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. 1997 Jul;71(7):5684–5687. doi: 10.1128/jvi.71.7.5684-5687.1997

A subgenomic mRNA transcript of the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 defective interfering (DI) RNA is packaged when it contains the DI packaging signal.

E C Bos 1, J C Dobbe 1, W Luytjes 1, W J Spaan 1
PMCID: PMC191817  PMID: 9188649

Abstract

In infected cells, only the genomic RNA of the coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 (MHV-A59) is packaged into the virions. In this study, we show that a subgenomic (sg) defective interfering (DI) RNA can be packaged into virions when it contains the DI RNA packaging signal (DI RNA-Ps). However, the sg DI RNA is packaged less efficiently than the DI genomic RNA. Thus, while specificity of packaging of RNAs into MHV-A59 virions is determined by the DI RNA-Ps, efficiency of packaging is determined by additional factors.

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Selected References

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