Aminoacylation of tRNAs Encoded by Chlorella Virus CVK2

Viruses that infect certain strains of the unicellular green alga, Chlorella, have a large, linear dsDNA genome that is 330–380 kb in size; this genomic size is the largest known among viruses and is equivalent to ∼60% of the smallest prokaryotic genome of Mycoplasma genitalium (580 kb). Besides man...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Virology (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1999-10, Vol.263 (1), p.220-229
Main Authors: Nishida, Kensho, Kawasaki, Takeru, Fujie, Makoto, Usami, Shoji, Yamada, Takashi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acylation
Base Sequence
Blotting, Northern
Brackish
Chlorella - virology
Chlorella virus
Codon
codon usage
codons
Freshwater
Genes, Viral
Marine
Molecular Sequence Data
Mycoplasma genitalium
Nucleic Acid Conformation
Phycodnaviridae - genetics
Phycodnaviridae - metabolism
Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods
RNA Precursors - chemistry
RNA Precursors - genetics
RNA Precursors - metabolism
RNA, Transfer - chemistry
RNA, Transfer - genetics
RNA, Transfer - metabolism
RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl - chemistry
RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl - genetics
RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl - metabolism
RNA, Viral - chemistry
RNA, Viral - genetics
RNA, Viral - metabolism
Sequence Alignment
transfer RNA
tRNA
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Summary:Viruses that infect certain strains of the unicellular green alga, Chlorella, have a large, linear dsDNA genome that is 330–380 kb in size; this genomic size is the largest known among viruses and is equivalent to ∼60% of the smallest prokaryotic genome of Mycoplasma genitalium (580 kb). Besides many putative protein-coding genes, a cluster of 10–15 tRNA genes is present in these viral genomes. Some of these tRNA genes contain peculiar insertions. In infected host cells, the viral tRNAs of CVK2, a Chlorella virus isolate, have been demonstrated to be cotranscribed as a large precursor, ∼1.0 kb in size, that is precisely processed into individual mature tRNA species. Acidic Northern blot analysis of eight of these tRNAs has revealed that they are actually aminoacylated in vivo, indicating their involvement in viral protein synthesis. They may help the virus reach maximal replication potential by overcoming codon usage barriers that exist between the virus and its host. These results provide evidence that some components of the host protein synthesis machinery can be replaced by viral gene products. This is the first report of tRNA aminoacylation encoded by viruses of eukaryotes.
ISSN:0042-6822
1096-0341
DOI:10.1006/viro.1999.9949