Viral replicase gene products suffice for coronavirus discontinuous transcription

Publication

Viral replicase gene products suffice for coronavirus discontinuous transcription

Journal Paper/Review - Jul 1, 2001

Thiel Volker, Herold J, Schelle B, Siddell S G

Citation

Thiel V, Herold J, Schelle B, Siddell S. Viral replicase gene products suffice for coronavirus discontinuous transcription. Journal of virology 2001; 75:6676-81.

Type

Journal Paper/Review (English)

Journal

Journal of virology 2001; 75

Publication Date

Jul 1, 2001

Issn Print

0022-538X

Pages

6676-81

Brief description/objective

We have used vaccinia virus as a vector to clone a 22.5-kbp cDNA that represents the 5' and 3' ends of the human coronavirus 229E (HCoV 229E) genome, the HCoV 229E replicase gene, and a single reporter gene (coding for green fluorescent protein [GFP]) located downstream of a regulatory element for coronavirus mRNA transcription. When RNA transcribed from this cDNA was transfected into BHK-21 cells, a small percentage of cells displayed strong fluorescence. A region of the mRNA encoding GFP was amplified by PCR and shown to have the unique mRNA leader-body junction indicative of coronavirus-mediated transcription. These data show that the coronavirus replicase gene products suffice for discontinuous subgenomic mRNA transcription.