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Virology
. 2023 Nov 2:589:109920.
doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.109920. Online ahead of print. Identification of subgenomic mRNAs derived from the coronavirus 1a/1b protein gene: Implications for coronavirus transcription
Ching-**** Lin 1 , Feng-Cheng Hsieh 1 , Meilin Wang 2 , Chieh Hsu 1 , Hsuan-Wei Hsu 1 , Chun-Chun Yang 1 , Cheng-Yao Yang 3 , ****-Yi Wu 4
Affiliations
Synthesis of coronavirus subgenomic mRNA (sgmRNA) is guided by the transcription regulatory sequence (TRS). sgmRNA derived from the body TRS (TRS-B) located at the 1a/1b protein gene is designated 1ab/sgmRNA. In the current study, we comprehensively identified the 1ab/sgmRNAs synthesized from TRS-Bs located at the 1a/1b protein genes of different coronavirus genera both in vitro and in vivo by RT‒PCR and sequencing. The results suggested that the degree of sequence homology between the leader TRS (TRS-L) and TRS-B may not be a decisive factor for 1ab/sgmRNA synthesis. This observation led us to revisit the coronavirus transcription mechanism and to propose that the disassociation of coronavirus polymerase from the viral genome may be a prerequisite for sgmRNA synthesis. Once the polymerase can disassociate at TRS-B, the sequence homology between TRS-L and TRS-B is important for sgmRNA synthesis. The study therefore extends our understanding of transcription mechanisms.
Keywords: Coronavirus; Coronavirus genome structure; Coronavirus transcription; Gene expression; Subgenomic mRNA; Transcription regulatory sequence.
. 2023 Nov 2:589:109920.
doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.109920. Online ahead of print. Identification of subgenomic mRNAs derived from the coronavirus 1a/1b protein gene: Implications for coronavirus transcription
Ching-**** Lin 1 , Feng-Cheng Hsieh 1 , Meilin Wang 2 , Chieh Hsu 1 , Hsuan-Wei Hsu 1 , Chun-Chun Yang 1 , Cheng-Yao Yang 3 , ****-Yi Wu 4
Affiliations
- PMID: 37952466
- DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.109920
Synthesis of coronavirus subgenomic mRNA (sgmRNA) is guided by the transcription regulatory sequence (TRS). sgmRNA derived from the body TRS (TRS-B) located at the 1a/1b protein gene is designated 1ab/sgmRNA. In the current study, we comprehensively identified the 1ab/sgmRNAs synthesized from TRS-Bs located at the 1a/1b protein genes of different coronavirus genera both in vitro and in vivo by RT‒PCR and sequencing. The results suggested that the degree of sequence homology between the leader TRS (TRS-L) and TRS-B may not be a decisive factor for 1ab/sgmRNA synthesis. This observation led us to revisit the coronavirus transcription mechanism and to propose that the disassociation of coronavirus polymerase from the viral genome may be a prerequisite for sgmRNA synthesis. Once the polymerase can disassociate at TRS-B, the sequence homology between TRS-L and TRS-B is important for sgmRNA synthesis. The study therefore extends our understanding of transcription mechanisms.
Keywords: Coronavirus; Coronavirus genome structure; Coronavirus transcription; Gene expression; Subgenomic mRNA; Transcription regulatory sequence.