POSTERS: Molecular plant-microbe interactions
The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase coding region of turnip crinkle virus contains critical secondary structures required for efficient replication
Rong Sun - The Ohio State University. Qin Guo- The Ohio State University, Shaoyan Zhang- The Ohio State University, Feng Qu- The Ohio State University, Xiaofeng Zhang- Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Xiaofeng Zhang- The Ohio State University
Virus replication is an essential step for viral infection and symptom development in crops. Both virus-encoded proteins, such as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), and RNA secondary structures formed through intra-molecular interactions of viral genomic RNA play crucial roles in RNA virus replication. However, it has been difficult to study some RNA structures because they are part of sequences that encode replication proteins. To study the predicted RNA secondary structures located within the RdRP coding sequence of Turnip crinkle virus (TCV), we developed a system that supplies TCV RdRP in trans, so that the impact of the RdRP coding capacity and the secondary structures become decoupled. The coding sequence of TCV RdRP was then subjected to systematic mutagenesis to identify and characterize cis-acting RNA elements therein. Using this system, a secondary structure designated Fa was found to be essential to the replication of TCV viral genome. Additionally, a tertiary pseudoknot structure within Fa was also found to be indispensable to the replication of TCV genome. More detailed findings will be reported at the meeting.