PLoS ONE (Jan 2016)

Challenging the Roles of NSP3 and Untranslated Regions in Rotavirus mRNA Translation.

  • Matthieu Gratia,
  • Patrice Vende,
  • Annie Charpilienne,
  • Hilma Carolina Baron,
  • Cécile Laroche,
  • Emeline Sarot,
  • Stéphane Pyronnet,
  • Mariela Duarte,
  • Didier Poncet

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0145998
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 1
p. e0145998

Abstract

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Rotavirus NSP3 is a translational surrogate of the PABP-poly(A) complex for rotavirus mRNAs. To further explore the effects of NSP3 and untranslated regions (UTRs) on rotavirus mRNAs translation, we used a quantitative in vivo assay with simultaneous cytoplasmic NSP3 expression (wild-type or deletion mutant) and electroporated rotavirus-like and standard synthetic mRNAs. This assay shows that the last four GACC nucleotides of viral mRNA are essential for efficient translation and that both the NSP3 eIF4G- and RNA-binding domains are required. We also show efficient translation of rotavirus-like mRNAs even with a 5'UTR as short as 5 nucleotides, while more than eleven nucleotides are required for the 3'UTR. Despite the weak requirement for a long 5'UTR, a good AUG environment remains a requirement for rotavirus mRNAs translation.