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Mutational analysis of the apical region of domain II of the HCV IRES
Author(s) -
Kalliampakou Katerina I,
Psaridi-Linardaki Loukia,
Mavromara Penelope
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(01)03300-2
Subject(s) - internal ribosome entry site , eukaryotic small ribosomal subunit , translation (biology) , ribosome , biology , eukaryotic ribosome , eukaryotic translation , protein subunit , point mutation , ribosomal rna , nucleotide , microbiology and biotechnology , mutant , rna , genetics , gene , messenger rna
The hepatitis C virus internal ribosome entry site (IRES) binds directly to the 40S ribosomal subunit via domains III/IV while domain II induces conformational changes on the ribosome which have been implicated in the decoding process. Here, we performed an extensive mutational study within the apical portion of domain II in order to address the functional role of this region on translation. Our results showed that the conservation of most nucleotides in this region was only partially related to the IRES function. Notwithstanding, however, selected single point mutations within the apical loop had a deleterious effect on IRES activity.