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. 1997 Oct;71(10):8061–8065. doi: 10.1128/jvi.71.10.8061-8065.1997

A role for two hairpin structures as a core RNA encapsidation signal in murine leukemia virus virions.

M Mougel 1, E Barklis 1
PMCID: PMC192172  PMID: 9311905

Abstract

Four putative hairpin structures (hairpins A to D) are involved in the specific encapsidation of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) RNA into M-MuLV virus particles. The C and D elements, encompassing M-MuLV viral nucleotides 310 to 374, facilitate encapsidation of heterologous RNA into virions. Thus, these two elements appear to act as a core RNA encapsidation signal. The loop sequences of the putative C and D hairpins are identical (GACG). However, when GACG loops were introduced into RNAs on heterologous stem sequences, they increased encapsidation levels only three- to fourfold. These results suggest that C and D stem-and-loop sequences contribute to the M-MuLV cis-acting site for encapsidation.

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Selected References

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