J. Wang et al., Minimal sequence and structural requirements of a subgenomic RNA promoter for turnip crinkle virus, VIROLOGY, 253(2), 1999, pp. 327-336
Infection of plants or protoplasts with turnip crinkle Virus (TCV) results
in the synthesis of the genomic RNA and two subgenomic (sg) RNAs of 1.7 kb
and 1.45 kb, respectively. Both of the sgRNA promoters were characterized p
reviously and their secondary structures predicted by computer analysis [J.
Wang and A. E. Simon (1997). Virology 232, 174-186]. Secondary structure-s
ensitive chemical and enzymatic probes have now been used to determine the
structure of the promoter directing synthesis of the 1.45-kb sgRNA, namely
the 1.45-kb sgRNA promoter, in solution. The newly obtained structure confo
rms with the previously predicted hairpin structure except for the hairpin
base: four CG base pairs and a CA bulge are present instead of an A bulge.
Studies of deletions within the 96-nucleotide (nt) 1.45-kb sgRNA promoter d
efined a minimal 30-nt core sequence as essential for promoter activity: a
21-nt hairpin and a 9-nt flanking single-stranded sequence. Mutational anal
ysis in the stem section of the core promoter supported a role for the prim
ary sequence and secondary structure in promoter activity. Sequence alterat
ions in the flanking single-stranded region further suggest that the sequen
ce CCCAUUA, encompassing the transcription start site, is required for effi
cient transcription of the 1.45-kb sgRNA by the TCV RNA-dependent RNA polym
erase in vivo. (C) 1999 Academic Press.