Identification of an initial site of interaction and possible helix destabilizing activity preceding initiation of protein synthesis from retrovirus RNA.

Hybrid arrest of translation initiation (HARTI) assays with a series of oligodeoxyribonucleotides demonstrated that in rabbit reticulocyte lysate (RRL), the initial binding of protein synthesizing components to Rous sarcoma virus RNA requires only the penultimate guanosine and cap structure. Assays of DNA:RNA heteroduplex stability in RRL suggest that helix destabilizing activities then play a role in subsequent initiation of protein synthesis.