Flavors of Flaviviral RNA Structure: towards an Integrated View of RNA Function from Translation through Encapsidation. (18th June 2019) - Hodge, Kenneth
Abstract : For many viruses, RNA is the holder of genetic information and serves as the template for both replication and translation. While host and viral proteins play important roles in viral decision‐making, the extent to which viral RNA (vRNA) actively participates in translation and replication might be surprising. Here, the focus is on flaviviruses, which include common human scourges such as dengue, West Nile, and Zika viruses, from an RNA‐centric viewpoint. In reviewing more recent findings, an attempt is made to fill knowledge gaps and revisit some canonical views of vRNA structures involved in replication. In particular, alternative views are offered on the nature of the flaviviral promoter and genome cyclization, and the feasibility of refining in vitro‐derived models with modern RNA probing and sequencing methods is pointed out. By tracing vRNA structures from translation through encapsidation, a dynamic molecule closely involved in the self‐regulation of viral replication is revealed. Abstract : Flaviviral RNA is replete with unique secondary and tertiary structures that participate in the dynamic regulation of viral replication through cyclization, polymerase binding, switching between translation and replication, and host interaction and adaptation. Here, an attempt is made to summarize and also re‐examine the current understanding of how viral RNA (vRNA) functions at the molecular level.