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. 1986 Sep;83(17):6250–6254. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.17.6250

Viroids and virusoids are related to group I introns.

G Dinter-Gottlieb
PMCID: PMC386480  PMID: 3462692

Abstract

Group I introns are found in nuclear rRNA genes, mitochondrial mRNA and rRNA genes, and chloroplast tRNA genes. The hallmarks of this intron class are a 16-nucleotide consensus sequence and three sets of complementary sequences. The viroids (circular pathogenic plant RNAs) and the virusoids (plant satellite RNAs) also contain the consensus sequence and the three sets of complementary bases. Pairing of the complementary bases would generate a viroid structure resembling a group I intron, which might be stabilized in vivo through interactions with proteins. The Tetrahymena self-splicing rRNA intron further has sequences homologous with regions of potato spindle tuber viroid associated with the severity of viroid symptoms.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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