Biomaterial Database

Small reovirus particle composed solely of sigma NS with specificity for binding different nucleic acids. 1981

P J Gomatos, and O Prakash, and N M Stamatos

We reported previously that polycytidylate [poly(C)]-dependent RNA polymerase activity was a property of small spherical or triangular reovirus-specific particles which sedimented at 13 to 19S and were composed solely of the reovirus protein, sigma NS. Depending on the fraction of cellular extracts from which they were obtained, these particles exhibited marked differences in stability. Most 13 to 19S particles from a particular fraction repeatedly disaggregated into smaller 4 to 5S subunits with no enzymatic activity. Disruption of many particles could be prevented and polymerase activity retained after these particles had bound different single-stranded (ss) RNAs. Our previous results indicated that there was heterogeneity among the 13 to 19S particles in that possession of poly(C)-dependent RNA polymerase activity was a property of only some. Support for this heterogeneity was derived from the demonstration in this report that there were at least three types of binding sites present within particles in any purified preparation: (i) those binding only poly(C); (ii) those binding only reovirus ss RNAs; and (iii) those binding one or the other, but not both at the same time. It is suggested that only those particles able to bind either poly(C) or reovirus ss RNAs had poly(C)-dependent RNA polymerase activity, as reovirus ss RNAs markedly inhibited the polymerase activity. All three size classes of reovirus ss RNAs were equally effective in binding, but once bound, they were not copied. It is possible that heterogeneity in binding capacity of different particles comprised of only one protein, sigma NS, could result from the ability of subunits containing this protein to assemble into slightly different 13 to 19S particles with specificity of binding or polymerase activity conferred by the configuration of the assembled particles. The high capacity of sigma NS to bind many different nucleic acids with some specificity suggests that these particles may act during infection as condensing agents to bring together 10 reovirus ss RNA templates in preparation for double-stranded RNA synthesis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011066	Poly C	A group of cytosine ribonucleotides in which the phosphate residues of each cytosine ribonucleotide act as bridges in forming diester linkages between the ribose moieties.	Cytosine Polynucleotides,Polycytidylic Acid,Polycytidylic Acids,Acid, Polycytidylic,Acids, Polycytidylic,Polynucleotides, Cytosine
D012087	Reoviridae	A family of unenveloped RNA viruses with cubic symmetry. The twelve genera include ORTHOREOVIRUS; ORBIVIRUS; COLTIVIRUS; ROTAVIRUS; Aquareovirus, Cypovirus, Phytoreovirus, Fijivirus, Seadornavirus, Idnoreovirus, Mycoreovirus, and Oryzavirus.	Aquareovirus,Cypovirus,Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Viruses,Fijivirus,Idnoreovirus,Mycoreovirus,Oryzavirus,Phytoreovirus,Reoviruses, Aquatic,Respiratory Enteric Orphan Viruses,Seadornavirus,Aquareoviruses,Aquatic Reovirus,Aquatic Reoviruses,Cypoviruses,Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus,Fijiviruses,Idnoreoviruses,Mycoreoviruses,Oryzaviruses,Phytoreoviruses,Polyhedrosis Virus, Cytoplasmic,Polyhedrosis Viruses, Cytoplasmic,Reovirus, Aquatic,Seadornaviruses
D012089	Mammalian orthoreovirus 3	A serotype of ORTHOREOVIRUS, MAMMALIAN causing serious pathology in laboratory rodents, characterized by diarrhea, oily coat, jaundice, and multiple organ involvement.	Reovirus 3,Mammalian Reovirus 3,Reovirus Type 3,Reovirus 3, Mammalian
D012313	RNA	A polynucleotide consisting essentially of chains with a repeating backbone of phosphate and ribose units to which nitrogenous bases are attached. RNA is unique among biological macromolecules in that it can encode genetic information, serve as an abundant structural component of cells, and also possesses catalytic activity. (Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed)	RNA, Non-Polyadenylated,Ribonucleic Acid,Gene Products, RNA,Non-Polyadenylated RNA,Acid, Ribonucleic,Non Polyadenylated RNA,RNA Gene Products,RNA, Non Polyadenylated
D012321	DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases	Enzymes that catalyze DNA template-directed extension of the 3'-end of an RNA strand one nucleotide at a time. They can initiate a chain de novo. In eukaryotes, three forms of the enzyme have been distinguished on the basis of sensitivity to alpha-amanitin, and the type of RNA synthesized. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992).	DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases,RNA Polymerases,Transcriptases,DNA-Directed RNA Polymerase,RNA Polymerase,Transcriptase,DNA Dependent RNA Polymerases,DNA Directed RNA Polymerase,DNA Directed RNA Polymerases,Polymerase, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerase, RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Dependent RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerases, RNA,RNA Polymerase, DNA-Directed,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Dependent,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Directed
D012367	RNA, Viral	Ribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of viruses.	Viral RNA
D014764	Viral Proteins	Proteins found in any species of virus.	Gene Products, Viral,Viral Gene Products,Viral Gene Proteins,Viral Protein,Protein, Viral,Proteins, Viral
D054334	Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins	A broad category of viral proteins that play indirect roles in the biological processes and activities of viruses. Included here are proteins that either regulate the expression of viral genes or are involved in modifying host cell functions. Many of the proteins in this category serve multiple functions.	Viral Accessory Proteins,Viral Regulatory Proteins,Regulatory Proteins, Viral,Accessory Proteins, Viral,Proteins, Viral Accessory,Proteins, Viral Regulatory