tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Influenza A virus contributes to seasonal epidemics and pandemics and contains Global Ordered RNA structure (GORS) in the nucleoprotein (NP), non-structural (NS), PB2, and M segments. A related virus, influenza B, is also a major annual public health threat, but unlike influenza A is very selective to human hosts.
This study extends the search for GORS to influenza B.FindingsA survey of all available influenza B sequences reveals GORS in the (+) and (--)RNAs of the NP, NS, PB2, and PB1 gene segments. The results are similar to influenza A, except GORS is observed for the M1 segment of influenza A but not for PB1.
In general, the folding free energies of human-specific influenza B RNA segments are less stable than allowable by the encoded amino acid sequence. This is consistent with findings in influenza A, where human-specific influenza RNA folds are less stable than avian and swine strains.
Conclusions: These results reveal fundamental molecular similarities and differences between Influenza A and B and suggest a rational basis for choosing segments to target with therapeutics and for viral attenuation for live vaccines by altering RNA folding stability.
Author: Salvatore F PrioreWalter N MossDouglas H Turner
Credits/Source: BMC Research Notes 2013, 6:330
http://7thspace.com/headlines/44319..._allowed_by_the_encoded_protein_sequence.html
This study extends the search for GORS to influenza B.FindingsA survey of all available influenza B sequences reveals GORS in the (+) and (--)RNAs of the NP, NS, PB2, and PB1 gene segments. The results are similar to influenza A, except GORS is observed for the M1 segment of influenza A but not for PB1.
In general, the folding free energies of human-specific influenza B RNA segments are less stable than allowable by the encoded amino acid sequence. This is consistent with findings in influenza A, where human-specific influenza RNA folds are less stable than avian and swine strains.
Conclusions: These results reveal fundamental molecular similarities and differences between Influenza A and B and suggest a rational basis for choosing segments to target with therapeutics and for viral attenuation for live vaccines by altering RNA folding stability.
Author: Salvatore F PrioreWalter N MossDouglas H Turner
Credits/Source: BMC Research Notes 2013, 6:330
http://7thspace.com/headlines/44319..._allowed_by_the_encoded_protein_sequence.html