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cis-Acting Sequences and Secondary Structures in Untranslated Regions of Duck Tembusu Virus RNA Are Important for Cap-Independent Translation and Viral Proliferation.

ABSTRACT: Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) (genus Flavivirus) is a causative agent of duck egg drop syndrome and has zoonotic potential. The positive-strand RNA genomes of flaviviruses are commonly translated in a cap-dependent manner. However, dengue and Zika viruses also exhibit cap-independent translation. In this study, we show that RNAs containing 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of DTMUV, mosquito-borne Tembusu virus (TMUV), and Japanese encephalitis virus can be translated in a cap-independent manner in mammalian, avian, and mosquito cells. The ability of the 5' UTRs of flaviviruses to direct the translation of a second open reading frame in bicistronic RNAs was much less than that observed for internal ribosome entry site (IRES) encephalomyocarditis virus, indicating a lack of substantial IRES activity. Instead, cap-independent translation of DTMUV RNA was dependent on the presence of a 3' UTR, RNA secondary structures located in both UTRs, and specific RNA sequences. Mutations inhibiting cap-independent translation decreased DTMUV proliferation in vitro and delayed, but did not prevent, the death of infected duck embryos. Thus, the 5' and 3' UTRs of DTMUV enable the virus to use a cap- and IRES-independent RNA genome translation strategy that is important for its propagation and virulence.IMPORTANCE The genus Flavivirus includes major human pathogens, as well as animal-infecting viruses with zoonotic potential. In order to counteract the threats these viruses represent, it is important to understand their basic biology to develop universal attenuation strategies. Here, we demonstrate that five different flaviviruses use cap-independent translation, indicating that the phenomenon is probably common to all members of the genus. The mechanism used for flavivirus cap-independent translation was found to be different from that of IRES-mediated translation and dependent on both 5' and 3' UTRs that act in cis As cap-independent translation was also observed in mosquito cells, its role in flavivirus infection is unlikely to be limited to the evasion of consequences of the shutoff of host translation. We found that the inhibition of cap-independent translation results in decreased viral proliferation, indicating that the strategy could be applied to produce attenuated variants of flaviviruses as potential vaccine candidates.

SUBMITTER: Wang T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7394898 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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<i>cis</i>-Acting Sequences and Secondary Structures in Untranslated Regions of Duck Tembusu Virus RNA Are Important for Cap-Independent Translation and Viral Proliferation.

Wang Tao T Merits Andres A Wu Yuanyuan Y Wang Mingshu M Jia Renyong R Zhu Dekang D Liu Mafeng M Zhao Xinxin X Yang Qiao Q Wu Ying Y Zhang Shaqiu S Liu Yunya Y Zhang Ling L Yu Yanling Y Pan Leichang L Chen Shun S Cheng Anchun A

Journal of virology 20200730 16

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) (genus <i>Flavivirus</i>) is a causative agent of duck egg drop syndrome and has zoonotic potential. The positive-strand RNA genomes of flaviviruses are commonly translated in a cap-dependent manner. However, dengue and Zika viruses also exhibit cap-independent translation. In this study, we show that RNAs containing 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of DTMUV, mosquito-borne Tembusu virus (TMUV), and Japanese encephalitis virus can be translated in a cap-independen ...[more]

PMID: 32522848

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Project description:The basal transcription apparatus of archaea is well characterized. However, much less is known about the mechanisms of transcription termination and translation initation. Recently, experimental determination of the 5'-ends of ten transcripts from Pyrobaculum aerophilum revealed that these are devoid of a 5'-UTR. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that many transcripts of other archaeal species might also be leaderless. The 5'-ends and 3'-ends of 40 transcripts of two haloarchaeal species, Halobacterium salinarum and Haloferax volcanii, have been determined. They were used to characterize the lengths of 5'-UTRs and 3'-UTRs and to deduce consensus sequence-elements for transcription and translation. The experimental approach was complemented with a bioinformatics analysis of the H. salinarum genome sequence. Furthermore, the influence of selected 5'-UTRs and 3'-UTRs on transcript stability and translational efficiency in vivo was characterized using a newly established reporter gene system, gene fusions, and real-time PCR. Consensus sequences for basal promoter elements could be refined and a novel element was discovered. A consensus motif probably important for transcriptional termination was established. All 40 haloarchaeal transcripts analyzed had a 3'-UTR (average size 57 nt), and their 3'-ends were not posttranscriptionally modified. Experimental data and genome analyses revealed that the majority of haloarchaeal transcripts are leaderless, indicating that this is the predominant mode for translation initiation in haloarchaea. Surprisingly, the 5'-UTRs of most leadered transcripts did not contain a Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence. A genome analysis indicated that less than 10% of all genes are preceded by a SD sequence and even most proximal genes in operons lack a SD sequence. Seven different leadered transcripts devoid of a SD sequence were efficiently translated in vivo, including artificial 5'-UTRs of random sequences. Thus, an interaction of the 5'-UTRs of these leadered transcripts with the 16S rRNA could be excluded. Taken together, either a scanning mechanism similar to the mechanism of translation initiation operating in eukaryotes or a novel mechanism must operate on most leadered haloarchaeal transcripts.

Dataset Information

cis-Acting Sequences and Secondary Structures in Untranslated Regions of Duck Tembusu Virus RNA Are Important for Cap-Independent Translation and Viral Proliferation.

Publications

<i>cis</i>-Acting Sequences and Secondary Structures in Untranslated Regions of Duck Tembusu Virus RNA Are Important for Cap-Independent Translation and Viral Proliferation.

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