Identification of Novel Subgenomic RNAs and Noncanonical Transcription Initiation Signals of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus

• DOI: 10.1128/jvi.79.9.5288-5295.2005
• Publication Date: 2005-04-12T17:13:56Z
• Authors: Snawar Hussain; Ji'an Pan; Yu Chen; Yalin Yang; Jing Xu; Yu Peng; Ying Wu; Zhaoyang Li; Ying Zhu; Po Tien; Deyin Guo
• Keywords: Subgenomic mRNA; Transcription; Coronavirus

ABSTRACT The expression of the genomic information severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV) involves synthesis a nested set subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) by discontinuous transcription. In SARS CoV-infected cells, 10 sgRNAs, including 2 novel ones, were identified, which predicted to be functional in 12 open reading frames located 3′ one-third genome. Surprisingly, one new sgRNA could lead production truncated spike protein. Sequence analysis leader-body fusion sites each showed that junction sequences and corresponding transcription-regulatory sequence (TRS) are unique for species consistent after virus passages. For two used variant TRS has nucleotide mismatch conserved hexanucleotide core (ACGAAC) TRS. Coexistence both plus minus strands CoV sgRNAs evidence derivation from body favor model transcription during minus-strand synthesis. Moreover, rare AAA, indicating its result noncanonical signal. Taken together, these results provide more insight into molecular mechanisms genome CoV.