Open AccessThe Nucleotides on the Stem-Loop RNA Structure in the Junction Region of the Hepatitis E Virus Genome Are Critical for Virus Replication
Author(s) -
Dianjun Cao,
YaoWei Huang,
XiangJin Meng
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.617
H-Index - 292
eISSN - 1070-6321
pISSN - 0022-538X
DOI - 10.1128/jvi.01475-10
Subject(s) - biology , replicon , viral replication , stem loop , virology , genetics , hepatitis e virus , gene , genome , virus , rna , genotype
The roles of conserved nucleotides on the stem-loop (SL) structure in the intergenic region of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) genome in virus replication were determined by using Huh7 cells transfected with HEV SL mutant replicons containing reporter genes. One or two nucleotide mutations of the AGA motif on the loop significantly reduced HEV replication, and three or more nucleotide mutations on the loop abolished HEV replication. Mutations on the stem and of the subgenome start sequence also significantly inhibited HEV replication. The results indicated that both the sequence and the SL structure in the junction region play important roles in HEV replication.