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PMID: 11320254 Published · ppublish English Journal Article

RNA is a structural element in retrovirus particles.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 98 ·No. 9 ·2001-04-24 ·Pages 5246-51

Muriaux D, Mirro J, Harvin D, Rein A

Abstract

A single retroviral protein, Gag, is sufficient for virus particle assembly. While Gag is capable of specifically packaging the genomic RNA into the particle, this RNA species is unnecessary for particle assembly in vivo. In vitro, nucleic acids profoundly enhance the efficiency of assembly by recombinant Gag proteins, apparently by acting as "scaffolding" in the particle. To address the participation of RNA in retrovirus assembly in vivo, we analyzed murine leukemia virus particles that lack genomic RNA because of a deletion in the packaging signal of the viral RNA. We found that these particles contain cellular mRNA in place of genomic RNA. This result was particularly evident when Gag was expressed by using a Semliki Forest virus-derived vector: under these conditions, the Semliki Forest virus vector-directed mRNA became very abundant in the cells and was readily identified in the retroviral virus-like particles. Furthermore, we found that the retroviral cores were disrupted by treatment with RNase. Taken together, the data strongly suggest that RNA is a structural element in retrovirus particles.

MeSH Terms
Animals Cell Line Cricetinae Gene Products, gag/genetics,metabolism Genetic Vectors/genetics Genome, Viral Humans Leukemia Virus, Murine/chemistry,genetics,metabolism RNA, Messenger/analysis,genetics,metabolism RNA, Viral/analysis,genetics,metabolism Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Ribonuclease, Pancreatic/metabolism Semliki forest virus/genetics Sequence Deletion/genetics Virion/chemistry,genetics,metabolism Virus Assembly
Chemicals
Gene Products, gag RNA, Messenger RNA, Viral Ribonuclease, Pancreatic
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Muriaux D
HIV Drug Resistance Program, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA.
Mirro J
Harvin D
Rein A
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.091000398
Published
2001-04-24
Pages
5246-51
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC33195
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.091000398 PMC Full Text View journal details
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