Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1946869 | Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms | 2009 | 16 Pages |
Abstract
Some 20Â years ago, the study of picornaviral RNA translation led to the characterization of an alternative mechanism of initiation by direct ribosome binding to the 5â² UTR. By using a bicistronic vector, it was shown that the 5â² UTR of the poliovirus (PV) or the Encephalomyelitis virus (EMCV) had the ability to bind the 43S preinitiation complex in a 5â² and cap-independent manner. This is rendered possible by an RNA domain called IRES for Internal Ribosome Entry Site which enables efficient translation of an mRNA lacking a 5â² cap structure. IRES elements have now been found in many different viral families where they often confer a selective advantage to allow ribosome recruitment under conditions where cap-dependent protein synthesis is severely repressed. In this review, we compare and contrast the structure and function of IRESes that are found within 4 distinct family of RNA positive stranded viruses which are the (i) Picornaviruses; (ii) Flaviviruses; (iii) Dicistroviruses; and (iv) Lentiviruses.
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Authors
Laurent Balvay, Ricardo Soto Rifo, Emiliano P. Ricci, Didier Decimo, Théophile Ohlmann,