Internal translation initiation on the foot-and-mouth disease virus IRES is affected by ribosomal stalk conformation

Martínez-Azorín, Francisco; Remacha, Miguel; Martínez-Salas, Encarnación; Ballesta, Juan P.G.

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2008.07.039

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Volume 582, Issue 20 , Pages 3029-3032, 3 September 2008

Internal translation initiation on the foot-and-mouth disease virus IRES is affected by ribosomal stalk conformation

Edited by Gianni Cesareni

Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Canto Blanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain

Received 26 May 2008; received in revised form 30 June 2008; accepted 18 July 2008. published online 01 August 2008.

Abstract

A human cell line, in which expression of the ribosomal stalk proteins P1 and P2 has been suppressed by RNAi technology, has been used to test how the loss of these proteins affects IRES-dependent translation. Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) IRES-dependent translation from a bicistronic construct is about three fold higher in the P1/P2-depleted cells than in control cells in the presence of Lb protease. By contrast, no effect on Hepatitis C virus (HCV) IRES translation was observed. These results emphasize the functional heterogeneity of the IRES and they highlight a functional connection between the ribosomal stalk and picornavirus IRES-dependent translation.

Keywords: Ribosomal stalk, Translation initiation, IRES, Mammalian cell