RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Martínez-Salas, Encarnación A1 Pacheco, Almudena A1 Serrano, Paula A1 Fernandez, NoemiYR 2008 T1 New insights into internal ribosome entry site elements relevant for viral gene expression JF Journal of General Virology, VO 89 IS 3 SP 611 OP 626 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.83426-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB A distinctive feature of positive-strand RNA viruses is the presence of high-order structural elements at the untranslated regions (UTR) of the genome that are essential for viral RNA replication. The RNA of all members of the family Picornaviridae initiate translation internally, via an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) element present in the 5′ UTR. IRES elements consist of cis-acting RNA structures that usually require specific RNA-binding proteins for translational machinery recruitment. This specialized mechanism of translation initiation is shared with other viral RNAs, e.g. from hepatitis C virus and pestivirus, and represents an alternative to the cap-dependent mechanism. In cells infected with many picornaviruses, proteolysis or changes in phosphorylation of key host factors induces shut off of cellular protein synthesis. This event occurs simultaneously with the synthesis of viral gene products since IRES activity is resistant to the modifications of the host factors. Viral gene expression and RNA replication in positive-strand viruses is further stimulated by viral RNA circularization, involving direct RNA–RNA contacts between the 5′ and 3′ ends as well as RNA-binding protein bridges. In this review, we discuss novel insights into the mechanisms that control picornavirus gene expression and compare them to those operating in other positive-strand RNA viruses., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.83426-0