Hepatitis C alternative reading frame stem-loop
Encyclopedia
Hepatitis C alternative reading frame stem-loop is a conserved secondary structure
motif identified in the RNA
genome of the Hepatitis C virus
(HCV) which is proposed to have an important role in regulating translation
and repression of the viral genome.
The core protein-coding region of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome contains a +1 alternative reading frame
(ARF) and two proposed phylogenetically conserved RNA helix-forming stem loop structures (IV
and VII
).
The proteins translated from the ARF appear to be translated during the normal viral life cycle but are not essential to virus replication. The two predicted stem loops shown here (SLV and SLVI) are proposed to be important for HCV translation and repression; these stem loops are located downstream of the Internal ribosome entry site
(IRES) but their functional role is unknown.
Secondary structure
In biochemistry and structural biology, secondary structure is the general three-dimensional form of local segments of biopolymers such as proteins and nucleic acids...
motif identified in the RNA
RNA
Ribonucleic acid , or RNA, is one of the three major macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life....
genome of the Hepatitis C virus
Hepatitis C virus
Hepatitis C virus is a small , enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae...
(HCV) which is proposed to have an important role in regulating translation
Translation
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. Whereas interpreting undoubtedly antedates writing, translation began only after the appearance of written literature; there exist partial translations of the Sumerian Epic of...
and repression of the viral genome.
The core protein-coding region of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome contains a +1 alternative reading frame
Reading frame
In biology, a reading frame is a way of breaking a sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA into three letter codons which can be translated in amino acids. There are 3 possible reading frames in an mRNA strand: each reading frame corresponding to starting at a different alignment...
(ARF) and two proposed phylogenetically conserved RNA helix-forming stem loop structures (IV
Hepatitis C stem-loop IV
The Hepatitis C stem-loop IV is part of a putative RNA element found in the NS5B coding region. This element along with stem-loop VII, is important for colony formation, though its exact function and mechanism are unknown.-See also:...
and VII
Hepatitis C virus stem-loop VII
Hepatitis C virus stem-loop VII is a regulatory element found in the coding region of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene, NS5B. Similarly to stem-loop IV, the stem-loop structure is important for colony formation, though its exact function and mechanism are unknown.-See also:*Hepatitis C...
).
The proteins translated from the ARF appear to be translated during the normal viral life cycle but are not essential to virus replication. The two predicted stem loops shown here (SLV and SLVI) are proposed to be important for HCV translation and repression; these stem loops are located downstream of the Internal ribosome entry site
Internal ribosome entry site
An internal ribosome entry site, abbreviated IRES, is a nucleotide sequence that allows for translation initiation in the middle of a messenger RNA sequence as part of the greater process of protein synthesis...
(IRES) but their functional role is unknown.