Biomaterial Database

Translation of the hepatitis B virus P gene by ribosomal scanning as an alternative to internal initiation. 1993

N Fouillot, and S Tlouzeau, and J M Rossignol, and O Jean-Jean

Laboratorie de Biologie Moléculaire de la Réplication, UPR 272-CNRS, Villejuif, France.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) P gene which encodes the reverse transcriptase and other proteins required for replication is expressed on the bicistronic mRNA pregenome which also encodes the capsid protein in its first cistron. Recent results have suggested that the hepadnaviral P gene is translated by internal entry of ribosomes upstream from the P gene, in the overlapping C gene. Using a reporter gene fused to the HBV C or P gene, we demonstrate that the C sequence does not allow internal initiation of translation. Alternatively, our results support a model in which the HBV P gene is translated by ribosomes which scan from the capped extremity of the bicistronic mRNA pregenome. The mechanism by which the ribosomes scan past four AUGs before they initiate translation at the P AUG was analyzed. Our results show that these AUGs are skipped via two mechanisms: leaky scanning on AUGs in a weak or suboptimal initiation context and translation of an out-of-C-frame minicistron followed by reinitiation at P AUG. The minicistron translation allows ribosomes to bypass an AUG in a favorable context that would otherwise be used as a start codon for translation of a truncated capsid protein. Our results suggest that this elaborated scanning mechanism permits the coordinate expression of the HBV C and P genes on the viral bicistronic mRNA pregenome.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D010442	Peptide Chain Initiation, Translational	A process of GENETIC TRANSLATION whereby the formation of a peptide chain is started. It includes assembly of the RIBOSOME components, the MESSENGER RNA coding for the polypeptide to be made, INITIATOR TRNA, and PEPTIDE INITIATION FACTORS; and placement of the first amino acid in the peptide chain. The details and components of this process are unique for prokaryotic protein biosynthesis and eukaryotic protein biosynthesis.	Chain Initiation, Peptide, Translational,Protein Biosynthesis Initiation,Protein Chain Initiation, Translational,Protein Translation Initiation,Translation Initiation, Genetic,Translation Initiation, Protein,Translational Initiation, Protein,Translational Peptide Chain Initiation,Biosynthesis Initiation, Protein,Genetic Translation Initiation,Initiation, Genetic Translation,Initiation, Protein Biosynthesis,Initiation, Protein Translation,Initiation, Protein Translational,Protein Translational Initiation
D010957	Plasmids	Extrachromosomal, usually CIRCULAR DNA molecules that are self-replicating and transferable from one organism to another. They are found in a variety of bacterial, archaeal, fungal, algal, and plant species. They are used in GENETIC ENGINEERING as CLONING VECTORS.	Episomes,Episome,Plasmid
D011994	Recombinant Proteins	Proteins prepared by recombinant DNA technology.	Biosynthetic Protein,Biosynthetic Proteins,DNA Recombinant Proteins,Recombinant Protein,Proteins, Biosynthetic,Proteins, Recombinant DNA,DNA Proteins, Recombinant,Protein, Biosynthetic,Protein, Recombinant,Proteins, DNA Recombinant,Proteins, Recombinant,Recombinant DNA Proteins,Recombinant Proteins, DNA
D002213	Capsid	The outer protein protective shell of a virus, which protects the viral nucleic acid. Capsids are composed of repeating units (capsomers or capsomeres) of CAPSID PROTEINS which when assembled together form either an icosahedral or helical shape.	Procapsid,Prohead,Capsids,Procapsids,Proheads
D002461	Cell Line, Transformed	Eukaryotic cell line obtained in a quiescent or stationary phase which undergoes conversion to a state of unregulated growth in culture, resembling an in vitro tumor. It occurs spontaneously or through interaction with viruses, oncogenes, radiation, or drugs/chemicals.	Transformed Cell Line,Cell Lines, Transformed,Transformed Cell Lines
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D005798	Genes, Bacterial	The functional hereditary units of BACTERIA.	Bacterial Gene,Bacterial Genes,Gene, Bacterial
D005814	Genes, Viral	The functional hereditary units of VIRUSES.	Viral Genes,Gene, Viral,Viral Gene