Sequence-specific contacts between the RNA polymerase of vesicular stomatitis virus and the leader RNA gene.

Methylation-protection studies with nucleocapsids from vesicular stomatitis virus indicate that the viral polymerase (L and NS proteins) contacts the genomic RNA template in the middle of the leader gene, 16-30 nucleotides from the 3' terminus. The data suggest that the NS protein binds to the sequence (formula, see text) and may function as an initiator protein for transcription.