This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Becher, P.
Right arrow Articles by Thiel, H.-J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Becher, P.
Right arrow Articles by Thiel, H.-J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Virology, November 1998, p. 8697-8704, Vol. 72, No. 11
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Ribosomal S27a Coding Sequences Upstream of Ubiquitin Coding Sequences in the Genome of a Pestivirus

Paul Becher, Michaela Orlich, and Heinz-Jürgen Thiel*

Institut für Virologie (FB Veterinärmedizin), Justus-Liebig-Universität, D-35392 Giessen, Germany

Received 22 May 1998/Accepted 24 July 1998

Molecular characterization of cytopathogenic (cp) bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) strain CP Rit, a temperature-sensitive strain widely used for vaccination, revealed that the viral genomic RNA is about 15.2 kb long, which is about 2.9 kb longer than the one of noncytopathogenic (noncp) BVDV strains. Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequencing of parts of the genome resulted in the identification of a duplication of the genomic region encoding nonstructural proteins NS3, NS4A, and part of NS4B. In addition, a nonviral sequence was found directly upstream of the second copy of the NS3 gene. The 3' part of this inserted sequence encodes an N-terminally truncated ubiquitin monomer. This is remarkable since all described cp BVDV strains with ubiquitin coding sequences contain at least one complete ubiquitin monomer. The 5' region of the nonviral sequence did not show any homology to cellular sequences identified thus far in cp BVDV strains. Databank searches revealed that this second cellular insertion encodes part of ribosomal protein S27a. Further analyses included molecular cloning and nucleotide sequencing of the cellular recombination partner. Sequence comparisons strongly suggest that the S27a and the ubiquitin coding sequences found in the genome of CP Rit were both derived from a bovine mRNA encoding a hybrid protein with the structure NH2-ubiquitin-S27a-COOH. Polyprotein processing in the genomic region encoding the N-terminal part of NS4B, the two cellular insertions, and NS3 was studied by a transient-expression assay. The respective analyses showed that the S27a-derived polypeptide, together with the truncated ubiquitin, served as processing signal to yield NS3, whereas the truncated ubiquitin alone was not capable of mediating the cleavage. Since the expression of NS3 is strictly correlated with the cp phenotype of BVDV, the altered genome organization leading to expression of NS3 most probably represents the genetic basis of cytopathogenicity of CP Rit.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institut für Virologie (FB Veterinärmedizin), Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 107, D-35392 Giessen, Germany. Phone: 49 641 99 38350. Fax: 49 641 99 38359. E-mail: heinz-juergen.thiel{at}vetmed.uni-giessen.de.

Journal of Virology, November 1998, p. 8697-8704, Vol. 72, No. 11
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Pankraz, A., Preis, S., Thiel, H.-J., Gallei, A., Becher, P. (2009). A Single Point Mutation in Nonstructural Protein NS2 of Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Results in Temperature-Sensitive Attenuation of Viral Cytopathogenicity. J. Virol. 83: 12415-12423 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Onafuwa-Nuga, A., Telesnitsky, A. (2009). The Remarkable Frequency of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Genetic Recombination. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 73: 451-480 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gallei, A., Blome, S., Gilgenbach, S., Tautz, N., Moennig, V., Becher, P. (2008). Cytopathogenicity of Classical Swine Fever Virus Correlates with Attenuation in the Natural Host. J. Virol. 82: 9717-9729 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gallei, A., Orlich, M., Thiel, H.-J., Becher, P. (2005). Noncytopathogenic Pestivirus Strains Generated by Nonhomologous RNA Recombination: Alterations in the NS4A/NS4B Coding Region. J. Virol. 79: 14261-14270 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gallei, A., Rumenapf, T., Thiel, H.-J., Becher, P. (2005). Characterization of Helper Virus-Independent Cytopathogenic Classical Swine Fever Virus Generated by an In Vivo RNA Recombination System. J. Virol. 79: 2440-2448 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Nagai, M., Sakoda, Y., Mori, M., Hayashi, M., Kida, H., Akashi, H. (2003). Insertion of cellular sequence and RNA recombination in the structural protein coding region of cytopathogenic bovine viral diarrhoea virus. J. Gen. Virol. 84: 447-452 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Becher, P., Thiel, H.-J., Collins, M., Brownlie, J., Orlich, M. (2002). Cellular Sequences in Pestivirus Genomes Encoding Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (A) Receptor-Associated Protein and Golgi-Associated ATPase Enhancer of 16 Kilodaltons. J. Virol. 76: 13069-13076 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Becher, P., Orlich, M., Thiel, H.-J. (2001). RNA Recombination between Persisting Pestivirus and a Vaccine Strain: Generation of Cytopathogenic Virus and Induction of Lethal Disease. J. Virol. 75: 6256-6264 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ridpath, J. F., Neill, J. D. (2000). Detection and Characterization of Genetic Recombination in Cytopathic Type 2 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Viruses. J. Virol. 74: 8771-8774 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tautz, N., Harada, T., Kaiser, A., Rinck, G., Behrens, S.-E., Thiel, H.-J. (1999). Establishment and Characterization of Cytopathogenic and Noncytopathogenic Pestivirus Replicons. J. Virol. 73: 9422-9432 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Becher, P., Orlich, M., König, M., Thiel, H.-J. (1999). Nonhomologous RNA Recombination in Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus: Molecular Characterization of a Variety of Subgenomic RNAs Isolated during an Outbreak of Fatal Mucosal Disease. J. Virol. 73: 5646-5653 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»