RNA viruses rely on genomic structural elements to accomplish the functions necessary to complete the viral cycle. These elements participate in a dynamic network of RNA-RNA interactions that determine the overall folding of the RNA genome and may be responsible for the fine regulation of viral replication and translation as well as the transition between them. The genomes of members of the genus Flavivirus are characterized by a complexly folded 3' UTR with a number of RNA structural elements that are conserved across isolates of each species. The present work provides evidence of intra- and intermolecular RNA-RNA interactions involving RNA structural elements in the 3' UTR of the West Nile virus genome. The intermolecular interactions can be visualized in vitro by the formation of molecular dimers involving the participation of at least the SLI and 3'DB elements. Certainly, the 3' UTR of dengue virus, which lacks the SLI element, forms molecular dimers in lower quantities via a single interaction site, probably 3'DB. The functional analysis of sequence or deletion mutants revealed an inverse relationship between 3' UTR dimerization and viral translation efficiency in cell cultures. A network of RNA-RNA interactions involving 3' UTR structural elements might therefore exist, helping to regulate viral translation.
Keywords: 3′ UTR; RNA dimerization; RNA virus; RNA–RNA interactions; West Nile virus; flavivirus translation.