Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in viruses

What viral RNA genomes lack in size, they make up for in intricacy. Elaborate RNA structures embedded in viral genomes can hijack essential cellular mechanisms aiding virus propagation. Exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs) are an emerging class of viral elements, which resist degradation by host...

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Main Authors: Quentin Vicens, Jeffrey S. Kieft
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2021-01-01
Series:Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2001037021003147
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author Quentin Vicens
Jeffrey S. Kieft
author_facet Quentin Vicens
Jeffrey S. Kieft
author_sort Quentin Vicens
collection DOAJ
description What viral RNA genomes lack in size, they make up for in intricacy. Elaborate RNA structures embedded in viral genomes can hijack essential cellular mechanisms aiding virus propagation. Exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs) are an emerging class of viral elements, which resist degradation by host cellular exoribonucleases to produce viral RNAs with diverse roles during infection. Detailed three-dimensional structural studies of xrRNAs from flaviviruses and a subset of plant viruses led to a mechanistic model in which xrRNAs block enzymatic digestion using a ring-like structure that encircles the 5′ end of the resistant structure. In this mini-review, we describe the state of our understanding of the phylogenetic distribution of xrRNAs, their structures, and their conformational dynamics. Because xrRNAs have now been found in several major superfamilies of RNA viruses, they may represent a more widely used strategy than currently appreciated. Could xrRNAs represent a ‘molecular clock’ that would help us understand virus evolution and pathogenicity? The more we study xrRNAs in viruses, the closer we get to finding xrRNAs within cellular RNAs.
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spelling doaj.art-3f005c2356b74a99964bb916d6b6714e2022-12-21T20:21:33ZengElsevierComputational and Structural Biotechnology Journal2001-03702021-01-011943734380Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in virusesQuentin Vicens0Jeffrey S. Kieft1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; RNA BioScience Initiative, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Corresponding authors at: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Mail Stop 8101, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; RNA BioScience Initiative, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Corresponding authors at: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Mail Stop 8101, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.What viral RNA genomes lack in size, they make up for in intricacy. Elaborate RNA structures embedded in viral genomes can hijack essential cellular mechanisms aiding virus propagation. Exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs) are an emerging class of viral elements, which resist degradation by host cellular exoribonucleases to produce viral RNAs with diverse roles during infection. Detailed three-dimensional structural studies of xrRNAs from flaviviruses and a subset of plant viruses led to a mechanistic model in which xrRNAs block enzymatic digestion using a ring-like structure that encircles the 5′ end of the resistant structure. In this mini-review, we describe the state of our understanding of the phylogenetic distribution of xrRNAs, their structures, and their conformational dynamics. Because xrRNAs have now been found in several major superfamilies of RNA viruses, they may represent a more widely used strategy than currently appreciated. Could xrRNAs represent a ‘molecular clock’ that would help us understand virus evolution and pathogenicity? The more we study xrRNAs in viruses, the closer we get to finding xrRNAs within cellular RNAs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2001037021003147EvolutionExoribonucleaseStructured viral RNA elementVirusxrRNAXrn1
spellingShingle Quentin Vicens
Jeffrey S. Kieft
Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in viruses
Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal
Evolution
Exoribonuclease
Structured viral RNA element
Virus
xrRNA
Xrn1
title Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in viruses
title_full Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in viruses
title_fullStr Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in viruses
title_full_unstemmed Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in viruses
title_short Shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs in viruses
title_sort shared properties and singularities of exoribonuclease resistant rnas in viruses
topic Evolution
Exoribonuclease
Structured viral RNA element
Virus
xrRNA
Xrn1
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2001037021003147
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