The HIV-2 TAR RNA domain as a potential source of viral-encoded miRNA. A reconnaissance study.

Recently, it has been reported that HIV-1 TAR RNA element releases functionally competent miRNAs upon processing by Dicer enzyme. Here, we extend the analysis of miRNA viral-encoding potential to the TAR RNA of the HIV-2. Using in vitro Dicer cleavages and computer-aided analysis we have found that the 124-mer TAR RNA domain, present at the 5' end of HIV-2 mRNAs, putatively encodes pre-miRNAs. When deduced sequences of the viral-encoded miRNAs were matched against the database of human mRNA 3'-UTRs, it appeared that two miRNA candidates may target a large number of cellular transcripts.