The length and structure of the RSV RNA leader sequence are near optimal for translation of major viral coding regions, with efficient reinitiation at the gag gene.
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Leader sequence near-optimal for RSV gag translation; leaves open extension to human retroviruses or therapeutic vectors.
The 372-nucleotide leader sequence of Rous sarcoma virus RNA contains three conserved short open reading frames and other sequences responsible for a variety of life cycle functions. We have investigated several aspects of the leader RNA which may influence the translation of the major coding regions to which the leader is juxtaposed. We found that small perturbations of the leader length do not affect the binding and scanning of ribosomal subunits by more than about 10%, that the length and/or structure of the RSV RNA leader is near optimal for translation of the major coding regions of the viral RNA, that inclusion or deletion of open reading frames influences downstream initiation in a manner that is not strictly additive, and that reinitiation of translation at the gag gene is very efficient.
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Hensel et al. (1989) studied this question.
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