• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2021

Eukaryotic translation is initiated by either cap-dependent or cap-independent way, and the cap-independent translation can be initiated by the internal ribosomal entry site (IRES). In this study, to know whether the 5'UTR leader sequence of marine birnavirus (MABV) segment A and segment B can act as IRES, bicistronic vectors harboring a CMV promoter-driven red fluorescent gene (mCherry) and poliovirus IRES- or MABV's leader sequence-driven green fluorescent gene (eGFP) were constructed, then, transfected into a mammalian cell line (BHK-21 cells) and a fish cell line (CHSE-214 cells). The results showed that the poliovirus IRES worked well in BHK-21 cells, but did not work in CHSE-214 cells. In the evaluation of MABV's leader sequences, the reporter eGFP gene under the 5'UTR leader sequence of MABV's segment A was well-translated in CHSE-214 cells, indicating 5'UTR of MABV's segment A initiates translation in the cap-independent way and can be used as a fish-specific IRES system. However, the 5'UTR leader sequence of MABV's segment B did not initiate translation in CHSE-214 cells. As the precise mechanism of birnavirid IRES-mediated translation is not known, more elaborate investigations are needed to uncover why the leader sequence of segment B could not initiate translation in the present study. In addition, further studies on the host species range of MABV's segment A IRES and on the screening of other fish-specific IRESs are needed.