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The highly structured 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus is involved in cap-independent translation of the viral RNA. Previously, we reported that the bicistronic mRNA chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-5' UTR-luciferase (Luc) efficiently expressed Luc both in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate and when transfected into BHK-21 cells. Insertion of 3 nucleotides at position 665 in the 5' UTR of this bicistronic mRNA resulted in greatly reduced Luc expression in BHK-21 cells but had little effect on expression of Luc in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. This mutation was also introduced into a virulent Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus chimera, Chi-VL. The kinetics of viral RNA and protein synthesis and virus production in BHK-21 cells were slower for the mutant chimera [Chi-VL(IN668)] than for Chi-VL; however, the final virus yields were comparable. Intracerebral inoculation of mice with the chimeras revealed that Chi-VL(IN668) was completely attenuated in neurovirulence. The reduced neurovirulence of Chi-VL(IN668) may be ascribed to its reduced growth in the central nervous system, most likely due to an impaired ability to synthesize viral proteins.

The RNA genome of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis viruses, a picornavirus belonging to the genus Cardiovirus, is translated in infected cells to a polyprotein. Unlike cellular messages, the 5' end of the RNA is not capped, and the untranslated region (UTR) is quite long (1,064 nucleotides in size). In poliovirus and encephalomyocarditis virus, the 5'UTR is thought to mediate cap-independent translation. We report here experiments to determine the role of the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus 5'UTR in translation. Recombinant DNAs were constructed that were transcribed into bicistronic mRNAs encoding 5' chloramphenicol acetyltransferase intercistronic sequences linked to luciferase and a poly(A) 3' tail. The sequences of the 5'UTR, either complete or with sequential 5' deletions, were inserted into the intercistronic region. Bicistronic RNA transcripts were translated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate or used to transfect BHK-21 cells, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and luciferase synthesis was quantitated. The results strongly suggest that the Theiler's virus 5'UTR promotes cap-independent translation and that the 5' boundary of the relevant signals resides 3' to nucleotide 500. Monocistronic mRNAs were synthesized by using an expression vector in which the 5'UTR containing deletions at the 3' terminus was inserted 5' to the coding sequences for luciferase. Analysis of luciferase translation in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate suggests that the 3' end of the translation initiation signal lies between nucleotides 1043 and 1053.

The thymidine kinase gene encoded by herpesvirus of turkeys has been identified and characterized. A viral mutant (ATR0) resistant to 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylthymine was isolated. This mutant was also resistant to 1-(2-fluoro-2-deoxy-beta-D-arabinofuronosyl)-5-methyluracil and was unable to incorporate [125I]deoxycytidine into DNA. The mutant phenotype was rescued by a cloned region of the turkey herpesvirus genome whose DNA sequence was found to contain an open reading frame similar to that for known thymidine kinases from other viruses. When expressed in Escherichia coli, this open reading frame complemented a thymidine kinase-deficient strain and resulted in thymidine kinase activity in extracts assayed in vitro.