Abstract
An RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) purified from alfalfa mosaic virus-infected tobacco is capable of synthesizing in vitro full-size RNAs of minus and plus polarities. However, the enzyme is not able to perform a complete replication cycle in vitro. The products were found to be completely base-paired to their templates. The enzyme was able to use double-stranded RNA as a template for RNA synthesis if it could initiate from a single-stranded promoter. The inability (of most) of our enzyme preparations to create a single-stranded initiation site could explain why they could not perform a complete replication cycle in vitro. This is the first report on duplex RNA unwinding activities by a plant viral RdRp.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call