Key result
Translation efficiency was significantly higher when the sequence surrounding the 11th AUG of the EMCV IRES was conserved (IRESg) compared to when the downstream gene started with the 11th AUG.
Conserving the natural sequence surrounding the 11th AUG of the EMCV IRES significantly improves translation efficiency in retroviral vectors.
May enhance retroviral vector design for gene therapy; leaves open clinical translation in cardiovascular applications.
Internal ribosomal entry sites (IRES) allow cap-independent translation and are sequences that are often used in gene therapy for strategies in which several genes need to be expressed. In this study, two different sequences of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) IRES were compared for their translation efficiency in the context of retroviral vectors. When the sequence surrounding the 11th AUG of the IRES was conserved (IRESg), the translation efficiency was significantly higher than if the AUG of the downstream gene started with the 11th AUG of the IRES (IRESb). The translation efficiency with IRESg was influenced by the cell type and also by the nature of the transgene.
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Qiao et al. (2002) studied this question. IRESg (conserved sequence surrounding the 11th AUG) vs. IRESb (AUG of downstream gene starting with the 11th AUG) was evaluated on Translation efficiency. Translation efficiency was significantly higher when the sequence surrounding the 11th AUG of the EMCV IRES was conserved (IRESg) compared to when the downstream gene started with the 11th AUG.
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