Stimulation of Hepatitis C Virus RNA translation by microRNA-122 occurs under different conditions in vivo and in vitro

► In reticulocyte lysate miR-122 displaces inhibitory a long-range RNA-RNA interaction in the HCV RNA. ► The conditions for the stimulation of HCV translation in cells largely differ from those in the reticulocyte lysate. ► In cells the inhibitory a long-range interaction plays not a major role. ► In cells only duplex miRNA precursor is used, and precursor length is measured.