Characterization of Novel Transcripts in Pseudorabies Virus

• Main Authors: Dóra Tombácz, Zsolt Csabai, Péter Oláh, Zoltán Havelda, Donald Sharon, Michael Snyder, Zsolt Boldogkői
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2015-05-01
• Series: Viruses
• Subjects: non-coding RNA; pseudorabies virus; herpesvirus; RNA sequencing; DNA replication
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/7/5/2727

In this study we identified two 3′-coterminal RNA molecules in the pseudorabies virus. The highly abundant short transcript (CTO-S) proved to be encoded between the ul21 and ul22 genes in close vicinity of the replication origin (OriL) of the virus. The less abundant long RNA molecule (CTO-L) is a transcriptional readthrough product of the ul21 gene and overlaps OriL. These polyadenylated RNAs were characterized by ascertaining their nucleotide sequences with the Illumina HiScanSQ and Pacific Biosciences Real-Time (PacBio RSII) sequencing platforms and by analyzing their transcription kinetics through use of multi-time-point Real-Time RT-PCR and the PacBio RSII system. It emerged that transcription of the CTOs is fully dependent on the viral transactivator protein IE180 and CTO-S is not a microRNA precursor. We propose an interaction between the transcription and replication machineries at this genomic location, which might play an important role in the regulation of DNA synthesis.