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Journal of Virology, October 1998, p. 7972-7977, Vol. 72, No. 10
Departments of Microbiology and Molecular
Genetics1 and of
Molecular Biology and
Biochemistry,2 University of California,
Irvine, California 92697
Received 15 December 1997/Accepted 1 July 1998
A trans-encapsidation assay was established to study
the specificity of picornavirus RNA encapsidation. A poliovirus
replicon with the luciferase gene replacing the capsid protein-coding
region was coexpressed in transfected HeLa cells with capsid proteins from homologous or heterologous virus. Successful
trans-encapsidation resulted in assembly and production of
virions whose replication, upon subsequent infection of HeLa cells, was
accompanied by expression of luciferase activity. The amount of
luciferase activity was proportional to the amount of
trans-encapsidated virus produced from the cotransfection.
When poliovirus capsid proteins were supplied in trans,
>2 × 106 infectious particles/ml were produced. When
coxsackievirus B3, human rhinovirus 14, mengovirus, or hepatitis A
virus (HAV) capsid proteins were supplied in trans, all but
HAV showed some encapsidation of the replicon. The overall
encapsidation efficiency of the replicon RNA by heterologous capsid
proteins was significantly lower than when poliovirus capsid was used.
trans-encapsidated particles could be completely
neutralized with specific antisera against each of the donor virus
capsids. The results indicate that encapsidation is regulated by
specific viral nucleic acid and protein sequences.
0022-538X/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
trans-Encapsidation of a Poliovirus
Replicon by Different Picornavirus Capsid Proteins
*
Corresponding author. Present address: NCI, NIH,
Frederick Cancer Research Center, P.O. Box B, Bldg. 427, Room 10, Frederick, MD 21702-1124. Phone: (301) 846-5096. Fax: (301) 846-1494. E-mail: dfsummer{at}ncifcrf.gov.
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