Open AccessEukaryotic Elongation Factor 1A Interacts with the Upstream Pseudoknot Domain in the 3′ Untranslated Region of Tobacco Mosaic Virus RNA
Author(s) -
Vladimir V. Zeenko,
Lyubov A. Ryabova,
Alexander S. Spirin,
Helen M. Rothnie,
Daniel Heß,
Karen S. Browning,
Thomas Höhn
Publication year - 2002
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.76.11.5678-5691.2002
Subject(s) - biology , pseudoknot , brome mosaic virus , tobacco mosaic virus , rna , tobamovirus , untranslated region , polyadenylation , three prime untranslated region , five prime untranslated region , genetics , rna dependent rna polymerase , gene , virus
The genomic RNA of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), like that of other positive-strand RNA viruses, acts as a template for both translation and replication. The highly structured 3' untranslated region (UTR) of TMV RNAs plays an important role in both processes; it is not polyadenylated but ends with a tRNA-like structure (TLS) preceded by a conserved upstream pseudoknot domain (UPD). The TLS of tobamoviral RNAs can be specifically aminoacylated and, in this state, can interact with eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A)/GTP with high affinity. Using a UV cross-linking assay, we detected another specific binding site for eEF1A/GTP, within the UPDs of TMV and crucifer-infecting tobamovirus (crTMV), that does not require aminoacylation. A mutational analysis revealed that UPD pseudoknot conformation and some conserved primary sequence elements are required for this interaction. Its possible role in the regulation of tobamovirus gene expression and replication is discussed.