Continuous and Discontinuous RNA Synthesis in Coronaviruses

Replication of the coronavirus genome requires continuous RNA synthesis, whereas transcription is a discontinuous process unique among RNA viruses. Transcription includes a template switch during the synthesis of subgenomic negative-strand RNAs to add a copy of the leader sequence. Coronavirus transcription is regulated by multiple factors, including the extent of base-pairing between transcription-regulating sequences of positive and negative polarity, viral and cell protein-RNA binding, and high-order RNA-RNA interactions. Coronavirus RNA synthesis is performed by a replication-transcription complex that includes viral and cell proteins that recognize cis-acting RNA elements mainly located in the highly…

• MD
  Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: 2P01AI060699-06A1, HHSN266200700010C, 2P01AI060699, FP7/2007-2013, CRIP-HHSN266200700010C