Abstract
To generate infectious viral particles, viruses must specifically select their genomic RNA from milieu that contains a complex mixture of cellular or non-genomic viral RNAs. In this review, we focus on the role of viral encoded RNA structures in genome packaging. We first discuss how packaging signals are constructed from local and long-range base pairings within viral genomes, as well as inter-molecular interactions between viral and host RNAs. Then, how genome packaging is regulated by the biophysical properties of RNA. Finally, we examine the impact of RNA packaging signals on viral evolution.
Highlights
A.-S.; Ahmad, S.; Bohn, P.; Weber, Genome packaging is the process whereby viruses assemble their genomes into capsids [1]
We discuss how RNA viruses exploit the properties of RNA structure to regulate their packaging and explain how RNA
Viruses 2021, 13, 1788 how RNA viruses exploit the properties of RNA structure to regulate their packaging and explain how RNA based packaging mechanisms can influence viral evolution
Summary
A.-S.; Ahmad, S.; Bohn, P.; Weber, Genome packaging is the process whereby viruses assemble their genomes into capsids [1]. Because RNA structures are rarely static, packaging can be dynamically regulated by intrinsic RNA structural switches, binding of viral factors, or in some cases, inter-molecular interactions with host RNAs. Interestingly, many RNA viruses have evolved genome organizations that greatly complicate viral assembly and packaging. Retroviruses package two copies of their genome, even though the total genetic material of only one genome is replicated [11] In exchange for this increased complexity, RNA viruses enhance their evolvability through recombination or reassortment. We discuss how RNA viruses exploit the properties of RNA structure to regulate their packaging and explain how RNA based packaging mechanisms can influence viral evolution. Viruses 2021, 13, 1788 how RNA viruses exploit the properties of RNA structure to regulate their packaging and explain how RNA based packaging mechanisms can influence viral evolution
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