Importance of sequence and structural elements within a viral replication repressor

The RNA of Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus, an Obligatory Component of Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease, Is Translated via a Variant Panicum Mosaic Virus-Like Cap-Independent Translation Element

Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) combines with a potyvirus in maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND), a serious emerging disease worldwide. To inform resistance strategies, we characterized the translation initiation mechanism of MCMV. We report that MCMV RNA contains a cap-independent translation element (CITE) in its 3' untranslated region (UTR). The MCMV 3' CITE (MTE) was mapped to nucleotides 4164 to 4333 in the genomic RNA. 2'-Hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) probing revealed that the MTE is a distinct variant of the panicum mosaic virus-like 3' CITE (PTE). Like the PTE, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) indicated that eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) binds the MTE despite the absence of an m7GpppN cap structure, which is normally required for eIF4E to bind RNA. Using a luciferase reporter system, mutagenesis to disrupt and restore base pairing revealed that the MTE interacts with the 5' UTRs of both genomic RNA and subgenomic RNA1 via long-distance kissing stem-loop interaction to facilitate translation. The MTE stimulates a relatively low level of translation and has a weak, if any, pseudoknot, which is present in the most active PTEs, mainly because the MTE lacks the pyrimidine-rich tract that base pairs to a G-rich bulge to form the pseudoknot. However, most mutations designed to form a pseudoknot decreased translation activity. Mutations in the viral genome that reduced or restored translation prevented and restored virus replication, respectively, in maize protoplasts and in plants. In summary, the MTE differs from the canonical PTE but falls into a structurally related class of 3' CITEs.IMPORTANCE In the past decade, maize lethal necrosis disease has caused massive crop losses in East Africa. It has also emerged in China and parts of South America. Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) infection is required for this disease. While some tolerant maize lines have been identified, there are no known resistance genes that confer immunity to MCMV. In order to improve resistance strategies against MCMV, we focused on how the MCMV genome is translated, the first step of gene expression by all positive-strand RNA viruses. We identified a structure (cap-independent translation element) in the 3' untranslated region of the viral RNA genome that allows the virus to usurp a host translation initiation factor, eIF4E, in a way that differs from host mRNA interactions with the translational machinery. This difference indicates eIF4E may be a soft target for engineering of-or breeding for-resistance to MCMV.

SELEX and SHAPE reveal that sequence motifs and an extended hairpin in the 5' portion of Turnip crinkle virus satellite RNA C mediate fitness in plants

Noncoding RNAs use their sequence and/or structure to mediate function(s). The 5' portion (166 nt) of the 356-nt noncoding satellite RNA C (satC) of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) was previously modeled to contain a central region with two stem-loops (H6 and H7) and a large connecting hairpin (H2). We now report that in vivo functional selection (SELEX) experiments assessing sequence/structure requirements in H2, H6, and H7 reveal that H6 loop sequence motifs were recovered at nonrandom rates and only some residues are proposed to base-pair with accessible complementary sequences within the 5' central region. In vitro SHAPE of SELEX winners indicates that the central region is heavily base-paired, such that along with the lower stem and H2 region, one extensive hairpin exists composing the entire 5' region. As these SELEX winners are highly fit, these characteristics facilitate satRNA amplification in association with TCV in plants.

Rapid evolution of in vivo-selected sequences and structures replacing 20% of a subviral RNA

The 356 nt noncoding satellite RNA C (satC) of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) is composed of 5' sequences from a second TCV satRNA (satD) and 3' sequences derived from TCV. SHAPE structure mapping revealed that 76 nt in the poorly-characterized satD-derived region form an extended hairpin (H2). Pools of satC in which H2 was replaced with 76, 38, or 19 random nt were co-inoculated with TCV helper virus onto plants and satC fitness assessed using in vivo functional selection (SELEX). The most functional progeny satCs, including one as fit as wild-type, contained a 38-39 nt H2 region that adopted a hairpin structure and exhibited an increased ratio of dimeric to monomeric molecules. Some progeny of satC with H2 deleted featured a duplication of 38 nt, partially rebuilding the deletion. Therefore, H2 can be replaced by a 38-39 nt hairpin, sufficient for overall structural stability of the 5' end of satC.

3'UTRs of carmoviruses

Carmovirus is a genus of small, single-stranded, positive-strand RNA viruses in the Tombusviridae. One member of the carmoviruses, Turnip crinkle virus (TCV), has been used extensively as a model for examining the structure and function of RNA elements in 3'UTR as well as in other regions of the virus. Using a variety of genetic, biochemical and computational methods, a structure for the TCV 3'UTR has emerged where secondary structures and tertiary interactions combine to adopt higher order 3-D structures including an internal, ribosome-binding tRNA-shaped configuration that functions as a 3' cap-independent translation enhancer (3'CITE). The TCV 3'CITE also serves as a scaffold for non-canonical interactions throughout the 3'UTR and extending into the upstream open reading frame, interactions that are significantly disrupted upon binding by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Long-distance interactions that connect elements in the 3'UTR with both the 5' end and the internal ribosome recoding site suggest that 3'UTR of carmoviruses are intimately involved in multiple functions in the virus life cycle. Although carmoviruses share very similar genome organizations, lengths of 5' and 3'UTRs, and structural features at the 3' end, the similarity rapidly breaks down the further removed from the 3' terminus revealing different 3'CITEs and unique virus-specific structural features. This review summarizes 20 years of work dissecting the structure and function of the 3'UTR of TCV and other carmoviruses. The astonishing structural complexity of the 3'UTRs of these simple carmoviruses provides lessons that are likely applicable to many other plant and animal RNA viruses.

The 3' untranslated region of Pea Enation Mosaic Virus contains two T-shaped, ribosome-binding, cap-independent translation enhancers

Many plant viruses without 5' caps or 3' poly(A) tails contain 3' proximal, cap-independent translation enhancers (3'CITEs) that bind to ribosomal subunits or translation factors thought to assist in ribosome recruitment. Most 3'CITEs participate in a long-distance kissing-loop interaction with a 5' proximal hairpin to deliver ribosomal subunits to the 5' end for translation initiation. Pea Enation Mosaic Virus (PEMV) contains two adjacent 3'CITEs in the center of its 703-nucleotide 3' untranslated region (3'UTR), the ribosome-binding, kissing-loop T-shaped structure (kl-TSS) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding Panicum mosaic virus-like translation enhance (PTE). We now report that PEMV contains a third, independent 3'CITE located near the 3' terminus. This 3'CITE is composed of three hairpins and two pseudoknots, similar to the TSS 3'CITE of the carmovirus Turnip crinkle virus (TCV). As with the TCV TSS, the PEMV 3'TSS is predicted to fold into a T-shaped structure that binds to 80S ribosomes and 60S ribosomal subunits. A small hairpin (kl-H) upstream of the 3'TSS contains an apical loop capable of forming a kissing-loop interaction with a 5' proximal hairpin and is critical for the accumulation of full-length PEMV in protoplasts. Although the kl-H and 3'TSS are dispensable for the translation of a reporter construct containing the complete PEMV 3'UTR in vitro, deleting the normally required kl-TSS and PTE 3'CITEs and placing the kl-H and 3'TSS proximal to the reporter termination codon restores translation to near wild-type levels. This suggests that PEMV requires three 3'CITEs for proper translation and that additional translation enhancers may have been missed if reporter constructs were used in 3'CITE identification. Importance: The rapid life cycle of viruses requires efficient translation of viral-encoded proteins. Many plant RNA viruses contain 3' cap-independent translation enhancers (3'CITEs) to effectively compete with ongoing host translation. Since only single 3'CITEs have been identified for the vast majority of individual viruses, it is widely accepted that this is sufficient for a virus's translational needs. Pea Enation Mosaic Virus possesses a ribosome-binding 3'CITE that can connect to the 5' end through an RNA-RNA interaction and an adjacent eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding 3'CITE. We report the identification of a third 3'CITE that binds weakly to ribosomes and requires an upstream hairpin to form a bridge between the 3' and 5' ends. Although both ribosome-binding 3'CITEs are critical for virus accumulation in vivo, only the CITE closest to the termination codon of a reporter open reading frame is active, suggesting that artificial constructs used for 3'CITE identification may underestimate the number of CITEs that participate in translation.

The 3'-terminal 55 nucleotides of bovine coronavirus defective interfering RNA harbor cis-acting elements required for both negative- and positive-strand RNA synthesis

The synthesis of the negative-strand [(−)-strand] complement of the ∼30 kilobase, positive-strand [(+)-strand] coronaviral genome is a necessary early step for genome replication. The identification of cis-acting elements required for (−)-strand RNA synthesis in coronaviruses, however, has been hampered due to insufficiencies in the techniques used to detect the (−)-strand RNA species. Here, we employed a method of head-to-tail ligation and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to detect and quantitate the synthesis of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) defective interfering (DI) RNA (−) strands. Furthermore, using the aforementioned techniques along with Northern blot assay, we specifically defined the cis-acting RNA elements within the 3′-terminal 55 nucleotides (nts) which function in the synthesis of (−)- or (+)-strand BCoV DI RNA. The major findings are as follows: (i) nts from -5 to -39 within the 3′-terminal 55 nts are the cis-acting elements responsible for (−)-strand BCoV DI RNA synthesis, (ii) nts from −3 to −34 within the 3′-terminal 55 nts are cis-acting elements required for (+)-strand BCoV DI RNA synthesis, and (iii) the nucleotide species at the 3′-most position (−1) is important, but not critical, for both (−)- and (+)-strand BCoV DI RNA synthesis. These results demonstrate that the 3′-terminal 55 nts in BCoV DI RNA harbor cis-acting RNA elements required for both (−)- and (+)-strand DI RNA synthesis and extend our knowledge on the mechanisms of coronavirus replication. The method of head-to-tail ligation and qRT-PCR employed in the study may also be applied to identify other cis-acting elements required for (−)-strand RNA synthesis in coronaviruses.

Evolution of a helper virus-derived, ribosome binding translational enhancer in an untranslated satellite RNA of Turnip crinkle virus

SatC is a noncoding subviral RNA associated with Turnip crinkle virus (TCV). A 100-nt stretch in the 3' UTR of TCV contains three hairpins and two pseudoknots that fold into a tRNA-shaped structure (TSS) that binds 80S ribosomes. The 3' half of satC is derived from TCV and contains 6-nt differences in the TSS-analogous region. SatC binds poorly to 80S ribosomes, and molecular modeling that predicted the 3D structure of the TSS did not predict a similar structure for satC. When the satC TSS region was step-wise converted to the original TCV TSS bases, ribosome binding increased to TCV TSS levels without significantly affecting satC replication. However, mutant satC was less fit when accumulating in plants and gave rise to numerous second site changes that weakened one of two satC conformations. These results suggest that minor changes from the original TCV sequence in satC reflect requirements other than elimination of ribosome binding.

HIV-1 evolution: frustrating therapies, but disclosing molecular mechanisms

Replication of HIV-1 under selective pressure frequently results in the evolution of virus variants that replicate more efficiently under the applied conditions. For example, in patients on antiretroviral therapy, such evolution can result in variants that are resistant to the HIV-1 inhibitors, thus frustrating the therapy. On the other hand, virus evolution can help us to understand the molecular mechanisms that underlie HIV-1 replication. For example, evolution of a defective virus mutant can result in variants that overcome the introduced defect by restoration of the original sequence or by the introduction of additional mutations in the viral genome. Analysis of the evolution pathway can reveal the requirements of the element under study and help to understand its function. Analysis of the escape routes may generate new insight in the viral life cycle and result in the identification of unexpected biological mechanisms. We have developed in vitro HIV-1 evolution into a systematic research tool that allows the study of different aspects of the viral replication cycle. We will briefly review this method of forced virus evolution and provide several examples that illustrate the power of this approach.

RNA conformational changes in the life cycles of RNA viruses, viroids, and virus-associated RNAs

The rugged nature of the RNA structural free energy landscape allows cellular RNAs to respond to environmental conditions or fluctuating levels of effector molecules by undergoing dynamic conformational changes that switch on or off activities such as catalysis, transcription or translation. Infectious RNAs must also temporally control incompatible activities and rapidly complete their life cycle before being targeted by cellular defenses. Viral genomic RNAs must switch between translation and replication, and untranslated subviral RNAs must control other activities such as RNA editing or self-cleavage. Unlike well characterized riboswitches in cellular RNAs, the control of infectious RNA activities by altering the configuration of functional RNA domains has only recently been recognized. In this review, we will present some of these molecular rearrangements found in RNA viruses, viroids and virus-associated RNAs, relating how these dynamic regions were discovered, the activities that might be regulated, and what factors or conditions might cause a switch between conformations.

cis preferential replication of Lettuce infectious yellows virus (LIYV) RNA 1: the initial step in the asynchronous replication of the LIYV genomic RNAs

A series of Lettuce infectious yellows virus (LIYV) RNA 1 mutants was created to evaluate their ability to replicate in tobacco protoplasts. Mutants DeltaEcoRI, DeltaE-LINK, and Delta1B, having deletions in open reading frames (ORFs) 1A and 1B, did not replicate when individually inoculated to protoplasts or when co-inoculated with wild-type RNA1 as a helper virus. A fragment of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was inserted into the RNA 1 ORF 2 (P34) in order to provide a unique sequence tag. This mutant, P34-GFP TAG, was capable of independent replication in protoplasts. Mutants derived from P34-GFP TAG having frameshift mutations in the ORF 1A or 1B were unable to replicate in protoplasts alone or in trans when co-inoculated with wild-type RNA1 as a helper virus. Taken together, these data strongly suggest that LIYV RNA 1 replication is cis-preferential.

Virus evolution as a tool to study HIV-1 biology

Mutational analysis of the viral genome is frequently used to study the role of sequence or structural elements in HIV-1 replication. Many laboratories that use this approach have occasionally come across revertant viruses that overcome an introduced defect either by restoration of the original sequence or by the introduction of additional mutations in the viral genome. Similarly, replication of a wild type virus under selective pressure, due to the presence of inhibitors or due to specific culture settings, may result in the appearance of evolved variants that replicate more efficiently under the applied conditions. We have developed in vitro HIV-1 evolution from an anecdotal event to a systematic research tool to study different aspects of the viral replication cycle. In this manuscript, we will briefly review the method of forced virus evolution to study HIV-1 biology and provide several examples that illustrate the power of this method, as it frequently yielded interesting and unexpected information about the mechanism of virus replication.

Structural plasticity and rapid evolution in a viral RNA revealed by in vivo genetic selection

Satellite RNAs usually lack substantial homology with their helper viruses. The 356-nucleotide satC of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) is unusual in that its 3'-half shares high sequence similarity with the TCV 3' end. Computer modeling, structure probing, and/or compensatory mutagenesis identified four hairpins and three pseudoknots in this TCV region that participate in replication and/or translation. Two hairpins and two pseudoknots have been confirmed as important for satC replication. One portion of the related 3' end of satC that remains poorly characterized corresponds to juxtaposed TCV hairpins H4a and H4b and pseudoknot psi(3), which are required for the TCV-specific requirement of translation (V. A. Stupina et al., RNA 14:2379-2393, 2008). Replacement of satC H4a with randomized sequence and scoring for fitness in plants by in vivo genetic selection (SELEX) resulted in winning sequences that contain an H4a-like stem-loop, which can have additional upstream sequence composing a portion of the stem. SELEX of the combined H4a and H4b region in satC generated three distinct groups of winning sequences. One group models into two stem-loops similar to H4a and H4b of TCV. However, the selected sequences in the other two groups model into single hairpins. Evolution of these single-hairpin SELEX winners in plants resulted in satC that can accumulate to wild-type (wt) levels in protoplasts but remain less fit in planta when competed against wt satC. These data indicate that two highly distinct RNA conformations in the H4a and H4b region can mediate satC fitness in protoplasts.

The 3' proximal translational enhancer of Turnip crinkle virus binds to 60S ribosomal subunits

During cap-dependent translation of eukaryotic mRNAs, initiation factors interact with the 5' cap to attract ribosomes. When animal viruses translate in a cap-independent fashion, ribosomes assemble upstream of initiation codons at internal ribosome entry sites (IRES). In contrast, many plant viral genomes do not contain 5' ends with substantial IRES activity but instead have 3' translational enhancers that function by an unknown mechanism. A 393-nucleotide (nt) region that includes the entire 3' UTR of the Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) synergistically enhances translation of a reporter gene when associated with the TCV 5' UTR. The major enhancer activity was mapped to an internal region of approximately 140 nt that partially overlaps with a 100-nt structural domain previously predicted to adopt a form with some resemblance to a tRNA, according to a recent study by J.C. McCormack and colleagues. The T-shaped structure binds to 80S ribosomes and 60S ribosomal subunits, and binding is more efficient in the absence of surrounding sequences and in the presence of a pseudoknot that mimics the tRNA-acceptor stem. Untranslated TCV satellite RNA satC, which contains the TCV 3' end and 6-nt differences in the region corresponding to the T-shaped element, does not detectably bind to 80S ribosomes and is not predicted to form a comparable structure. Binding of the TCV T-shaped element by 80S ribosomes was unaffected by salt-washing, reduced in the presence of AcPhe-tRNA, which binds to the P-site, and enhanced binding of Phe-tRNA to the ribosome A site. Mutations that reduced translation in vivo had similar effects on ribosome binding in vitro. This strong correlation suggests that ribosome entry in the 3' UTR is a key function of the 3' translational enhancer of TCV and that the T-shaped element contains some tRNA-like properties.

Structural domains within the 3' untranslated region of Turnip crinkle virus

The genomes of positive-strand RNA viruses undergo conformational shifts that complicate efforts to equate structures with function. We have initiated a detailed analysis of secondary and tertiary elements within the 3' end of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) that are required for viral accumulation in vivo. MPGAfold, a massively parallel genetic algorithm, suggested the presence of five hairpins (H4a, H4b, and previously identified hairpins H4, H5, and Pr) and one H-type pseudoknot (Psi(3)) within the 3'-terminal 194 nucleotides (nt). In vivo compensatory mutagenesis analyses confirmed the existence of H4a, H4b, Psi(3) and a second pseudoknot (Psi(2)) previously identified in a TCV satellite RNA. In-line structure probing of the 194-nt fragment supported the coexistence of H4, H4a, H4b, Psi(3) and a pseudoknot that connects H5 and the 3' end (Psi(1)). Stepwise replacements of TCV elements with the comparable elements from Cardamine chlorotic fleck virus indicated that the complete 142-nt 3' end, and subsets containing Psi(3), H4a, and H4b or Psi(3), H4a, H4b, H5, and Psi(2), form functional domains for virus accumulation in vivo. A new 3-D molecular modeling protocol (RNA2D3D) predicted that H4a, H4b, H5, Psi(3), and Psi(2) are capable of simultaneous existence and bears some resemblance to a tRNA. The related Japanese iris necrotic ring virus does not have comparable domains. These results provide a framework for determining how interconnected elements participate in processes that require 3' untranslated region sequences such as translation and replication.

Efficient replication, and evolution of Sindbis virus genomes with non-canonical 3'A/U-rich elements (NC3ARE) in neonatal mice

Sindbis virus (SIN) is a mosquito-transmitted animal RNA virus. We previously reported that SIN genomes lacking a canonical 19 nt 3'CSE undergo novel repair processes in BHK cells to generate a library of stable atypical SIN genomes with non-canonical 3'A/U-rich elements (NC3AREs) adjacent to the 3' poly(A) tail [1]. To determine the stability and evolutionary pressures on the SIN genomes with NC3AREs to regain a 3'CSE, five representative SIN isolates and a wild type SIN were tested in newborn mice. The key findings of this study are: (a) all six SIN isolates, including those that have extensive NC3AREs in the 3'NTRs, replicate well and produce high titer viremia in newborn mice; (b) 7-9 successive passages of these isolates in newborn mice produced comparable levels of viremia; (c) while all isolates produced only small-sized plaques during primary infection in animals, both small- and large-sized plaques were generated in all other passages; (d) polymerase stuttering occurs on select 3' oligo(U) motifs to add more U residues within the NC3AREs; (e) the S3-8 isolate with an internal UAUUU motif in the 3'poly(A) tail maintains this element even after 9 passages in animals; (f) despite differences in 3'NTRs and variable tissue distribution, all SIN isolates appear to produce similar tissue pathology in infected animals. Competition experiments with wt SIN and atypical SIN isolates in BHK cells show dominance of wt SIN. As shown for BHK cells in culture, the 3'CSE of the SIN genome is not required for virus replication and genome stability in live animals. Since the NC3AREs of atypical SIN genomes are not specific to SIN replicases, alternate RNA motifs of alphavirus genome must confer specificity in template selection. These studies fulfill the need to confirm the long-term viability of atypical SIN genomes in newborn mice and offer a basis for exploring the use of atypical SIN genomes in biotechnology.

Long-distance RNA-RNA interactions between terminal elements and the same subset of internal elements on the potato virus X genome mediate minus- and plus-strand RNA synthesis

Potexvirus genomes contain conserved terminal elements that are complementary to multiple internal octanucleotide elements. Both local sequences and structures at the 5' terminus and long-distance interactions between this region and internal elements are important for accumulation of potato virus X (PVX) plus-strand RNA in vivo. In this study, the role of the conserved hexanucleotide motif within SL3 of the 3' NTR and internal conserved octanucleotide elements in minus-strand RNA synthesis was analyzed using both a template-dependent, PVX RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) extract and a protoplast replication system. Template analyses in vitro indicated that 3' terminal templates of 850 nucleotides (nt), but not 200 nt, supported efficient, minus-strand RNA synthesis. Mutational analyses of the longer templates indicated that optimal transcription requires the hexanucleotide motif in SL3 within the 3' NTR and the complementary CP octanucleotide element 747 nt upstream. Additional experiments to disrupt interactions between one or more internal conserved elements and the 3' hexanucleotide element showed that long-distance interactions were necessary for minus-strand RNA synthesis both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, multiple internal octanucleotide elements could serve as pairing partners with the hexanucleotide element in vivo. These cis-acting elements and interactions correlate in several ways to those previously observed for plus-strand RNA accumulation in vivo, suggesting that dynamic interactions between elements at both termini and the same subset of internal octanucleotide elements are required for both minus- and plus-strand RNA synthesis and potentially other aspects of PVX replication.

A pseudoknot in a preactive form of a viral RNA is part of a structural switch activating minus-strand synthesis

RNA can adopt different conformations in response to changes in the metabolic status of cells, which can regulate processes such as transcription, translation, and RNA cleavage. We previously proposed that an RNA conformational switch in an untranslated satellite RNA (satC) of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) regulates initiation of minus-strand synthesis (G. Zhang, J. Zhang, A. T. George, T. Baumstark, and A. E. Simon, RNA 12:147-162, 2006). This model was based on the lack of phylogenetically inferred hairpins or a known pseudoknot in the "preactive" structure assumed by satC transcripts in vitro. We now provide evidence that a second pseudoknot (Psi(2)), whose disruption reduces satC accumulation in vivo and enhances transcription by the TCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in vitro, stabilizes the preactive satC structure. Alteration of either Psi(2) partner caused nearly identical structural changes, including single-stranded-specific cleavages in the pseudoknot sequences and strong cleavages in a distal element previously proposed to mediate the conformational switch. These results indicate that the preactive structure identified in vitro has biological relevance in vivo and support a requirement for this alternative structure and a conformational switch in high-level accumulation of satC in vivo.

Structures required for poly(A) tail-independent translation overlap with, but are distinct from, cap-independent translation and RNA replication signals at the 3' end of Tobacco necrosis virus RNA

Tobacco necrosis necrovirus (TNV) RNA lacks both a 5' cap and a poly(A) tail but is translated efficiently, owing in part to a Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV)-like cap-independent translation element (BTE) in its 3' untranslated region (UTR). Here, we identify sequence downstream of the BTE that is necessary for poly(A) tail-independent translation in vivo by using RNA encoding a luciferase reporter gene flanked by viral UTRs. Deletions and point mutations caused loss of translation that was restored by adding a poly(A) tail, and not by adding a 5' cap. The two 3'-proximal stem-loops in the viral genome contribute to poly(A) tail-independent translation, as well as RNA replication. For all necroviruses, we predict a conserved 3' UTR secondary structure that includes the BTE at one end of a long helical axis and the stem-loops required for poly(A) tail-independent translation and RNA replication at the other end. This work shows that a viral genome can harbor distinct cap- and poly(A) tail-mimic sequences in the 3' UTR.

Insights into the selective pressures restricting Pelargonium flower break virus genome variability: Evidence for host adaptation

The molecular diversity of Pelargonium flower break virus (PFBV) was assessed using a collection of isolates from different geographical origins, hosts, and collecting times. The genomic region examined was 1,828 nucleotides (nt) long and comprised the coding sequences for the movement (p7 and p12) and the coat (CP) proteins, as well as flanking segments including the entire 3' untranslated region (3' UTR). Some constraints limiting viral heterogeneity could be inferred from sequence analyses, such as the conservation of the amino acid sequences of p7 and of the shell domain of the CP, the maintenance of a leucine zipper motif in p12, and the preservation of a particular folding in the 3' UTR. A remarkable covariation, involving five specific amino acid sites, was found in the CP of isolates largely propagated in the local lesion host Chenopodium quinoa and in the progeny of a PFBV variant subjected to serial passages in this host. Concomitant with this covariation, up to 30 nucleotide substitutions in a 1,428-nt region of the viral RNA could be attributable to C. quinoa-specific adaptation, representing one of the most outstanding cases of host-driven genome variation for a plant virus. Globally, the results indicate that the selective pressures exerted by the host play a critical role in shaping PFBV populations and that these populations are likely being selected for at both protein and RNA levels.

Evolution of virus-derived sequences for high-level replication of a subviral RNA

Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) and its 356-nt satellite RNA satC share 151 nt of 3'-terminal sequence, which contain 8 positional differences and are predicted to fold into virtually identical structures, including a series of four phylogenetically inferred hairpins. SatC and TCV containing reciprocal exchanges of this region accumulate to only 15% or 1% of wild-type levels, respectively. Step-wise conversion of satC and TCV 3'-terminal sequences into the counterpart's sequence revealed the importance of having the cognate core promoter (Pr), which is composed of a single hairpin that differs in both sequence and stability, and an adjacent short 3'-terminal segment. The negative impact of the more stable TCV Pr on satC could not be attributed to lack of formation of a known tertiary interaction involving the 3'-terminal bases, nor an effect of coat protein, which binds specifically to TCV-like Pr and not the satC Pr. The satC Pr was a substantially better promoter than the TCV Pr when assayed in vitro using purified recombinant TCV RdRp, either in the context of satC or when assayed downstream of non-TCV-related sequence. Poor activity of the TCV Pr in vitro occurred despite solution structure probing indicating that its conformation in the context of satC is similar to the active form of the satC Pr, which is thought to form following a required conformational switch. These results suggest that evolution of satC following its initial formation generated a Pr that can function more efficiently in the absence of additional TCV sequence that may be required for full functionality of the TCV Pr.

A cis-replication element functions in both orientations to enhance replication of Turnip crinkle virus

Turnip crinkle virus (TCV) (family Tombusviridae, genus Carmovirus) is a positive-sense RNA virus containing a 4054-base genome. Previous results indicated that insertion of Hairpin 4 (H4) into a TCV-associated satellite RNA enhanced replication 6-fold in vivo (Nagy, P., Pogany, J., Simon, A. E., 1999. EMBO J. 18:5653-5665). A detailed structural and functional analysis of H4 has now been performed to investigate its role in TCV replication. RNA structural probing of H4 in full-length TCV supported the sequence forming hairpin structures in both orientations in vitro. Deletion and mutational analyses determined that H4 is important for efficient accumulation of TCV in protoplasts, with a 98% reduction of genomic RNA levels when H4 was deleted. In vitro transcription using p88 [the TCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase] demonstrated that H4 in its plus-sense orientation [H4(+)] caused a nearly 2-fold increase in RNA synthesis from a core hairpin promoter located on TCV plus-strands. H4 in its minus-sense orientation [H4(-)] stimulated RNA synthesis by 100-fold from a linear minus-strand promoter. Gel mobility shift assays indicated that p88 binds H4(+) and H4(-) with equal affinity, which was substantially greater than the binding affinity to the core promoters. These results support roles for H4(+) and H4(-) in TCV replication by enhancing syntheses of both strands through attracting the RdRp to the template.

Conformational changes involved in initiation of minus-strand synthesis of a virus-associated RNA

Synthesis of wild-type levels of turnip crinkle virus (TCV)-associated satC complementary strands by purified, recombinant TCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in vitro was previously determined to require 3' end pairing to the large symmetrical internal loop of a phylogenetically conserved hairpin (H5) located upstream from the hairpin core promoter. However, wild-type satC transcripts, which fold into a single detectable conformation in vitro as determined by temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis, do not contain either the phylogenetically inferred H5 structure or the 3' end/H5 interaction. This implies that conformational changes are required to produce the phylogenetically inferred H5 structure for its pairing with the 3' end, which takes place subsequent to the initial conformation assumed by the RNA and prior to transcription initiation. The DR region, located 140 nucleotides upstream from the 3' end and previously determined to be important for transcription in vitro and replication in vivo, is proposed to have a role in the conformational switch, since stabilizing the phylogenetically inferred H5 structure decreases the negative effects of a DR mutation in vivo. In addition, high levels of aberrant transcription correlate with a specific conformational change in the Pr while maintaining the same conformation of the 3' terminus. These results suggest that a series of events that promote conformational changes is needed to expose the 3' terminus to the RdRp for accurate synthesis of wild-type levels of complementary strands in vitro.

Structure and prevalence of replication silencer-3' terminus RNA interactions in Tombusviridae

Tombusviridae is a large positive-strand RNA virus family. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV), the type virus of this family, has a genome ending with AGCCC(-OH), termed the 3'-complementary silencer sequence (3'CSS). The 3'CSS is able to base pair with a complementary internally-located sequence, 5'GGGCU, called the replication silencer element (RSE). In TBSV, previous compensatory mutational analysis of the RSE-3'CSS interaction showed it to be functionally important for viral RNA synthesis both in vitro and in vivo. However, these investigations also revealed that the RSE and 3'CSS are very sensitive to nucleotide changes, even when base pairing potential between the two elements is maintained. Consequently, an alternative investigative approach was used in this study where the wild-type sequences of these elements were preserved and their surrounding contexts were modified. Results from these analyses, using a TBSV DI RNA, revealed important new structural requirements necessary for the RSE and 3'CSS to operate in vivo. Collectively, the data suggest that accessibility of the elements and their proximity to adjoining stem structures are important functional parameters. Based on these findings, a working structural model for the TBSV RSE-3'CSS interaction is proposed that involves coaxial stacking of adjacent helices at either end of the RSE-3'CSS interaction. Components of this structural model are extendable to potential RSE-3'CSS interactions that were identified throughout Tombusviridae by comparative sequence analysis. This survey also revealed a significant level of diversity and modularity with respect to RSEs, 3'CSSs and their structural contexts and, moreover, suggests that RSE-3'CSS interactions are prevalent in Tombusviridae and related viruses.