An RNA activator of subgenomic mRNA1 transcription in tomato bushy stunt virus

Abstract

Many (+)-strand RNA viruses transcribe small subgenomic (sg) mRNAs that allow for regulated expression of a subset of their genes. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) transcribes two such messages and here we report the identification of a long-distance RNA-RNA interaction that is essential for the efficient accumulation of capsid protein-encoding sg mRNA1. The relevant base pairing interaction occurs within the TBSV RNA genome between a 7-nucleotide (nt) long sequence, separated by just 3 nt from the downstream sg mRNA1 initiation site, and a complementary sequence positioned some ∼1000 nt further upstream. Analyses of this interaction indicate that it (i) functions in the (+)-strand, (ii) modulates both (+)- and (-)-strand sg mRNA1 accumulation, (iii) specifically regulates the accumulation of sg mRNA1 (-)-strands, (iv) controls sg mRNA1 expression from an ectopic transcriptional initiation site, (v) may occur in cis and, and (vi) could nucleate the formation of a more complex RNA structure. These data are most consistent with a role for this interaction in regulating sg mRNA1 accumulation at the level of transcription.