bunyaviruses in blechomonads was anticipated, since these viruses have envelopes facilitating their interspecific transmission and have already been found in various trypanosomatids and metatranscriptomes with trypanosomatid signatures. In this work, we also provided evidence that even representatives of the family Narnaviridae are capable of host switching and evidently have accomplished switches multiple times in the course of their evolution. The most unexpected finding was the presence of leishmaniaviruses, a group previously solely confined to the human pathogens Leishmania spp. From phylogenetic inferences and analyses of the life cycles of Leishmania and Blechomonas, we concluded that a common ancestor of leishmaniaviruses most likely infected Leishmania first and was acquired by Blechomonas by horizontal transfer. Our findings demonstrate that evolution of leishmaniaviruses is more complex than previously thought and includes occasional host switching.IMPORTANCE Flagellates belonging to the genus Leishmania are important human parasites. Some strains of different Leishmania species harbor viruses (leishmaniaviruses), which facilitate metastatic spread of the parasites, thus aggravating the disease. Up until now, these viruses were known to be hosted only by Leishmania Here, we analyzed viral distribution in Blechomonas, a related group of flagellates parasitizing fleas, and revealed that they also bear leishmaniaviruses. Our findings shed light on the entangled evolution of these viruses. In addition, we documented that Blechomonas can be also infected by leishbunyaviruses and narnaviruses, viral groups known from other insects' flagellates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyil Grybchuk
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Alexei Y Kostygov
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Diego H Macedo
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Votýpka
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budejovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Julius Lukeš
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budejovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
- Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, České Budejovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budejovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
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Becker B, Schmitt MJ. Yeast Killer Toxin K28: Biology and Unique Strategy of Host Cell Intoxication and Killing. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:toxins9100333. [PMID: 29053588 PMCID: PMC5666379 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9100333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The initial discovery of killer toxin-secreting brewery strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) in the mid-sixties of the last century marked the beginning of intensive research in the yeast virology field. So far, four different S. cerevisiae killer toxins (K28, K1, K2, and Klus), encoded by cytoplasmic inherited double-stranded RNA viruses (dsRNA) of the Totiviridae family, have been identified. Among these, K28 represents the unique example of a yeast viral killer toxin that enters a sensitive cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis to reach its intracellular target(s). This review summarizes and discusses the most recent advances and current knowledge on yeast killer toxin K28, with special emphasis on its endocytosis and intracellular trafficking, pointing towards future directions and open questions in this still timely and fascinating field of killer yeast research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Becker
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Department of Biosciences and Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
| | - Manfred J Schmitt
- Molecular and Cell Biology, Department of Biosciences and Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
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Variation and Distribution of L-A Helper Totiviruses in Saccharomyces sensu stricto Yeasts Producing Different Killer Toxins. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:toxins9100313. [PMID: 29019944 PMCID: PMC5666360 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9100313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Yeasts within the Saccharomyces sensu stricto cluster can produce different killer toxins. Each toxin is encoded by a medium size (1.5-2.4 Kb) M dsRNA virus, maintained by a larger helper virus generally called L-A (4.6 Kb). Different types of L-A are found associated to specific Ms: L-A in K1 strains and L-A-2 in K2 strains. Here, we extend the analysis of L-A helper viruses to yeasts other than S. cerevisiae, namely S. paradoxus, S. uvarum and S. kudriavzevii. Our sequencing data from nine new L-A variants confirm the specific association of each toxin-producing M and its helper virus, suggesting co-evolution. Their nucleotide sequences vary from 10% to 30% and the variation seems to depend on the geographical location of the hosts, suggesting cross-species transmission between species in the same habitat. Finally, we transferred by genetic methods different killer viruses from S. paradoxus into S. cerevisiae or viruses from S. cerevisiae into S. uvarum or S. kudriavzevii. In the foster hosts, we observed no impairment for their stable transmission and maintenance, indicating that the requirements for virus amplification in these species are essentially the same. We also characterized new killer toxins from S. paradoxus and constructed "superkiller" strains expressing them.
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Ramírez M, Velázquez R, López-Piñeiro A, Naranjo B, Roig F, Llorens C. New Insights into the Genome Organization of Yeast Killer Viruses Based on "Atypical" Killer Strains Characterized by High-Throughput Sequencing. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:E292. [PMID: 28925975 PMCID: PMC5618225 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9090292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral M-dsRNAs encoding yeast killer toxins share similar genomic organization, but no overall sequence identity. The dsRNA full-length sequences of several known M-viruses either have yet to be completed, or they were shorter than estimated by agarose gel electrophoresis. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze some M-dsRNAs previously sequenced by traditional techniques, and new dsRNAs from atypical killer strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Torulaspora delbrueckii. All dsRNAs expected to be present in a given yeast strain were reliably detected and sequenced, and the previously-known sequences were confirmed. The few discrepancies between viral variants were mostly located around the central poly(A) region. A continuous sequence of the ScV-M2 genome was obtained for the first time. M1 virus was found for the first time in wine yeasts, coexisting with Mbarr-1 virus in T. delbrueckii. Extra 5'- and 3'-sequences were found in all M-genomes. The presence of repeated short sequences in the non-coding 3'-region of most M-genomes indicates that they have a common phylogenetic origin. High identity between amino acid sequences of killer toxins and some unclassified proteins of yeast, bacteria, and wine grapes suggests that killer viruses recruited some sequences from the genome of these organisms, or vice versa, during evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ramírez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología, Antiguo Rectorado), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz 06071, Spain.
| | - Rocío Velázquez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología, Antiguo Rectorado), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz 06071, Spain.
| | - Antonio López-Piñeiro
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Ecología y Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz 06071, Spain.
| | - Belén Naranjo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología, Antiguo Rectorado), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz 06071, Spain.
| | - Francisco Roig
- Biotechvana, Parc Científic, Universitat de València, Calle Catedrático José Beltrán 2, Paterna 46980 (València), Spain.
| | - Carlos Llorens
- Biotechvana, Parc Científic, Universitat de València, Calle Catedrático José Beltrán 2, Paterna 46980 (València), Spain.
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11
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Relationships and Evolution of Double-Stranded RNA Totiviruses of Yeasts Inferred from Analysis of L-A-2 and L-BC Variants in Wine Yeast Strain Populations. Appl Environ Microbiol 2017; 83:AEM.02991-16. [PMID: 27940540 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02991-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Saccharomyces cerevisiae killer strains secrete a protein toxin active on nonkiller strains of the same (or other) yeast species. Different killer toxins, K1, K2, K28, and Klus, have been described. Each toxin is encoded by a medium-size (1.5- to 2.3-kb) M double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) located in the cytoplasm. M dsRNAs require L-A helper virus for maintenance. L-A belongs to the Totiviridae family, and its dsRNA genome of 4.6 kb codes for the major capsid protein Gag and a minor Gag-Pol protein, which form the virions that separately encapsidate L-A or the M satellites. Different L-A variants exist in nature; on average, 24% of their nucleotides are different. Previously, we reported that L-A-lus was specifically associated with Mlus, suggesting coevolution, and proposed a role of the toxin-encoding M dsRNAs in the appearance of new L-A variants. Here we confirm this by analyzing the helper virus in K2 killer wine strains, which we named L-A-2. L-A-2 is required for M2 maintenance, and neither L-A nor L-A-lus shows helper activity for M2 in the same genetic background. This requirement is overcome when coat proteins are provided in large amounts by a vector or in ski mutants. The genome of another totivirus, L-BC, frequently accompanying L-A in the same cells shows a lower degree of variation than does L-A (about 10% of nucleotides are different). Although L-BC has no helper activity for M dsRNAs, distinct L-BC variants are associated with a particular killer strain. The so-called L-BC-lus (in Klus strains) and L-BC-2 (in K2 strains) are analyzed. IMPORTANCE Killer strains of S. cerevisiae secrete protein toxins that kill nonkiller yeasts. The "killer phenomenon" depends on two dsRNA viruses: L-A and M. M encodes the toxin, and L-A, the helper virus, provides the capsids for both viruses. Different killer toxins exist: K1, K2, K28, and Klus, encoded on different M viruses. Our data indicate that each M dsRNA depends on a specific helper virus; these helper viruses have nucleotide sequences that may be as much as 26% different, suggesting coevolution. In wine environments, K2 and Klus strains frequently coexist. We have previously characterized the association of Mlus and L-A-lus. Here we sequence and characterize L-A-2, the helper virus of M2, establishing the helper virus requirements of M2, which had not been completely elucidated. We also report the existence of two specific L-BC totiviruses in Klus and K2 strains with about 10% of their nucleotides different, suggesting different evolutionary histories from those of L-A viruses.
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Fujimura T, Esteban R. Diphosphates at the 5' end of the positive strand of yeast L-A double-stranded RNA virus as a molecular self-identity tag. Mol Microbiol 2016; 102:71-80. [PMID: 27328178 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The 5'end of RNA conveys important information on self-identity. In mammalian cells, double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) with 5'di- or triphosphates generated during virus infection is recognized as foreign and elicits the host innate immune response. Here, we analyze the 5' ends of the dsRNA genome of the yeast L-A virus. The positive strand has largely diphosphates with a minor amount of triphosphates, while the negative strand has only diphosphates. Although the virus can produce capped transcripts by cap snatching, neither strand carried a cap structure, suggesting that only non-capped transcripts serve as genomic RNA for encapsidation. We also found that the 5' diphosphates of the positive but not the negative strand within the dsRNA genome are crucial for transcription in vitro. Furthermore, the presence of a cap structure in the dsRNA abrogated its template activity. Given that the 5' diphosphates of the transcripts are also essential for cap acquisition and that host cytosolic RNAs (mRNA, rRNA, and tRNA) are uniformly devoid of 5' pp-structures, the L-A virus takes advantage of its 5' terminal diphosphates, using them as a self-identity tag to propagate in the host cytoplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Fujimura
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Rosa Esteban
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Salamanca, Spain
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13
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Expression of a synthetic rust fungal virus cDNA in yeast. Arch Virol 2015; 161:111-23. [PMID: 26497180 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-015-2639-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 10/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Mycoviruses are viruses that infect fungi. Recently, mycovirus-like RNAs were sequenced from the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the causal agent of soybean rust. One of the RNAs appeared to represent a novel mycovirus and was designated Phakopsora pachyrhizi virus 2383 (PpV2383). The genome of PpV2383 resembles Saccharomyces cerevisiae virus L-A, a double-stranded (ds) RNA mycovirus of yeast. PpV2383 encodes two major, overlapping open reading frames with similarity to gag (capsid protein) and pol (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase), and a -1 ribosomal frameshift is necessary for the translation of a gag-pol fusion protein. Phylogenetic analysis of pol relates PpV2383 to members of the family Totiviridae, including L-A. Because the obligate biotrophic nature of P. pachyrhizi makes it genetically intractable for in vivo analysis and because PpV2383 is similar to L-A, we synthesized a DNA clone of PpV2383 and tested its infectivity in yeast cells. PpV2383 RNA was successfully expressed in yeast, and mass spectrometry confirmed the translation of gag and gag-pol fusion proteins. There was, however, no production of PpV2383 dsRNA, the evidence of viral replication. Neither the presence of endogenous L-A nor the substitution of the 5' and 3' untranslated regions with those from L-A was sufficient to rescue replication of PpV2383. Nevertheless, the proof of transcription and translation from the clone in vivo are steps toward confirming that PpV2383 is a mycovirus. Further development of a surrogate biological system for the study of rust mycoviruses is necessary, and such research may facilitate biological control of rust diseases.
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Ramírez M, Velázquez R, Maqueda M, López-Piñeiro A, Ribas JC. A new wine Torulaspora delbrueckii killer strain with broad antifungal activity and its toxin-encoding double-stranded RNA virus. Front Microbiol 2015; 6:983. [PMID: 26441913 PMCID: PMC4569859 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.00983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Wine Torulaspora delbrueckii strains producing a new killer toxin (Kbarr-1) were isolated and selected for wine making. They killed all the previously known Saccharomyces cerevisiae killer strains, in addition to other non-Saccharomyces yeasts. The Kbarr-1 phenotype is encoded by a medium-size 1.7 kb dsRNA, TdV-Mbarr-1, which seems to depend on a large-size 4.6 kb dsRNA virus (TdV-LAbarr) for stable maintenance and replication. The TdV-Mbarr-1 dsRNA was sequenced by new generation sequencing techniques. Its genome structure is similar to those of S. cerevisiae killer M dsRNAs, with a 5'-end coding region followed by an internal A-rich sequence and a 3'-end non-coding region. Mbarr-1 RNA positive strand carries cis acting signals at its 5' and 3' termini for transcription and replication respectively, similar to those RNAs of yeast killer viruses. The ORF at the 5' region codes for a putative preprotoxin with an N-terminal secretion signal, potential Kex2p/Kexlp processing sites, and N-glycosylation sites. No relevant sequence identity was found either between the full sequence of Mbarr-1 dsRNA and other yeast M dsRNAs, or between their respective toxin-encoded proteins. However, a relevant identity of TdV-Mbarr-1 RNA regions to the putative replication and packaging signals of most of the M-virus RNAs suggests that they are all evolutionarily related.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Ramírez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología, Antiguo Rectorado), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ExtremaduraBadajoz, Spain
| | - Rocío Velázquez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología, Antiguo Rectorado), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ExtremaduraBadajoz, Spain
| | - Matilde Maqueda
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Área de Microbiología, Antiguo Rectorado), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ExtremaduraBadajoz, Spain
| | - Antonio López-Piñeiro
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Ecología y Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de ExtremaduraBadajoz, Spain
| | - Juan C. Ribas
- Instituto de Biología Funcional y Genómica, CSIC/Universidad de SalamancaSalamanca, Spain
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Firth AE. Mapping overlapping functional elements embedded within the protein-coding regions of RNA viruses. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:12425-39. [PMID: 25326325 PMCID: PMC4227794 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Revised: 09/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Identification of the full complement of genes and other functional elements in any virus is crucial to fully understand its molecular biology and guide the development of effective control strategies. RNA viruses have compact multifunctional genomes that frequently contain overlapping genes and non-coding functional elements embedded within protein-coding sequences. Overlapping features often escape detection because it can be difficult to disentangle the multiple roles of the constituent nucleotides via mutational analyses, while high-throughput experimental techniques are often unable to distinguish functional elements from incidental features. However, RNA viruses evolve very rapidly so that, even within a single species, substitutions rapidly accumulate at neutral or near-neutral sites providing great potential for comparative genomics to distinguish the signature of purifying selection. Computationally identified features can then be efficiently targeted for experimental analysis. Here we analyze alignments of protein-coding virus sequences to identify regions where there is a statistically significant reduction in the degree of variability at synonymous sites, a characteristic signature of overlapping functional elements. Having previously tested this technique by experimental verification of discoveries in selected viruses, we now analyze sequence alignments for ∼700 RNA virus species to identify hundreds of such regions, many of which have not been previously described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E Firth
- Division of Virology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
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16
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Abstract
Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been a key experimental organism for the study of infectious diseases, including dsRNA viruses, ssRNA viruses, and prions. Studies of the mechanisms of virus and prion replication, virus structure, and structure of the amyloid filaments that are the basis of yeast prions have been at the forefront of such studies in these classes of infectious entities. Yeast has been particularly useful in defining the interactions of the infectious elements with cellular components: chromosomally encoded proteins necessary for blocking the propagation of the viruses and prions, and proteins involved in the expression of viral components. Here, we emphasize the L-A dsRNA virus and its killer-toxin-encoding satellites, the 20S and 23S ssRNA naked viruses, and the several infectious proteins (prions) of yeast.
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L-A-lus, a new variant of the L-A totivirus found in wine yeasts with Klus killer toxin-encoding Mlus double-stranded RNA: possible role of killer toxin-encoding satellite RNAs in the evolution of their helper viruses. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 79:4661-74. [PMID: 23728812 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00500-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Yeast killer viruses are widely distributed in nature. Several toxins encoded in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) satellites of the L-A totivirus have been described, including K1, K2, K28, and Klus. The 4.6-kb L-A genome encodes the Gag major structural protein that forms a 39-nm icosahedral virion and Gag-Pol, a minor fusion protein. Gag-Pol has transcriptase and replicase activities responsible for maintenance of L-A (or its satellite RNAs). Recently we reported a new killer toxin, Klus. The L-A virus in Klus strains showed poor hybridization to known L-A probes, suggesting substantial differences in their sequences. Here we report the characterization of this new L-A variant named L-A-lus. At the nucleotide level, L-A and L-A-lus showed only 73% identity, a value that increases to 86% in the amino acid composition of Gag or Gag-Pol. Two regions in their genomes, however, the frameshifting region between Gag and Pol and the encapsidation signal, are 100% identical, implying the importance of these two cis signals in the virus life cycle. L-A-lus shows higher resistance than L-A to growth at high temperature or to in vivo expression of endo- or exonucleases. L-A-lus also has wider helper activity, being able to maintain not only Mlus but also M1 or a satellite RNA of L-A called X. In a screening of 31 wine strains, we found that none of them had L-A; they carried either L-A-lus or a different L-A variant in K2 strains. Our data show that distinct M killer viruses are specifically associated with L-As with different nucleotide compositions, suggesting coevolution.
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Modulation of ribosomal frameshifting frequency and its effect on the replication of Rous sarcoma virus. J Virol 2012; 86:11581-94. [PMID: 22896611 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01846-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting is widely used in the expression of RNA virus replicases and represents a potential target for antiviral intervention. There is interest in determining the extent to which frameshifting efficiency can be modulated before virus replication is compromised, and we have addressed this question using the alpharetrovirus Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) as a model system. In RSV, frameshifting is essential in the production of the Gag-Pol polyprotein from the overlapping gag and pol coding sequences. The frameshift signal is composed of two elements, a heptanucleotide slippery sequence and, just downstream, a stimulatory RNA structure that has been proposed to be an RNA pseudoknot. Point mutations were introduced into the frameshift signal of an infectious RSV clone, and virus replication was monitored following transfection and subsequent infection of susceptible cells. The introduced mutations were designed to generate a range of frameshifting efficiencies, yet with minimal impact on encoded amino acids. Our results reveal that point mutations leading to a 3-fold decrease in frameshifting efficiency noticeably reduce virus replication and that further reduction is severely inhibitory. In contrast, a 3-fold stimulation of frameshifting is well tolerated. These observations suggest that small-molecule inhibitors of frameshifting are likely to have potential as agents for antiviral intervention. During the course of this work, we were able to confirm, for the first time in vivo, that the RSV stimulatory RNA is indeed an RNA pseudoknot but that the pseudoknot per se is not absolutely required for virus viability.
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Rodríguez-Cousiño N, Maqueda M, Ambrona J, Zamora E, Esteban R, Ramírez M. A new wine Saccharomyces cerevisiae killer toxin (Klus), encoded by a double-stranded rna virus, with broad antifungal activity is evolutionarily related to a chromosomal host gene. Appl Environ Microbiol 2011; 77:1822-32. [PMID: 21239561 PMCID: PMC3067279 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02501-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2010] [Accepted: 12/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Wine Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains producing a new killer toxin (Klus) were isolated. They killed all the previously known S. cerevisiae killer strains, in addition to other yeast species, including Kluyveromyces lactis and Candida albicans. The Klus phenotype is conferred by a medium-size double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae virus Mlus (ScV-Mlus), whose genome size ranged from 2.1 to 2.3 kb. ScV-Mlus depends on ScV-L-A for stable maintenance and replication. We cloned and sequenced Mlus. Its genome structure is similar to that of M1, M2, or M28 dsRNA, with a 5'-terminal coding region followed by two internal A-rich sequences and a 3'-terminal region without coding capacity. Mlus positive strands carry cis-acting signals at their 5' and 3' termini for transcription and replication similar to those of killer viruses. The open reading frame (ORF) at the 5' portion codes for a putative preprotoxin with an N-terminal secretion signal, potential Kex2p/Kexlp processing sites, and N-glycosylation sites. No sequence homology was found either between the Mlus dsRNA and M1, M2, or M28 dsRNA or between Klus and the K1, K2, or K28 toxin. The Klus amino acid sequence, however, showed a significant degree of conservation with that of the product of the host chromosomally encoded ORF YFR020W of unknown function, thus suggesting an evolutionary relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nieves Rodríguez-Cousiño
- Departamento de Microbiología (Antiguo Rectorado), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
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The inter-generic fungicidal activity of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous. J Microbiol 2011; 48:822-8. [PMID: 21221941 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-010-0180-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2010] [Accepted: 08/22/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
In this study, the existence of intra-specific and inter-generic fungicidal activity in Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous and Phaffia rhodozyma strains isolated from different regions of the earth was examined. Assays were performed under several culture conditions, showing that all the analyzed X. dendrorhous and P. rhodozyma strains have killing activity against Kloeckera apiculata, Rhodotorula sloffiae, and R. minuta. This activity was greater in rich media at a pH from 4.6 to 5.0. Extracellular protein extracts with fungicidal activity were obtained from cultures of all strains, and their characterization suggested that a protein of 33 kDa is the antifungal factor. According to peptide mass fingerprinting and an analysis of the results with the MASCOT search engine, this protein was identified as an aspartic protease. Additionally, extrachromosomal double-stranded DNA elements (dsDNAs) were observed in all X. dendrorhous and P. rhodozyma strains. Although there is a high variability, two dsDNAs of 5.4 and 6.8 kb are present in all strains.
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Fujimura T, Esteban R. Yeast double-stranded RNA virus L-A deliberately synthesizes RNA transcripts with 5'-diphosphate. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:22911-8. [PMID: 20511225 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.138982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
L-A is a persistent double-stranded RNA virus commonly found in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Isolated L-A virus synthesizes positive strand transcripts in vitro. We found that the 5' termini of the transcripts are diphosphorylated. The 5'-terminal nucleotide is G, and GDP was the best substrate among those examined to prime the reaction. When GTP was used, the triphosphate of GTP incorporated into the 5'-end was converted to diphosphate. This activity was not dependent on host CTL1 RNA triphosphatase. The 5'-end of the GMP-primed transcript also was converted to diphosphate, the beta-phosphate of which was derived from the gamma-phosphate of ATP present in the polymerization reaction. These results demonstrate that L-A virus commands elaborate enzymatic systems to ensure its transcript to be 5'-diphosphorylated. Transcripts of M1, a satellite RNA of L-A virus, also had diphosphate at the 5' termini. Because viral transcripts are released from the virion into the cytoplasm to be translated and encapsidated into a new viral particle, a stage most vulnerable to degradation in the virus replication cycle, our results suggest that the 5'-diphosphate status is important for transcript stability. Consistent with this, L-A transcripts made in vitro are resistant to the affinity-purified Ski1p 5'-exonuclease. We also discuss the implication of these findings on translation of viral RNA. Because the viral transcript has no conventional 5'-cap structure, this work may shed light on the metabolism of non-self-RNA in yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Fujimura
- Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica/Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
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22
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Sun S, Rao VB, Rossmann MG. Genome packaging in viruses. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2010; 20:114-20. [PMID: 20060706 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2009.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2009] [Revised: 12/11/2009] [Accepted: 12/16/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Genome packaging is a fundamental process in a viral life cycle. Many viruses assemble preformed capsids into which the genomic material is subsequently packaged. These viruses use a packaging motor protein that is driven by the hydrolysis of ATP to condense the nucleic acids into a confined space. How these motor proteins package viral genomes had been poorly understood until recently, when a few X-ray crystal structures and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures became available. Here we discuss various aspects of genome packaging and compare the mechanisms proposed for packaging motors on the basis of structural information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyang Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
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23
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Maqueda M, Zamora E, Rodríguez-Cousiño N, Ramírez M. Wine yeast molecular typing using a simplified method for simultaneously extracting mtDNA, nuclear DNA and virus dsRNA. Food Microbiol 2009; 27:205-9. [PMID: 20141937 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2009.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2009] [Revised: 10/01/2009] [Accepted: 10/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Quick and accurate methods are required for the identification of industrial, environmental, and clinical yeast strains. We propose a rapid method for the simultaneous extraction of yeast mtDNA, nuclear DNA, and virus dsRNA. It is simpler, cheaper, and faster than the previously reported methods. It allows one to choose among a broad range of molecular analysis approaches for yeast typing, avoiding the need to use of several different methods for the separate extraction of each nucleic acid type. The application of this method followed by the combined analysis of mtDNA and dsRNA (ScV-M and W) is a highly attractive option for fast and efficient wine yeast typing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Maqueda
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas (Area de Microbiología), Facultad de Ciencias (Antiguo Rectorado), Universidad de Extremadura, 06071 Badajoz, Spain
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Esteban R, Vega L, Fujimura T. 20S RNA narnavirus defies the antiviral activity of SKI1/XRN1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:25812-20. [PMID: 18640978 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m804400200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
20S RNA virus is a persistent positive strand RNA virus found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We previously observed that the virus generated in vivo from a launching vector possessed the correct RNA termini without extra sequences. Here we present evidence that the SKI1/XRN1 5'-exonuclease plays a major role in the elimination of the non-viral upstream sequences from the primary transcripts. The virus, once generated, however, is fairly unaffected by overexpression or deletion of SKI1/XRN1. By contrast, the copy number of the L-A double-stranded RNA virus in the same host is greatly increased by the deletion of SKI1/XRN1, and overexpression of the gene cured L-A virus from the cells at a high frequency. 20S RNA virus, unlike L-A virus, has a strong secondary structure at its 5'-end: the first four nucleotides are G, and they are buried at the bottom of a long stem structure, features known to inhibit the SKI1/XRN1 5'-exonuclease progression. Mutations that weakened the 5'-stem structure made 20S RNA virus vulnerable to SKI1/XRN1. These results, together with the data on L-A virus, indicate a strong anti-RNA virus activity of SKI1/XRN1. Given that 20S RNA virus resides and replicates in the cytoplasm without a protective capsid, our results suggest that the strong secondary structure at the 5'-end is crucial for the 20S RNA virus to evade the host SKI1/XRN1 defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Esteban
- Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica, Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
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Esteban R, Rodríguez-Cousiño N. 23S RNA-derived replicon as a 'molecular tag' for monitoring inoculated wine yeast strains. Yeast 2008; 25:359-69. [PMID: 18437705 DOI: 10.1002/yea.1594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study we have developed a useful method to identify a particular yeast strain within a mixture of strains during must fermentation, based on the presence or absence of a stable genetic element derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae 23S RNA autonomous replicon. 23S RNA is a natural virus-like RNA replicon present in some S. cerevisiae strains, which encodes only its own RNA-dependent RNA polymerase named p104. A modified version of 23S RNA (23S-tagged RNA) was generated after transformation of S. cerevisiae wine strains with a launching plasmid, where six nucleotides were changed in the 23S RNA cDNA sequence without modifying the amino acid sequence of p104 RNA polymerase. Once generated, the 23S-tagged RNA can replicate autonomously (without the plasmid), is very stable, is present in high copy number in stationary phase or nitrogen-starved cells and confers no phenotype to the host, like the endogenous 23S RNA replicon. However, it can be distinguished from endogenous 23S RNA by reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with specific oligonucleotide primers. 23S RNA-derived replicon can be used to tag wine yeast strains in order to monitor easily their prevalence over endogenous strains during wine fermentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Esteban
- Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica, Universidad de Salamanca, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Salamanca 37007, Spain
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26
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Fujimura T, Esteban R. Interactions of the RNA polymerase with the viral genome at the 5'- and 3'-ends contribute to 20S RNA narnavirus persistence in yeast. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:19011-9. [PMID: 17478418 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m702432200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
20S RNA narnavirus is a positive strand RNA virus found in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The viral genome (2514 nucleotides) only encodes a single protein (p91), the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and does not have capsid proteins to form intracellular virions. The genomic RNA has no 3' poly(A) tail and perhaps no cap structure at the 5'-end; thus resembling an intermediate of mRNA degradation. The virus, however, escapes the host surveillance and replicates in the yeast cytoplasm persistently. The viral genome is not naked but exists in the form of a ribonucleoprotein complex with p91 in a 1:1 stoichiometry. Here we investigated interactions between p91 and the viral genome. Our results indicate that p91 directly or indirectly interacts with the RNA at the 5'- and 3'-end regions and to a lesser extent at a central part. The 3'-end site is identical to or overlaps with the 3' cis signal for replication identified previously. The 5'-site is at the second stem loop structure from the 5'-end (nucleotides 72-104), and this structure also contains a cis signal for replication. Analysis of mutants in the structure revealed a tight correlation between replication and formation of complexes. These results highlight the importance of ribonucleoprotein complexes for the viral life cycle. We will discuss implications of these findings especially on how the virus escapes from mRNA degradation pathways and resides in the cytoplasm persistently despite the lack of a protective capsid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Fujimura
- Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica/Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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Lough TJ, Lee RH, Emerson SJ, Forster RLS, Lucas WJ. Functional analysis of the 5' untranslated region of potexvirus RNA reveals a role in viral replication and cell-to-cell movement. Virology 2006; 351:455-65. [PMID: 16697024 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2006.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2006] [Revised: 03/06/2006] [Accepted: 03/27/2006] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cell-to-cell movement of potexviruses requires cognate recognition between the viral RNA, the triple gene block proteins (TGBp1-3) and the coat protein (CP). cis-acting motifs required for recognition and translocation of viral RNA were identified using an artificial potexvirus defective RNA encoding a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter transcriptionally fused to the terminal viral sequences. Analysis of GFP fluorescence produced in vivo from these defective RNA constructs, referred to as chimeric RNA reporters, was used to identify viral cis-acting motifs required for RNA trafficking. Mapping experiments localized the cis-acting element to nucleotides 1-107 of the Potato virus X (PVX) genome. This sequence forms an RNA secondary structural element that has also been implicated in viral plus-strand accumulation [Miller, E.D., Plante, C.A., Kim, K.-H., Brown, J.W. and Hemenway, C. (1998) J. Mol. Biol. 284, 591-608]. While replication and movement functions associated with this region have not been separated, these results are consistent with sequence-specific recognition of RNA by the viral movement protein(s). This situation is unusual among viral movement proteins that typically function to translocate RNA between cells in a non-sequence-specific manner. These data support the concept of cis-acting elements specifying intercellular potexvirus RNA movement and thus provide a basis for dissection of RNA-mediated intercellular communication in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony J Lough
- Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand, Plant Health and Development Group, Private Bag 11030, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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28
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Esteban R, Vega L, Fujimura T. Launching of the yeast 20 s RNA narnavirus by expressing the genomic or antigenomic viral RNA in vivo. J Biol Chem 2005; 280:33725-34. [PMID: 16049000 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m506546200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
20 S RNA virus is a persistent positive strand RNA virus found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The viral genome encodes only its RNA polymerase, p91, and resides in the cytoplasm in the form of a ribonucleoprotein complex with p91. We succeeded in generating 20 S RNA virus in vivo by expressing, from a vector, genomic strands fused at the 3'-ends to the hepatitis delta virus antigenomic ribozyme. Using this launching system, we analyzed 3'-cis-signals present in the genomic strand for replication. The viral genome has five-nucleotide inverted repeats at both termini (5'-GGGGC... GCCCC-OH). The fifth G from the 3'-end was dispensable for replication, whereas the third and fourth Cs were essential. The 3'-terminal and penultimate Cs could be eliminated or modified to other nucleotides; however, the generated viruses recovered these terminal Cs. Furthermore, extra nucleotides added at the viral 3'-end were eliminated in the launched viruses. Therefore, 20 S RNA virus has a mechanism(s) to maintain the correct size and sequence of the viral 3'-end. This may contribute to its persistent infection in yeast. We also succeeded in generating 20 S RNA virus similarly from antigenomic strands provided active p91 was supplied from a second vector in trans. Again, a cluster of four Cs at the 3'-end in the antigenomic strand was essential for replication. In this work, we also present the first conclusive evidence that 20 S and 23 S RNA viruses are independent replicons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Esteban
- Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica/Departamento de Microbiología y Genética, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca 37007, Spain. mrosagugu.usal.es
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Kwon SJ, Park MR, Kim KW, Plante CA, Hemenway CL, Kim KH. cis-Acting sequences required for coat protein binding and in vitro assembly of Potato virus X. Virology 2005; 334:83-97. [PMID: 15749125 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2005.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2004] [Revised: 11/17/2004] [Accepted: 01/14/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The 5' region of Potato virus X (PVX) RNA containing an AC-rich single-stranded region and stem-loop 1 (SL1) has been shown to be important for PVX replication (Miller, E.D., Plante, C.A., Kim, K.-H., Brown, J.W., Hemenway, C., 1998. Stem-loop structure in the 5' region of potato virus X genome required for plus-strand RNA accumulation. J. Mol. Biol. 284, 591-608.). Here, we describe the involvement of SL1 for binding to the PVX coat protein (CP) using an in vitro assembly system and various deletion mutants of the 5' region of PVX RNA. Internal and 5' terminal deletions of the 5'-nontranslated region of PVX RNA were assessed for their effects on formation of assembled virus-like particles (VLPs). Mutant RNAs that contain the top region of SL1 or sequences therein bound to CP to form VLPs. In contrast, transcripts of mutants that disrupt SL1 RNA structure were unable to form VLPs. SELEX was used to further confirm the specific RNA recognition of PVX CP using RNA transcripts containing randomized sequences of the upper portion of SL1. Wild-type (wt) sequences along with many other sequences that resemble SL1 structure were selected after fourth and fifth rounds of SELEX (27.0% and 44.4%, respectively). RNA transcripts from several SELEX winners that are predicted to form stable stem-loop structures very closely resembling wt PVX SL1 VLPs. RNA transcripts not predicted to form secondary structures similar to SL1 did not form VLPs in vitro. Taken together, our results suggest that RNA secondary structural elements within SL1 and/or sequences therein are crucial for formation of VLPs and are required for the specific recognition by the CP subunit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun-Jung Kwon
- School of Agricultural Biotechnology and Center for Plant Molecular Genetics and Breeding Research, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Korea
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Liu Q, Zhang X, Li J, Ying J, Chen L, Zhao Y, Wei F, Wu T. Giardia lamblia: stable expression of green fluorescent protein mediated by giardiavirus. Exp Parasitol 2005; 109:181-7. [PMID: 15713450 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2004.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2004] [Revised: 11/26/2004] [Accepted: 12/03/2004] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Giardia lamblia, an early diverging eukaryote that infects several species including humans and a major agent of water-borne diarrhea throughout the world, can be infected with a double-stranded RNA virus, giardiavirus (GLV). A chimeric GLV cDNA and green fluorescent protein (GFP) according to the cis-acting signals of the GLV genome required for expression of foreign gene was constructed and its in vitro transcript was electroporated into GLV-infected G. lamblia trophozoites, GFP was expressed transiently. pGDH5/NEO/GLV was constructed by combining the neomycin resistance cassette in which the neomycin phosphotransferase gene was flanked by Giardia glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) uncoding regions and the transcription cassette in which the chimera of GLV cDNA and GFP was located downstream from GDH gene promoter on a single plasmid. This plasmid was electroporated into G. lamblia and the transfectants persistently expressed GFP under G418 selection. This stable transfection system should provide a valuable tool for genetic study of G. lamblia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Liu
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, JiLin University, 5333 Xi'an Road, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China
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31
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Fujimura T, Solórzano A, Esteban R. Native replication intermediates of the yeast 20 S RNA virus have a single-stranded RNA backbone. J Biol Chem 2004; 280:7398-406. [PMID: 15611054 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m412048200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
20 S RNA virus is a positive strand RNA virus found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The viral genome (2.5 kb) only encodes its RNA polymerase (p91) and forms a ribonucleoprotein complex with p91 in vivo. A lysate prepared from 20 S RNA-induced cells showed an RNA polymerase activity that synthesized the positive strands of viral genome. When in vitro products, after phenol extraction, were analyzed in a time course, radioactive nucleotides were first incorporated into double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) intermediates and then chased out to the final single-stranded RNA products. The positive and negative strands in these dsRNA intermediates were non-covalently associated, and the release of the positive strand products from the intermediates required a net RNA synthesis. We found, however, that these dsRNA intermediates were an artifact caused by phenol extraction. Native replication intermediates had a single-stranded RNA backbone as judged by RNase sensitivity experiments, and they migrated distinctly from a dsRNA form in non-denaturing gels. Upon completion of RNA synthesis, positive strand RNA products as well as negative strand templates were released from replication intermediates. These results indicate that the native replication intermediates consist of a positive strand of less than unit length and a negative strand template loosely associated, probably through the RNA polymerase p91. Therefore, W, a dsRNA form of 20 S RNA that accumulates in yeast cells grown at 37 degrees C, is not an intermediate in the 20 S RNA replication cycle, but a by-product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Fujimura
- Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Salamanca, Avda. del Campo Charro s/n Salamanca 37007, Spain.
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32
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Weiler F, Schmitt MJ. Zygocin – a monomeric protein toxin secreted by virus-infected Zygosaccharomyces bailii. MICROBIAL PROTEIN TOXINS 2004. [DOI: 10.1007/b100896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2023]
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33
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Fujimura T, Esteban R. The bipartite 3'-cis-acting signal for replication is required for formation of a ribonucleoprotein complex in vivo between the viral genome and its RNA polymerase in yeast 23 S RNA virus. J Biol Chem 2004; 279:44219-28. [PMID: 15308662 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m408530200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
23 S RNA narnavirus is a persistent positive strand RNA virus found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The viral genome (2.9 kb) encodes only its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, p104, and forms a ribonucleoprotein complex with p104 in vivo. Previously we succeeded in generating 23 S RNA virus in yeast from an expression vector containing the entire viral cDNA sequence. Using this system, we have recently identified a bipartite 3' cis-acting signal for replication. The signal consists of a stretch of four cytidines (Cs) at the 3' end and a mismatched pair of purines in a stem-loop structure that partially overlaps the terminal four Cs. Although the 3' terminal and penultimate Cs are not essential for virus launching, the generated viruses efficiently recovered these terminal nucleotides. In this work, we expressed RNA transcripts containing the entire 23 S RNA genome but incapable of generating the virus because of the presence of non-viral extra sequences at the 3' ends. These transcripts could form complexes with p104 in vivo, and a detailed analysis indicated that the mismatched pair of purines as well as the third and fourth Cs from the viral 3' end was essential for this complex-forming activity. Given that 23 S RNA virus does not have genes for capsid proteins, the binding of p104 to the viral 3' end, in addition to the efficient 3' terminal repair, may play a crucial role in virus persistence by protecting and maintaining the correct viral 3' end in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Fujimura
- Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Spain
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34
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Fujimura T, Esteban R. Bipartite 3'-cis-acting signal for replication in yeast 23 S RNA virus and its repair. J Biol Chem 2004; 279:13215-23. [PMID: 14722081 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m313797200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
23 S RNA narnavirus is a persistent positive strand RNA virus found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The viral genome is small (2.9 kb) and only encodes its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Recently, we have succeeded in generating 23 S RNA virus from an expression vector containing the entire viral cDNA sequence. Using this in vivo launching system, we analyzed the 3'-cis-acting signals for replication. The 3'-non-coding region of 23 S RNA contains two cis-elements. One is a stretch of 4 Cs at the 3' end, and the other is a mismatched pair in a stem-loop structure that partially overlaps the terminal 4 Cs. In the latter element, the loop or stem sequence is not important but the stem structure with the mismatch pair is essential. The mismatched bases should be purines. Any combination of purines at the mismatch pair bestowed capability of replication on the RNA, whereas converting it to a single bulge at either side of the stem abolished the activity. The terminal and penultimate Cs at the 3' end could be eliminated or modified to other nucleotides in the launching plasmid without affecting virus generation. However, the viruses generated regained or restored these Cs at the 3' terminus. Considering the importance of the viral 3' ends in RNA replication, these results suggest that this 3' end repair may contribute to the persistence of 23 S RNA virus in yeast by maintaining the genomic RNA termini intact. We discuss possible mechanisms for this 3' end repair in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Fujimura
- Instituto de Microbiología Bioquímica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/Universidad de Salamanca, Avda. del Campo Charro s/n, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
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35
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Boot HJ, Pritz-Verschuren SBE. Modifications of the 3'-UTR stem-loop of infectious bursal disease virus are allowed without influencing replication or virulence. Nucleic Acids Res 2004; 32:211-22. [PMID: 14718548 PMCID: PMC373287 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkh177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many questions regarding the initiation of replication and translation of the segmented, double-stranded RNA genome of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) remain to be solved. Computer analysis shows that the non-polyadenylated extreme 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of the coding strand of both genomic segments are able to fold into a single stem-loop structure. To assess the determinants for a functional 3'-UTR, we mutagenized the 3'-UTR stem-loop structure of the B-segment. Rescue of infectious virus from mutagenized cDNA plasmids was impaired in all cases. However, after one passage, the replication kinetics of these viruses were restored. Sequence analysis revealed that additional mutations had been acquired in most of the stem-loop structures, which compensated the introduced ones. A rescued virus with a modified stem-loop structure containing four nucleotide substitutions, but preserving its overall secondary structure, was phenotypically indistinguishable from wild-type virus, both in vitro (cell culture) and in vivo (chickens, natural host). Sequence analysis showed that the modified stem-loop structure of this virus was fully preserved after four serial passages. Apparently, it is the stem-loop structure and not the primary sequence that is the functional determinant in the 3'-UTRs of IBDV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hein J Boot
- Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
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36
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Escors D, Izeta A, Capiscol C, Enjuanes L. Transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus packaging signal is located at the 5' end of the virus genome. J Virol 2003; 77:7890-902. [PMID: 12829829 PMCID: PMC161917 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.77.14.7890-7902.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To locate the transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) packaging signal, the incorporation of TGEV subgenomic mRNAs (sgmRNAs) into virions was first addressed. TGEV virions were purified by three different techniques, including an immunopurification using an M protein-specific monoclonal antibody. Detection of sgmRNAs in virions by specific reverse transcription-PCRs (RT-PCRs) was related to the purity of virus preparations. Interestingly, virus mRNAs were detected in partially purified virus but not in virus immunopurified using stringent conditions. Analyses by quantitative RT-PCR confirmed that virus mRNAs were not present in highly purified preparations. Lack of sgmRNA encapsidation was probably due to the absence of a packaging signal (Psi) within these mRNAs. This information plus that from the encapsidation of a collection of TGEV-derived minigenomes suggested that Psi is located at the 5' end of the genome. To confirm that this was the case, a set of minigenomes was expressed that included an expression cassette for an mRNA including the beta-glucuronidase gene (GUS) plus variable sequence fragments from the 5' end of the virus genome potentially including Psi. Insertion of the first 649 nucleotides (nt) of the TGEV genome led to the specific encapsidation of the mRNA, indicating that a Psi was located within this region which was absent from all of the other virus mRNAs. The presence of this packaging signal was further confirmed by showing the expression and rescue of the mRNA including the first 649 nt of the TGEV genome under control of the cytomegalovirus promoter in TGEV-infected cells. This mRNA was successfully amplified and encapsidated, indicating that the first 649 nt of TGEV genome also contained the 5' cis-acting replication signals. The encapsidation efficiency of this mRNA was about 30-fold higher than the genome encapsidation efficiency, as estimated by quantitative RT-PCR. In contrast, viral mRNAs presented significantly lower encapsidation efficiencies (about 100-fold) than those of the virus genome, strongly suggesting that TGEV mRNAs in fact lacked an alternative TGEV Psi.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Escors
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Campus Universidad Autónoma, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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37
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Esteban R, Fujimura T. Launching the yeast 23S RNA Narnavirus shows 5' and 3' cis-acting signals for replication. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003; 100:2568-73. [PMID: 12591948 PMCID: PMC151381 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0530167100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Narnavirus 23S RNA is a persistent positive-stranded RNA virus found in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The viral genome (2.9 kb) only encodes its RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, p104. Here we report the generation of 23S RNA virus, with high frequency, from a vector containing the entire viral cDNA sequence. When the conserved GDD (Gly-Asp-Asp) motif of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase was modified, the vector failed to generate the virus, indicating that an active p104 is essential for replication. Successful launching required transcripts having the proper viral 3' terminus generated in vivo. This was accomplished through in vivo processing of the primary transcripts by the hepatitis delta virus antigenomic ribozyme directly fused to the 3' terminus of the 23S RNA genome. Although the primary transcripts also contained extra nucleotides at their 5' ends derived from the vector, the launched virus possessed the authentic 5' terminus of the viral genome without these extra nucleotides. Modifications of the genome sequence at the 5' and 3' termini abolished viral generation, indicating that the viral genome has cis-acting signals for replication at both termini. The great ease to generate the virus will facilitate the identification of these cis-acting signals. Furthermore, the virus, once generated, can be transmitted to daughter cells indefinitely without the vector or any selection, which makes the 23S RNA virus-launching system particularly useful for investigating the basis for RNA virus persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Esteban
- Instituto de Microbiologia Bioquimica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientificasUniversidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
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38
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Weiler F, Rehfeldt K, Bautz F, Schmitt MJ. The Zygosaccharomyces bailii antifungal virus toxin zygocin: cloning and expression in a heterologous fungal host. Mol Microbiol 2002; 46:1095-105. [PMID: 12421314 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2002.03225.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Zygocin, a monomeric protein toxin secreted by a virus-infected killer strain of the osmotolerant spoilage yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii, kills a broad spectrum of human and phytopathogenic yeasts and filamentous fungi by disrupting cytoplasmic membrane function. The toxin is encoded by a double-stranded (ds)RNA killer virus (ZbV-M, for Z. bailii virus M) that stably persists within the yeast cell cytosol. In this study, the protein toxin was purified, its N-terminal amino acid sequence was determined, and a full-length cDNA copy of the 2.1 kb viral dsRNA genome was cloned and successfully expressed in a heterologous fungal system. Sequence analysis as well as zygocin expression in Schizosaccharomyces pombe indicated that the toxin is in vivo expressed as a 238-amino-acid preprotoxin precursor (pptox) consisting of a hydrophobic N-terminal secretion signal, followed by a potentially N-glycosylated pro-region and terminating in a classical Kex2p endopeptidase cleavage site that generates the N-terminus of the mature and biologically active protein toxin in a late Golgi compartment. Matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry further indicated that the secreted toxin is a monomeric 10.4 kDa protein lacking detectable post-translational modifications. Furthermore, we present additional evidence that in contrast with other viral antifungal toxins, zygocin immunity is not mediated by the toxin precursor itself and, therefore, heterologous pptox expression in a zygocin-sensitive host results in a suicidal phenotype. Final sequence comparisons emphasize the conserved pattern of functional elements present in dsRNA killer viruses that naturally infect phylogenetically distant hosts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Z. bailii) and reinforce models for the sequence elements that are in vivo required for viral RNA packaging and replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Weiler
- Angewandte Molekularbiologie, Universität des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken, Germany
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39
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Abstract
Since the initial discovery of the yeast killer system almost 40 years ago, intensive studies have substantially strengthened our knowledge in many areas of biology and provided deeper insights into basic aspects of eukaryotic cell biology as well as into virus-host cell interactions and general yeast virology. Analysis of killer toxin structure, synthesis and secretion has fostered understanding of essential cellular mechanisms such as post-translational prepro-protein processing in the secretory pathway. Furthermore, investigation of the receptor-mediated mode of toxin action proved to be an effective means for dissecting the molecular structure and in vivo assembly of yeast and fungal cell walls, providing important insights relevant to combating infections by human pathogenic yeasts. Besides their general importance in understanding eukaryotic cell biology, killer yeasts, killer toxins and killer viruses are also becoming increasingly interesting with respect to possible applications in biomedicine and gene technology. This review will try to address all these aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred J Schmitt
- Angewandte Molekularbiologie (FR 8.3 -- Mikrobiologie), Universität des Saarlandes, Im Stadtwald, Gebäude 2, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
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40
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López V, Gil R, Vicente Carbonell J, Navarro A. Occurrence of 20S RNA and 23S RNA replicons in industrial yeast strains and their variation under nutritional stress conditions. Yeast 2002; 19:545-52. [PMID: 11921103 DOI: 10.1002/yea.848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We have characterized industrial yeast strains used in the brewing, baking, and winemaking industries for the presence or absence of cytoplasmic single-stranded 20S and 23S RNAs. Furthermore, the variation of intracellular concentrations of these replicons in brewing and laboratory strains under nutritional stress conditions was determined. Our results show a correlation between the relative abundance of these replicons and exposure of yeast to nutritionally stressful conditions, indicating that these RNAs could be employed as molecular probes to evaluate the exposure of 20S(+) and/or 23S(+) yeast strains to stress situations during industrial manipulation. During this study, several 20S(-)23S(+) Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains were isolated and identified. This is the first time that a yeast strain containing only 23S RNA has been reported, demonstrating that 20S RNA is not required for 23S RNA replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria López
- Asociación de Investigación de Cerveza y Malta (INVESCEMA),C/ Almagro 24, 8010 Madrid, Spain
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41
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Narayanan K, Makino S. Cooperation of an RNA packaging signal and a viral envelope protein in coronavirus RNA packaging. J Virol 2001; 75:9059-67. [PMID: 11533169 PMCID: PMC114474 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.75.19.9059-9067.2001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) produces a genome-length mRNA, mRNA 1, and six or seven species of subgenomic mRNAs in infected cells. Among these mRNAs, only mRNA 1 is efficiently packaged into MHV particles. MHV N protein binds to all MHV mRNAs, whereas envelope M protein interacts only with mRNA 1. This M protein-mRNA 1 interaction most probably determines the selective packaging of mRNA 1 into MHV particles. A short cis-acting MHV RNA packaging signal is necessary and sufficient for packaging RNA into MHV particles. The present study tested the possibility that the selective M protein-mRNA 1 interaction is due to the packaging signal in mRNA 1. Regardless of the presence or absence of the packaging signal, N protein bound to MHV defective interfering RNAs and intracellularly expressed non-MHV RNA transcripts to form ribonucleoprotein complexes; M protein, however, interacted selectively with RNAs containing the packaging signal. Moreover, only the RNA that interacted selectively with M protein was efficiently packaged into MHV particles. Thus, it was the packaging signal that mediated the selective interaction between M protein and viral RNA to drive the specific packaging of RNA into virus particles. This is the first example for any RNA virus in which a viral envelope protein and a known viral RNA packaging signal have been shown to determine the specificity and selectivity of RNA packaging into virions.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Narayanan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77555-1019, USA
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42
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Yoo JS, Cheong HK, Lee BJ, Kim YB, Cheong C. Solution structure of the SL1 RNA of the M1 double-stranded RNA virus of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biophys J 2001; 80:1957-66. [PMID: 11259308 PMCID: PMC1301384 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-3495(01)76165-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The 20-nucleotide SL1 VBS RNA, 5'-GGAGACGC[GAUUC]GCGCUCC (bulged A underlined and loop bases in brackets), plays a crucial role in viral particle binding to the plus strand and packaging of the RNA. Its structure was determined by NMR spectroscopy. Structure calculations gave a precisely defined structure, with an average pairwise root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 1.28 A for the entire molecule, 0.57 A for the loop region (C8-G14), and 0.46 A for the bulge region (G4-G7, C15-C17). Base stacking continues for three nucleotides on the 5' side of the loop. The final structure contains a single hydrogen bond involving the guanine imino proton and the carbonyl O(2) of the cytosine between the nucleotides on the 5' and 3' ends of the loop, although they do not form a Watson-Crick base pair. All three pyrimidine bases in the loop point toward the major groove, which implies that Cap-Pol protein may recognize the major groove of the SL1 loop region. The bulged A5 residue is stacked in the stem, but nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOEs) suggest that A5 spends part of the time in the bulged-out conformation. The rigid conformation of the upper stem and loop regions may allow the SL1 VBS RNA to interact with Cap-Pol protein without drastically changing its own conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Yoo
- Magnetic Resonance Team, Korea Basic Science Institute, Taejon 305-333, Korea
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Fujimura T, Esteban R. Recognition of RNA encapsidation signal by the yeast L-A double-stranded RNA virus. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:37118-26. [PMID: 10954712 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m005245200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The encapsidation signal of the yeast L-A virus contains a 24-nucleotide stem-loop structure with a 5-nucleotide loop and an A bulged at the 5' side of the stem. The Pol part of the Gag-Pol fusion protein is responsible for encapsidation of viral RNA. Opened empty viral particles containing Gag-Pol specifically bind to this encapsidation signal in vitro. We found that binding to empty particles protected the bulged A and the flanking-two nucleotides from cleavage by Fe(II)-EDTA-generated hydroxyl radicals. The five nucleotides of the loop sequence ((4190)GAUCC(4194)) were not protected. However, T1 RNase protection and in vitro mutagenesis experiments indicated that G(4190) is essential for binding. Although the sequence of the other four nucleotides of the loop is not essential, data from RNase protection and chemical modification experiments suggested that C(4194) was also directly involved in binding to empty particles rather than indirectly through its potential base pairing with G(4190). These results suggest that the Pol domain of Gag-Pol contacts the encapsidation signal at two sites: one, the bulged A, and the other, G and C bases at the opening of the loop. These two sites are conserved in the encapsidation signal of M1, a satellite RNA of the L-A virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Fujimura
- Instituto de Microbiologia Bioquimica/Departamento de Microbiologia y Genética, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca 37007, Spain.
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Solorzano A, Rodríguez-Cousiño N, Esteban R, Fujimura T. Persistent yeast single-stranded RNA viruses exist in vivo as genomic RNA.RNA polymerase complexes in 1:1 stoichiometry. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:26428-35. [PMID: 10833519 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m002281200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Yeast narnavirus 20 S and 23 S RNAs encode RNA-dependent RNA polymerases p91 and p104, respectively, but do not encode coat proteins. Both RNAs form ribonucleoprotein complexes with their cognate polymerases. Here we show that these complexes are not localized in mitochondria, unlike the closely related mitoviruses, which reside in these organelles. Cytoplasmic localization of these polymerases was demonstrated by immunofluorescence and by fluorescence emitted from green fluorescent protein-fused polymerases. These fusion proteins were able to form ribonucleoprotein complexes as did the wild-type polymerases. Fluorescent observations and cell fractionation experiments suggested that the polymerases were stabilized by complex formation with their viral RNA genomes. Immunoprecipitation experiments with anti-green fluorescent protein antibodies demonstrated that a single polymerase molecule binds to a single viral RNA genome in the complex. Moreover, the majority (if not all) of 20 S and 23 S RNA molecules were found to form complexes with their cognate RNA polymerases. Since these viral RNAs were not encapsidated, ribonucleoprotein complex formation with their cognate RNA polymerases appears to be their strategy to survive in the host as persistent viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Solorzano
- Departamento de Microbiologia y Genética, Instituto de Microbiologia Bioquimica, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas/Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca 37007, Spain
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Khramtsov NV, Upton SJ. Association of RNA polymerase complexes of the parasitic protozoan Cryptosporidium parvum with virus-like particles: heterogeneous system. J Virol 2000; 74:5788-95. [PMID: 10846057 PMCID: PMC112072 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.74.13.5788-5795.2000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA polymerase complexes were purified from Cryptosporidium parvum, a parasitic protozoan known to infect many species of mammals including humans. Western blot analysis revealed the association of the complexes with two different proteins, encoded by large and small segments of viral double-stranded RNAs. Each complex was found to contain only double-stranded RNA, both double- and single-stranded RNA, or only single-stranded RNA. Maximum RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity was observed within the complexes containing both double- and single-stranded RNAs. These complexes possessed both transcriptase and replicase polymerase activities. Virus-like particles with a diameter of 31 nm were copurified with RNA polymerase complexes, and buoyant density and polymerase studies suggest that C. parvum harbors a putative double-stranded RNA virus which separately encapsidates the large and small RNA segments. The mechanism of replication and other characteristics of this virus are similar to those of the viruses of the family Partitiviridae, previously identified only in fungi and plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- N V Khramtsov
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506-4901, USA.
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Cansado J, Barros Velázquez J, Sieiro C, Gacto M, Villa TG. Presence of non-suppressive, M2-related dsRNAs molecules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated from spontaneous fermentations. FEMS Microbiol Lett 1999; 181:211-5. [PMID: 10585540 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1999.tb08846.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Total dsRNA extractions in five killer K2 strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from spontaneous fermentations revealed the presence of a novel dsRNA fragment (which we named NS dsRNA) of approximately 1.30 kb, together with L and M2 dsRNAs. NS dsRNA appeared to be encapsidated in the same kind of viral particles as L and M2 dsRNA. Northern blot hybridization experiments indicated that NS dsRNA was derived from M2 dsRNA, likely by deletion of the internal A+U-rich region. However, unlike S dsRNAs (suppressive forms derived from M1 dsRNA in K1 killers), NS dsRNA did not induce exclusion of the parental M2 dsRNA when the host strain was maintained for up to 180 generations of growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cansado
- Departamento de Genética y Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, 30071, Murcia, Spain.
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Ebihara T, Yanagida Y, Kobatake E, Aizawa M. In vitro selective RNA synthesis with L-A virus nanoparticles. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1999; 263:23-7. [PMID: 10486247 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1999.1299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
New in vitro RNA synthesis has been performed with an L-A virus nanoparticles, in which the gene and polymerase are integrated. The specific recognition sequence (packaging site) of L-A virus was inserted within a gene of interest. Based on the intrinsic replication cycle, the exogenous RNA with the packaging site was encapsulated by an empty L-A virus nanoparticle. The packaging site worked as a recognition site even for exogenous RNAs. The recognized RNA was replicated to dsRNA, and was then transcribed by empty L-A virus nanoparticles. These results indicate that empty L-A virus nanoparticles recognize an exogenous RNA with the packaging site and synthesize RNA in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Ebihara
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama, 226-8501, Japan
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Mindich L. Precise packaging of the three genomic segments of the double-stranded-RNA bacteriophage phi6. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 1999; 63:149-60. [PMID: 10066834 PMCID: PMC98960 DOI: 10.1128/mmbr.63.1.149-160.1999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage phi6 has a genome of three segments of double-stranded RNA. Each virus particle contains one each of the three segments. Packaging is effected by the acquisition, in a serially dependent manner, of the plus strands of the genomic segments into empty procapsids. The empty procapsids are compressed in shape and expand during packaging. The packaging program involves discrete steps that are determined by the amount of RNA inside the procapsid. The steps involve the exposure and concealment of binding sites on the outer surface of the procapsid for the plus strands of the three genomic segments. The plus strand of segment S can be packaged alone, while packaging of the plus strand of segment M depends upon prior packaging of S. Packaging of the plus strand of L depends upon the prior packaging of M. Minus-strand synthesis begins when the particle has a full complement of plus strands. Plus-strand synthesis commences upon the completion of minus-strand synthesis. All of the reactions of packaging, minus-strand synthesis, and plus-strand synthesis can be accomplished in vitro with isolated procapsids. Live-virus constructions that are in accord with the model have been prepared. Mutant virus with changes in the packaging program have been isolated and analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Mindich
- Department of Microbiology, The Public Health Research Institute New York, New York 10016, USA.
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Miller ED, Plante CA, Kim KH, Brown JW, Hemenway C. Stem-loop structure in the 5' region of potato virus X genome required for plus-strand RNA accumulation. J Mol Biol 1998; 284:591-608. [PMID: 9826501 DOI: 10.1006/jmbi.1998.2174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Computer-generated thermodynamic predictions and solution structure probing indicated two stem-loop structures, stem-loop 1 (SL1; nt 32-106) and stem-loop 2 (SL2; nt 143-183), within the 5' 230 nt of potato virus X (PVX) RNA. Because the existence of SL1 was further supported by covariation analysis of several PVX strains, the functional significance of this structure was investigated by site-directed mutational analysis in a tobacco protoplast system. In general, mutations that reduced genomic plus-strand RNA accumulation similarly affected coat protein accumulation, indicating that subgenomic plus-strand RNA was also affected. In contrast, minus-strand RNA levels remained relatively unchanged. Mutational analysis of the stem C (SC) region of SL1 indicated that pairing was more important than sequence, which was consistent with the covariation analysis. Alterations that increased length and stability of either SC or stem D (SD) were deleterious to plus-strand RNA accumulation. The formation of internal loop C between SC and SD, as well as specific nucleotides within this loop, were also required. Several modifications were made to the terminal GAAA tetraloop, a motif known for enhanced RNA stability. Both GANA and GAAG motifs resulted in wild-type levels of RNA accumulation. However, a UUCG tetraloop was detrimental, indicating that the sequence of this element was important beyond just providing stabilization of the structure. These data indicate that multiple features of SL1 are critical for accumulation of PVX plus-strand RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D Miller
- Department of Biochemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 27695, USA
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