IRESite: the database of experimentally verified IRES structures ()

IRESite is an exhaustive, manually annotated non-redundant relational database focused on the IRES elements (Internal Ribosome Entry Site) and containing information not available in the primary public databases. IRES elements were originally found in eukaryotic viruses hijacking initiation of translation of their host. Later on, they were also discovered in 5′-untranslated regions of some eukaryotic mRNA molecules. Currently, IRESite presents up to 92 biologically relevant aspects of every experiment, e.g. the nature of an IRES element, its functionality/defectivity, origin, size, sequence, structure, its relative position with respect to surrounding protein coding regions, positive/negative controls used in the experiment, the reporter genes used to monitor IRES activity, the measured reporter protein yields/activities, and references to original publications as well as cross-references to other databases, and also comments from submitters and our curators. Furthermore, the site presents the known similarities to rRNA sequences as well as RNA–protein interactions. Special care is given to the annotation of promoter-like regions. The annotated data in IRESite are bound to mostly complete, full-length mRNA, and whenever possible, accompanied by original plasmid vector sequences. New data can be submitted through the publicly available web-based interface at and are curated by a team of lab-experienced biologists

IRESite—a tool for the examination of viral and cellular internal ribosome entry sites

The IRESite (http://www.iresite.org) presents carefully curated experimental evidence of many eukaryotic viral and cellular internal ribosome entry site (IRES) regions. At the time of submission, IRESite stored >600 records. The IRESite gradually evolved into a robust tool providing (i) biologically meaningful information regarding the IRESs and their experimental background (including annotation of IRES secondary structures and IRES trans-acting factors) as well as (ii) thorough concluding remarks to stored database entries and regularly updated evaluation of the reported IRES function. A substantial portion of the IRESite data results purely from in-house bioinformatic analyses of currently available sequences, in silico attempts to repeat published cloning experiments, DNA sequencing and restriction endonuclease verification of received plasmid DNA. We also present a newly implemented tool for displaying RNA secondary structures and for searching through the structures currently stored in the database. The supplementary material contains an updated list of reported IRESs

Importance of 5'-end structures of eukaryotic mRNA molecules

73 V. SHRNUTÍ VÝSLEDKŮ IRESITE: THE DATABASE OF EXPERIMENTALLY VERIFIED IRES STRUCTURES (WWW.IRESITE.ORG) IRESite je kurátorovaná relační databáze typu MySQL-4.1 využívající InnoDB tabulky. Do databáze je možné vložit položky dvojího typu: o natural položky obsahují veškerá experimentální data týkající se určité IRES struktury (kompletní sekvence mRNA s vymezením pozic IRES sekvence a kódovaného proteinu, veškeré proteiny interagující s IRES, případná sekundární struktura) o engineered položky popisují uměle vytvořené plazmidy. Většinou se jedná o bicistronní plazmidy sloužící k testování funkčnosti sekvence, o níž se předpokládá, že obsahuje IRES element, a případné mutantní deriváty této sekvence. Do IRESite se v tomto případě vkládají údaje o sekvenci mRNA s vymezením IRES oblasti, informace o reportérových proteinech, informace o translačních experimentech včetně použitého promotoru a informace o pozitivních a negativních kontrolách. V databázi je nyní uloženo 288 položek; 67 natural (20 virových a 47 buněčných) a 221 engineered. IRESite slouží nejen k ukládání experimentálních dat, ale umožňuje také jejich prohledávání podle klíčových slov, případně následné porovnávání vybraných experimentů. A BIOINFORMATICAL APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF VIRAL AND CELLULAR INTERNAL RIBOSOME ENTRY Publikace...73 V. SHRNUTÍ VÝSLEDKŮ IRESITE: THE DATABASE OF EXPERIMENTALLY VERIFIED IRES STRUCTURES (WWW.IRESITE.ORG) IRESite je kurátorovaná relační databáze typu MySQL-4.1 využívající InnoDB tabulky. Do databáze je možné vložit položky dvojího typu: o natural položky obsahují veškerá experimentální data týkající se určité IRES struktury (kompletní sekvence mRNA s vymezením pozic IRES sekvence a kódovaného proteinu, veškeré proteiny interagující s IRES, případná sekundární struktura) o engineered položky popisují uměle vytvořené plazmidy. Většinou se jedná o bicistronní plazmidy sloužící k testování funkčnosti sekvence, o níž se předpokládá, že obsahuje IRES element, a případné mutantní deriváty této sekvence. Do IRESite se v tomto případě vkládají údaje o sekvenci mRNA s vymezením IRES oblasti, informace o reportérových proteinech, informace o translačních experimentech včetně použitého promotoru a informace o pozitivních a negativních kontrolách. V databázi je nyní uloženo 288 položek; 67 natural (20 virových a 47 buněčných) a 221 engineered. IRESite slouží nejen k ukládání experimentálních dat, ale umožňuje také jejich prohledávání podle klíčových slov, případně následné porovnávání vybraných experimentů. A BIOINFORMATICAL APPROACH TO THE ANALYSIS OF VIRAL AND CELLULAR INTERNAL RIBOSOME ENTRY Publikace...Department of Genetics and MicrobiologyKatedra genetiky a mikrobiologiePřírodovědecká fakultaFaculty of Scienc

HCVIVdb: The hepatitis-C IRES variation database

Background: Sequence variability in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome has led to the development and classification of six genotypes and a number of subtypes. The HCV 5′ untranslated region mainly comprises an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) responsible for cap-independent synthesis of the viral polyprotein and is conserved among all HCV genotypes. Description: Considering the possible high impact of variations in HCV IRES on viral protein production and thus virus replication, we decided to collect the available data on known nucleotide variants in the HCV IRES and their impact on IRES function in translation initiation. The HCV IRES variation database (HCVIVdb) is a collection of naturally occurring and engineered mutation entries for the HCV IRES. Each entry contains contextual information pertaining to the entry such as the HCV genotypic background and links to the original publication. Where available, quantitative data on the IRES efficiency in translation have been collated along with details on the reporter system used to generate the data. Data are displayed both in a tabular and graphical formats and allow direct comparison of results from different experiments. Together the data provide a central resource for researchers in the IRES and hepatitis C-oriented fields. Conclusion: The collation of over 1900 mutations enables systematic analysis of the HCV IRES. The database is mainly dedicated to detailed comparative and functional analysis of all the HCV IRES domains, which can further lead to the development of site-specific drug designs and provide a guide for future experiments. HCVIVdb is available at http://www.hcvivdb.org

HCVIVdb: The hepatitis-C IRES variation database

Background: Sequence variability in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome has led to the development and classification of six genotypes and a number of subtypes. The HCV 5′ untranslated region mainly comprises an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) responsible for cap-independent synthesis of the viral polyprotein and is conserved among all HCV genotypes. Description: Considering the possible high impact of variations in HCV IRES on viral protein production and thus virus replication, we decided to collect the available data on known nucleotide variants in the HCV IRES and their impact on IRES function in translation initiation. The HCV IRES variation database (HCVIVdb) is a collection of naturally occurring and engineered mutation entries for the HCV IRES. Each entry contains contextual information pertaining to the entry such as the HCV genotypic background and links to the original publication. Where available, quantitative data on the IRES efficiency in translation have been collated along with details on the reporter system used to generate the data. Data are displayed both in a tabular and graphical formats and allow direct comparison of results from different experiments. Together the data provide a central resource for researchers in the IRES and hepatitis C-oriented fields. Conclusion: The collation of over 1900 mutations enables systematic analysis of the HCV IRES. The database is mainly dedicated to detailed comparative and functional analysis of all the HCV IRES domains, which can further lead to the development of site-specific drug designs and provide a guide for future experiments. HCVIVdb is available at http://www.hcvivdb.org

Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus IRES Quasispecies – From the Individual to the Pool

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus from the genus Hepacivirus. The viral genomic +RNA is 9.6 kb long and contains highly structured 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) and codes for a single large polyprotein, which is co- and post-translationally processed by viral and cellular proteases into at least 11 different polypeptides. Most of the 5′ UTR and an initial part of the polyprotein gene are occupied by an internal ribosome entry site (IRES), which mediates cap-independent translation of the viral proteins and allows the virus to overcome cellular antiviral defense based on the overall reduction of the cap-dependent translation initiation. We reconsidered published results concerning a search for possible correlation between patient response to interferon-based antiviral therapy and accumulation of nucleotide changes within the HCV IRES. However, we were unable to identify any such correlation. Rather than searching for individual mutations, we suggest to focus on determination of individual and collective activities of the HCV IRESs found in patient specimens. We developed a combined, fast, and undemanding approach based on high-throughput cloning of the HCV IRES species to a bicistronic plasmid followed by determination of the HCV IRES activity by flow cytometry. This approach can be adjusted for measurement of the individual HCV IRES activity and for estimation of the aggregate ability of the whole HCV population present in the specimen to synthesize viral proteins. To detect nucleotide variations in the individual IRESs, we used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis that greatly improved identification and classification of HCV IRES variants in the sample. We suggest that determination of the collective activity of the majority of HCV IRES variants present in one patient specimen in a given time represents possible functional relations among variant sequences within the complex population of viral quasispecies better than bare information about their nucleotide sequences. A similar approach might be used for monitoring of sequence variations in quasispecies populations of other RNA viruses in all cases when changes in primary sequence represent changes in measurable and easily quantifiable phenotypes

Firefly luciferase gene contains a cryptic promoter

A firefly luciferase (FLuc) counts among the most popular reporters of present-day molecular and cellular biology. In this study, we report a cryptic promoter activity in the luc+ gene, which is the most frequently used version of the firefly luciferase. The FLuc coding region displays cryptic promoter activity both in mammalian and yeast cells. In human CCL13 and Huh7 cells, cryptic transcription from the luc+ gene is 10–16 times weaker in comparison to the strong immediate-early cytomegalovirus promoter. Additionally, we discuss a possible impact of the FLuc gene cryptic promoter on experimental results especially in some fields of the RNA-oriented research, for example, in analysis of translation initiation or analysis of miRNA/siRNA function. Specifically, we propose how this newly described cryptic promoter activity within the FLuc gene might contribute to the previous determination of the strength of the cryptic promoter found in the cDNA corresponding to the hepatitis C virus internal ribosome entry site. Our findings should appeal to the researchers to be more careful when designing firefly luciferase-based assays as well as open the possibility of performing some experiments with the hepatitis C virus internal ribosome entry site, which could not be considered until now

Additional file 1: of HCVIVdb: The hepatitis-C IRES variation database

A list of online databases related to the hepatitis C virus. Sections are categorized based on the content of the database, tools available and the link to the relevant website and publication. (PDF 232 kb

Data_Sheet_1_Characterization of Hepatitis C Virus IRES Quasispecies – From the Individual to the Pool.PDF

<p>Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus from the genus Hepacivirus. The viral genomic +RNA is 9.6 kb long and contains highly structured 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) and codes for a single large polyprotein, which is co- and post-translationally processed by viral and cellular proteases into at least 11 different polypeptides. Most of the 5′ UTR and an initial part of the polyprotein gene are occupied by an internal ribosome entry site (IRES), which mediates cap-independent translation of the viral proteins and allows the virus to overcome cellular antiviral defense based on the overall reduction of the cap-dependent translation initiation. We reconsidered published results concerning a search for possible correlation between patient response to interferon-based antiviral therapy and accumulation of nucleotide changes within the HCV IRES. However, we were unable to identify any such correlation. Rather than searching for individual mutations, we suggest to focus on determination of individual and collective activities of the HCV IRESs found in patient specimens. We developed a combined, fast, and undemanding approach based on high-throughput cloning of the HCV IRES species to a bicistronic plasmid followed by determination of the HCV IRES activity by flow cytometry. This approach can be adjusted for measurement of the individual HCV IRES activity and for estimation of the aggregate ability of the whole HCV population present in the specimen to synthesize viral proteins. To detect nucleotide variations in the individual IRESs, we used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis that greatly improved identification and classification of HCV IRES variants in the sample. We suggest that determination of the collective activity of the majority of HCV IRES variants present in one patient specimen in a given time represents possible functional relations among variant sequences within the complex population of viral quasispecies better than bare information about their nucleotide sequences. A similar approach might be used for monitoring of sequence variations in quasispecies populations of other RNA viruses in all cases when changes in primary sequence represent changes in measurable and easily quantifiable phenotypes.</p