Direct translation of incoming retroviral genomes
- Viruses that carry a positive-sense, single-stranded (+ssRNA) RNA translate their genomes soon after entering the host cell to produce viral proteins, with the exception of retroviruses. A distinguishing feature of retroviruses is reverse transcription, where the +ssRNA genome serves as a template to synthesize a double-stranded DNA copy that subsequently integrates into the host genome. As retroviral RNAs are produced by the host cell transcriptional machinery and are largely indistinguishable from cellular mRNAs, we investigated the potential of incoming retroviral genomes to directly express proteins. Here we show through multiple, complementary methods that retroviral genomes are translated after entry. Our findings challenge the notion that retroviruses require reverse transcription to produce viral proteins. Synthesis of retroviral proteins in the absence of productive infection has significant implications for basic retrovirology, immune responses and gene therapy applications.
Author: | Julia KöppkeORCiDGND, Luise-Elektra KellerORCiD, Michelle StuckGND, Nicolas Dominik ArnowGND, Norbert BannertORCiDGND, Jörg DöllingerGND, Oya CingözORCiD |
---|---|
URN: | urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-830010 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44501-7 |
ISSN: | 2041-1723 |
Parent Title (English): | Nature Communications |
Publisher: | Nature Publishing Group UK |
Place of publication: | London |
Document Type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2024/01/05 |
Date of first Publication: | 2024/01/05 |
Publishing Institution: | Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg |
Release Date: | 2024/05/31 |
Volume: | 15 |
Issue: | Article number: 299 |
Article Number: | 299 |
Page Number: | 12 |
Institutes: | Medizin |
Biowissenschaften / Biowissenschaften | |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit |
Sammlungen: | Universitätspublikationen |
Licence (German): | Creative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International |