Structural Insights into Human Adenovirus Type 4 Virus-Associated RNA I

Helen Bergquist; Raviteja Inturi; Rula Zain; Tanel Punga

doi:10.3390/ijms23063103

Structural Insights into Human Adenovirus Type 4 Virus-Associated RNA I

Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Mar 13;23(6):3103. doi: 10.3390/ijms23063103.

Authors

Helen Bergquist¹, Raviteja Inturi¹, Rula Zain^{2

3}, Tanel Punga¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, BMC Box 582, Husargatan 3, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.
² Department of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Research Center Karolinska (TRACK), Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
³ Centre for Rare Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.

Abstract

RNA molecules can adopt specific RNA triplex structures to execute critical biological functions. Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) are abundant pathogens encoding the essential, noncoding virus-associated RNA I (VA RNAI). Here, we employ a triplex-specific probing assay, based on the intercalating and cleaving agent benzoquinoquinoxaline 1, 10-phenanthroline (BQQ-OP), to unravel a potential RNA triplex formation in VA RNAI. The BQQ-OP cleavage of the pathogenic HAdV type 4 (HAdV-4) VA RNAI indicates that a potential triplex is formed involving the highly conserved stem 4 of the central domain and side stem 7. Further, the integrity of the HAdV-4 VA RNAI side stem 7 contributes to a potential triplex formation in vitro and virus growth in vivo. Collectively, we propose that the HAdV-4 VA RNAI can potentially form a biologically relevant triplex structure.

Keywords: BQQ–OP; VA RNAI; adenovirus; triplex RNA.

MeSH terms

Adenoviruses, Human* / genetics
Humans
RNA, Bacterial

Substances

RNA I
RNA, Bacterial

Abstract

MeSH terms

Substances

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