Rift Valley fever virus minigenome system for investigating the role of L protein residues in viral transcription and replication.
J Gen Virol
; 100(7): 1093-1098, 2019 07.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31169489
ABSTRACT
Replicon systems are important tools for investigating viral RNA synthesis. We have developed an ambisense minigenome system for Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) with the aim to analyse the effects of L gene mutations on viral transcription versus replication. The overall activity of the replication complex was assessed by expression of a luciferase reporter gene. Northern blot analysis enabled differentiation between synthesis of viral mRNA and replication intermediates. The functionality of the system was demonstrated by probing residues predictably involved in the cap-snatching endonuclease active site in the L protein. Corresponding mutations led to a selective defect in the viral mRNA synthesis as described for other bunyaviruses. The analysis of further L gene mutants revealed an essential role of a C-terminal region in the RVFV L protein in viral transcription. In summary, the established minigenome system is suitable for functional testing of the relevance of residues for viral transcription and replication.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Rift Valley Fever
/
Rift Valley fever virus
/
Viral Proteins
/
Virus Replication
/
Genome, Viral
Language:
En
Journal:
J Gen Virol
Year:
2019
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Germany