Plant Ewan P, Dinman Jonathan D
Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Front Biosci. 2008 May 1;13:4873-81. doi: 10.2741/3046.
Coronaviruses have the potential to cause significant economic, agricultural and health problems. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) associated coronavirus outbreak in late 2002, early 2003 called attention to the potential damage that coronaviruses could cause in the human population. The ensuing research has enlightened many to the molecular biology of coronaviruses. A programmed -1 ribosomal frameshift is required by coronaviruses for the production of the RNA dependent RNA polymerase which in turn is essential for viral replication. The frameshifting signal encoded in the viral genome has additional features that are not essential for frameshifting. Elucidation of the differences between coronavirus frameshift signals and signals from other viruses may help our understanding of these features. Here we summarize current knowledge and add additional insight regarding the function of the programmed -1 ribosomal frameshift signal in the coronavirus lifecycle.
冠状病毒有引发重大经济、农业和健康问题的可能性。2002年末至2003年初与严重急性呼吸综合征（SARS）相关的冠状病毒爆发，使人们注意到冠状病毒可能对人类造成的潜在损害。随后的研究让许多人了解了冠状病毒的分子生物学。冠状病毒产生依赖RNA的RNA聚合酶需要程序性-1核糖体移码，而这种聚合酶对病毒复制至关重要。病毒基因组中编码的移码信号还有其他对移码并非必需的特征。阐明冠状病毒移码信号与其他病毒信号之间的差异可能有助于我们理解这些特征。在此，我们总结当前的知识，并对程序性-1核糖体移码信号在冠状病毒生命周期中的功能提供更多见解。
