Construction of a genome-length cDNA clone for human astrovirus serotype 1 and synthesis of infectious RNA transcripts.

We have constructed a genome-length cDNA clone for human astrovirus serotype 1. When a human colon cancer-derived cell line, CaCo-2, is transfected with RNA transcribed in vitro from this cDNA clone, infectious virus is produced at titers close to those observed after infection with intact astrovirus. A rodent cell line, BHK, which is largely refractory to astrovirus infection, was found to support efficient growth of the virus if transfected with viral RNA. The high transfection efficiency seen in the BHK cells allows studies of the viral replication in the transfected cells and thus should prove useful for the characterization of noninfectious astroviral mutants.

Specific binding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag-derived proteins to a 5' HIV-1 genomic RNA sequence.

We developed an in vitro binding assay to study the specific interaction between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA and the Gag polyprotein. Binding of the in vitro-expressed protein to in vitro-transcribed RNA was determined by altered migration of the protein in polyacrylamide gels. We found that a Gag precursor lacking the matrix domain bound specifically to HIV-1 RNA, while deletion of both matrix and capsid domains diminished the specificity of binding. Among several regions of HIV-1 RNA tested, strongest binding was seen with the 5'-most 261 nucleotides, while antisense RNA from the same region did not bind.

Significance of the third tRNA binding site, the E site, on E. coli ribosomes for the accuracy of translation: an occupied E site prevents the binding of non-cognate aminoacyl-tRNA to the A site.

The E site (exit site for deacyl-tRNA) has been shown to be allosterically linked to the A site (aminoacyl-tRNA binding site), in that occupation of the E site reduces the affinity of the A site, and vice versa, whereas the intervening peptidyl-tRNA binding site (P site) keeps its high affinity. Here the question is analysed of whether or not the low affinity state of the A site caused by an occupied E site is of importance for the ribosomal accuracy of the aminoacyl-tRNA selection. In a poly(U) dependent system with high accuracy in poly(Phe) synthesis, the acceptance of the cognate ternary complex Phe-tRNA--EF-Tu--GTP (which has the correct anticodon with respect to the codon at the A site) was compared with the competing acceptance of ternary complexes with near-cognate Leu-tRNA(Leu) (which has a similar anticodon) or non-cognate Asp-tRNA(Asp) (which has a dissimilar anticodon), by monitoring the formation of AcPhePhe, AcPheLeu or AcPheAsp, respectively. Cognate (but not near-cognate) occupation of the E site reduced synthesis of the 'wrong' dipeptide AcPheLeu only marginally relative to that of the cognate AcPhe2, whereas the formation of AcPheAsp was decreased as much as 14-fold, thereby reducing it to the background level. It follows that the allosteric interplay between E and A sites, i.e. the low affinity of the A site induced by the occupation of the E site, excludes the interference of non-cognate complexes in the decoding process and thus reduces the number of aminoacyl-tRNA species competing for A site binding by an order of magnitude.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The allosteric three-site model for the ribosomal elongation cycle. Analysis with a heteropolymeric mRNA.

Ribosomal tRNA binding studies and functional tests were performed at 6 mM Mg2+ using the mRNA analogue C17AUGA4C17 which contains three unique codons in its central region. The following results were obtained. 1) The relative binding affinities of 20 different deacylated tRNAs to nonprogrammed 70 S ribosomes were assessed and were found to vary substantially. 2) When added as the first tRNA, fMet-tRNA and deacylated tRNAs (but not N-acetylated aminoacyl-tRNAs) can bind to internal codons of the mRNA and are therefore suitable for setting the reading frame via codon-anticodon interaction in the peptidyl-tRNA site (P site). 3) After prefilling the P site with deacylated tRNA, the exit site for deacylated tRNA (E site) can be quantitatively occupied only if the cognate codon is present at that site. 4) The translocation of peptidyl-tRNA from the aminoacyl-tRNA site (A site) to the P site is not accompanied by a release of deacylated tRNA. The codon sequence excludes a release and rebinding of deacylated tRNA to the newly exposed A site. Rather, the deacylated tRNA is cotranslocated from the P to the E site where it remains stably bound. 5) After one round of elongation, addition of an A site ligand triggers the dissociation of deacylated tRNA from the E site. Conversely, E site occupation reduces the affinity of the A site for N-acetylated aminoacyl-tRNA. Thus, A and E sites are allosterically linked via negative cooperativity. The results support the allosteric three-site model as an appropriate description of the ribosomal elongation cycle.

The allosteric three-site model for the ribosomal elongation cycle. New insights into the inhibition mechanisms of aminoglycosides, thiostrepton, and viomycin.

According to the allosteric three-site model for the ribosomal elongation cycle (Rheinberger, H.J. and Nierhaus, K.H. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 9133-9139), two types of A site (aminoacyl-tRNA site) occupation exist. First is the A site occupation after initiation (i-type), with only one site, the P site (peptidyl-tRNA site), being prefilled with a tRNA (initiator tRNA). Second is the A site occupation after an elongation cycle (e-type), with two prefilled sites, namely the P and E sites containing peptidyl-tRNA and deacylated tRNA, respectively. The individual reactions of the elongation cycle were tested, including both types of A site occupation in the presence of various antibiotics. A test system was used allowing the functional studies to be made with quantitative tRNA binding at 6 mM Mg2+. The following results were obtained: 1) thiostrepton (5 x 10(-6) M) induced a complete block of both EF-(elongation factor) G dependent and EF-G independent translocation, in agreement with older observations. The A-site occupation of the e-type was severely inhibited in contrast to that of the i-type. Thus, thiostrepton blocks the allosteric transitions in both directions, i.e. the transition from pre- to post-translocational state (translocation) and that from the post- to the pre-translocational state (A site occupation of the e-type). In addition the ribosomal binding of EF-G.[3H] GMPPNP was inhibited by about 60%. 2) Similarly, viomycin (5 x 10(-5) M) appears to be an inhibitor of both allosteric transitions, since it strongly inhibited the e-type (but not the i-type) A site occupation in addition to translocation. 3) The aminoglycosides streptomycin, hygromycin B, neomycin, kanamycin, and gentamicin prevented A site occupation of the e-type (residual activity below 15%). Neomycin and hygromycin, in addition, blocked the translocation reaction. Only marginal effects were observed with A site occupation of the i-type. It appears that the inhibition of the A site binding of the e-type (allosteric transition from the post- to the pretranslocational state) is the predominant effect of the misreading-inducing aminoglycosides.

Tetracycline can inhibit tRNA binding to the ribosomal P site as well as to the A site.

A and P sites of Escherichia coli ribosomes were titrated with AcPhe-tRNAPhe, in the absence or presence of tetracycline. The P-site location of the bound AcPhe-tRNA was assessed by means of a quantitative puromycin reaction. The results demonstrate that, in agreement with the generally held view, tetracycline exclusively inhibits the A-site binding, if the statistical number of bound acyl-tRNA molecules per ribosome does not exceed about 0.5. However, above this value the P site becomes sensitive to tetracycline as well. It follows that the tightly coupled 70S ribosomes used in functional studies appear to be functionally heterogeneous, i.e. those P sites which cannot be affected by tetracycline are preferentially occupied by AcPhe-tRNA, whereas higher concentrations of this tRNA species are required to fill tetracycline-sensitive P sites. Furthermore, the results imply that under tRNA saturation conditions the tetracycline inhibition cannot be used as an indicator for the site location of bound tRNA.

Analysis of the puromycin reaction. The ribosomal exclusion principle for AcPhe-tRNA binding re-examined.

The standard technique for determination of the ribosomal site location of bound tRNA, viz. the puromycin reaction, has been analyzed with regard to its applicability under tRNA saturation conditions. The criteria derived have been used to re-examine the exclusion principle for peptidyl-tRNA binding, which states that only one peptidyl-tRNA (AcPhe-tRNA) can be bound per ribosome although in principle two sites (A and P site) are available. The following results were obtained. The puromycin reaction is only appropriate for a site determination if the reaction conditions prevent one ribosome from performing more than one puromycin reaction. With an excess of AcPhe-tRNA over ribosomes, and in the absence of EF-G, this criterion is fulfilled at 0 degree C, where the P-site-bound material reacts with puromycin (quantitative reaction after 50 h), while the A-site-bound material does not. In contrast, at 37 degrees C the extent of the puromycin reaction can exceed the binding values by 2-4-fold ('repetitive reaction'). In the presence of EF-G a repetitive puromycin reaction is seen even at 0 degree C, i.e. EF-G can already promote a translocation reaction at 0 degree C. However, the extent of translocation becomes negligibly low for short incubation times (up to 60 min) at 0 degree C, if only catalytic amounts of EF-G are used. Using the criteria outlined above, the validity of the exclusion principle for Escherichia coli ribosomes was confirmed pursuing two different experimental strategies. Ribosomes were saturated with AcPhe-tRNA at one molecule per 70S ribosome, and a quantitative puromycin reaction demonstrated the exclusive P-site location of the AcPhe-tRNA. The same result was also found in the presence of viomycin, which blocks the translocation reaction. These findings also indicate that here nearly 100% of the ribosomes participate in AcPhe-tRNA binding to the P site. Precharging the P sites of 70S ribosomes with one Ac[14C]Phe-tRNA molecule per ribosome prevented additional Ac[3H]Phe-tRNA binding. In contrast, 70S particles carrying one molecule of [14C]tRNAPhe per ribosome were able to bind up to a further 0.64 molecule Ac[3H]Phe-tRNA per ribosome.