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S G Siddell

Publications and source records attributed to S G Siddell.

66 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Transcription strategy of coronaviruses: fusion of non-contiguous sequences during mRNA synthesis.

MHV replicates in the cell cytoplasm and viral genetic information is expressed in infected cells as one genomic sized RNA ( mRNA1 ) and six subgenomic mRNAs. The seven RNAs were assumed to have common 3' ends of the size of RNA7 , the smallest RNA. The data reported here, show that this model is too simple and that the mRNAs are composed of a leader and body sequence. Electron microscopic analysis of hybrids formed between single stranded cDNA copied from mRNA7 and genomic RNA or mRNA6 shows that genomic RNA, mRNA6 and mRNA7 have common 5' terminal sequences. Furthermore, nucleotide sequence analysis shows that the nucleotide sequence of the 5' end of mRNA7 diverges from the corresponding region of the genome just upstream from the initiation codon of the nucleocapsid gene. Because the synthesis of each mRNA is inactivated by UV irradiation in proportion to its own length, the subgenomic mRNAs are apparently not produced by the processing of larger RNAs. The available data have to be explained by translocation of the polymerase/leader complex to specific internal positions on the negative strand. In this way the leader and body sequences are joined together by a mechanism completely different from conventional RNA splicing but nevertheless giving the same end result.

Animals↗

Coronavirus JHM: nucleotide sequence of the mRNA that encodes nucleocapsid protein.

A DNA copy of the mRNA that encodes the nucleocapsid protein of Mouse Hepatitis Virus JHM has been cloned into pAT153. The DNA copy specifically inhibited the synthesis in vitro of the nucleocapsid protein. The cDNA was subcloned into M13 vectors and the entire sequence, 1767 bases including a 15 base terminal poly (A) tract, has been determined by chain-terminator sequencing. The sequence contained an open-reading frame that could encode a basic protein of mol.wt. 49700. From the predicted sequence it was apparent that the nucleocapsid protein has 5 basic regions, two of which are located near the middle of the sequence, a serine-rich region was also located, a feature which may be of functional importance as the nucleocapsid protein is phosphorylated at serine residues. The carboxy terminus of the nucleocapsid protein was found to be acidic. The 5' non-coding sequence contained a triple repeat of the pentamer AATCT, a structural feature which may play a significant role during the production of subgenomic viral mRNAs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Coronaviridae.

The family Coronaviridae comprises a monogeneric group of 11 viruses which infect vertebrates. The main characteristics of the member viruses are: (i) Morphological: Enveloped pleomorphic particles typically 100 nm in diameter (range 60-220 nm), bearing about 20 nm long club-shaped surface projections. (ii) Structural: A single-stranded infectious molecule of genomic RNA of about (5-7) X 10(6) molecular weight. A phosphorylated nucleocapsid protein [mol. wt. (50-60) X 10(3)] complexed with the genome as a helical ribonucleoprotein; a surface (peplomer) protein, associated with one or two glycosylated polypeptides [mol. wt. (90-180) X 10(3)]; a transmembrane (matrix) protein, associated with one polypeptide which may be glycosylated to different degrees [mol. wt. (20-35) X 10(3)]. (iii) Replicative: Production in infected cells of multiple 3' coterminal subgenomic mRNAs extending for different lengths in the 5' direction. Virions bud intracytoplasmically. (iv) Antigenic: 3 major antigens, each corresponding to one class of virion protein. (v) Biological: Predominantly restricted to infection of natural vertebrate hosts by horizontal transmission via the fecal/oral route. Responsible main for respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders.

Antigens, Viral↗

Coronavirus mRNA synthesis involves fusion of non-contiguous sequences.

Positive-stranded genomic RNA of coronavirus MHV and its six subgenomic mRNAs are synthesized in the cytoplasm of the host cell. The mRNAs are composed of leader and body sequences which are non-contiguous on the genome and are fused together in the cytoplasm by a mechanism which appears to involve an unusual and specific 'polymerase jumping' event.

Base Sequence↗

Coronavirus JHM: tryptic peptide fingerprinting of virion proteins and intracellular polypeptides.

The virion proteins and intracellular polypeptides of the murine coronavirus MHV-JHM have been analysed by two-dimensional fingerprinting of their [35S]methionine-containing tryptic peptides. The analysis shows that the virion proteins gp98, gp65, pp60 and p23 are distinct. Virion protein gp25 has the same polypeptide component as p23, and virion protein gp170 has a polypeptide component related to gp98. The six virus polypeptides synthesized in infected cells, 150K, 65K, 60K, 30K, 23K and 14K are also distinct. The 170K and 98K species, which are produced by processing, are related to 150K. The 25K species is a processed form of 23K. The identity of corresponding species in the cell and in the virion has been shown and a model describing the genesis of coronavirus JHM proteins can now be proposed.

Coronaviridae↗

Coronavirus JHM: a virion-associated protein kinase.

Coronavirus JHM contains six major proteins, one of which, the 60 000 mol. wt. nucleocapsid protein pp60, is phosphorylated. In JHM-infected cells ip 60K, the intracellular precursor to pp60 is also phosphorylated. Associated with purified JHM virions is a protein kinase which will phosphorylate pp60 and a variety of exogenous substances in vitro. The enzyme has the characteristics of a cyclic nucleotide-independent protein kinase. Both the in vivo reaction and the enzyme activity in vitro transferred the gamma-phosphate of ATP to serine residues on the nucleocapsid protein.

Capsid↗

Persistent and lytic infections with SSPE virus: a comparison of the synthesis of virus-specific polypeptides.

The synthesis of virus-specific polypeptides and messenger RNA in cell cultures persistently infected with an isolate of measles virus from a patient with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) has been compared to that found in a lytic infection with the homologous virus. The persistent infection described here was chosen as its biological characteristics reflect those of virus-infected brain cells from SSPE patients. The synthesis of H, N and possibly F protein was seen in both lytic and persistent infections, but the synthesis of M protein was only detected in the lytic infection. However, messenger RNA isolated from either the lytic or persistent infection directed the synthesis in a cell-free translation system of all structural polypeptides, including M, and also three non-structural polypeptides, with mol. wt. of 34 000, 30 000 and 18 000. Messenger RNAs coding for the virus-specific polypeptides were also shown to be polyadenylated. In addition, those polypeptides made in vitro which were antigenically related to the haemagglutinin, demonstrated structural changes after passage through a persistent infection.

Animals↗

Coronavirus JHM: cell-free synthesis of structural protein p60.

Sac(-) cells infected with murine coronavirus strain JHM shut off host cell protein synthesis and synthesized polypeptides with molecular weights of 150,000, 60,000, and 23,000. The 60,000- and 23,000-molecular-weight polypeptides comigrated with virion structural proteins p60 and p23, and the 60,000-molecular-weight protein was identified as p60 by tryptic peptide fingerprinting. Polyadenylate-containing RNA [poly(A) RNA] extracted from the cytoplasm of infected cells directed the synthesis of both 60,000- and 23,000-molecular-weight polypeptides in messenger-dependent cell-free systems derived from mouse L-cells and rabbit reticulocytes. The reticulocyte system also synthesized a 120,000-molecular-weight polypeptide that was specifically immunoprecipitated by antiserum raised against JHM virions. The identity of the 60,000- and 23,000-molecular-weight in vitro products was established by comigration with virion proteins, immunoprecipitation, and in the case of p60, tryptic peptide fingerprinting. The cytoplasmic poly(A) RNAs which encoded p60 and p23 sedimented in sucroseformamide gradients at 17S and 19S, respectively, and were clearly separable. These RNAs were among the major poly(A) RNA species synthesized in the cytoplasm of actinomycin D-treated cells late in infection, and the in vitro translation of size-fractionated RNA released from polysomes confirmed that they represent physiological mRNA's. These results suggest that the expression of the coronavirus JHM genome involves more than one subgenomic mRNA.

Animals↗

Polyoma virus has three late mRNA's: one for each virion protein.

Polyoma virus mRNA, isolated from the cytoplasm of 3T6 cells late after infection and purified by hybridization to HpaII fragment 3 of polyoma virus DNA, was separated on 50% formamide-containing sucrose density gradients, and the fractionated RNA was recovered and translated in vitro. Analysis of the cell-free products showed that the minor virion protein VP3 was synthesized from an mRNA sedimenting at approximately 18S betweeen the 19S VP2 mRN and the 16S VP1 mRNA. Other experiments showed that the VP2 and VP3 can be labeled with formyl methionine from initiator tRNA. We conclude that there are three late polyoma virus mRNA's, each directing the synthesis of only one viral capsid protein.

Capsid↗

Protein synthesis in chloroplasts. Characteristics and products of protein synthesis in vitro in etioplasts and developing chloroplasts from pea leaves.

The function of plastid ribosomes in pea (Pisum sativum L.) was investigated by characterizing the products of protein synthesis in vitro in plastids isolated at different stages during the transition from etioplast to chloroplast. Etioplasts and plastids isolated after 24, 48 and 96h of greening in continuous white light, use added ATP to incorporate labelled amino acids into protein. Plastids isolated from greening leaves can also use light as the source of energy for protein synthesis. The labelled polypeptides synthesized in isolated plastids were analysed by electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulphate-ureapolyacrylamide gels. Six polypeptides are synthesized in etioplasts with ATP as energy source. Only one of these polypeptides is present in a 150 000g supernatant fraction. This polypeptide has been identified as the large subunit of Fraction I protein (3-phospho-D-glycerate carboxylyase EC 4.1.1.39) by comparing the tryptic 'map' of its L-(35S)methionine-labelled peptides with the tryptic 'map' of large subunit peptides from Fraction I labelled with L-(35S)methionine in vivo. The same gel pattern of six polypeptides is seen when plastids isolated from greening leaves are incubated with either added ATP or light as the energy source. However, the rates of synthesis of particular polypeptides are different in plastids isolated at different stages of the etioplast to chloroplast transition. The results support the idea that plastid ribosomes synthesize only a small number of proteins, and that the number and molecular weight of these proteins does not alter during the formation of chloroplasts from etioplasts.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗