Selection of functional tRNA primers and primer binding site sequences from a retroviral combinatorial library: identification of new functional tRNA primers in murine leukemia virus replication

摘要

Retroviral reverse transcription is initiated from a cellular tRNA molecule and all known exogenous isolates of murine leukemia virus utilise a tRNAPro molecule. While several studies suggest flexibility in murine leukemia virus primer utilisation, studies on human immunodeficiency virus and avian retro-viruses have revealed evidence of molecular adapt-ation towards the specific tRNA isoacceptor used as replication primer. In this study, murine leukemia virus tRNA utilisation is investigated by in vivo screening of a retroviral vector combinatorial library with randomised primer binding sites. While most of the selected primer binding sites are complementary to the 3′-end of tRNAPro, we also retrieved PBS sequences matching four other tRNA molecules and demonstrate that Akv murine leukemia virus vectors may efficiently replicate using tRNAArg(CCU), tRNAPhe(GAA) and a hitherto unknown human tRNASer(CGA).