• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.115-122
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• 2001

Potato virus X (PVX) is a flexuous rod-shaped virus containing a single plus-strand RNA. Viral RNA synthesis is precisely regulated by regulatory viral sequences and by viral and/or host proteins. RNA sequence element as well as stable RNA stem-loop structure in the 5' end of the genome affect accumulation of genomic RNA and subgenomic RNA (sgRNA). The putative sgRNA promoter regions upstream of the PVX triple gene block (TB) and coat protein (CP) gene were critical for both TB and CP sgRNA accumulation. Mutations that disrupted complementarity between a region at the 5' end of the genomic RNA and the sequences located upstream of each sgRNA initiation site is important for PVX RNA accumulation. Compensatory mutations that restore complementarity restored sgRNA accumulation levels. However, the extent of reductions in RNA levels did not directly correlate with the degree of complementarity, suggesting that the sequences of these elements are also important. Gel-retardation assays showed that the 5' end of the positive-strand RNA formed an RNA-protein complex with cellular proteins, suggesting possible involvement of cellular proteins for PVX replication. Future studies on cellular protein binding to the PVX RNA and their role in virus replication will bring a fresh understanding of PVX RNA replication.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.1146-1152
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• 2011

The discovery of 2'-spirocyclopropyl-ribocytidine (J. Med. Chem. 2010, 53, 8150-8160) as a potent inhibitor of RNA synthesis by NS5B ($IC_{50}=7.3{\mu}M$), the RNA polymerase encoded by hepatitis C Virus (HCV), has led to the synthesis and biological evaluation of several carbocyclic versions of 2'-spiropropyl-nucleosides. The cyclopentenol intermediate 7 was successfully constructed via ring-closing metathesis (RCM) from divinyl 6. Spirocyclopropanation of enone 8 was effected by using (2-chloroethyl)-dimethylsulfonium iodide and potassium tert-butoxide to form the desired intermediate 9. The synthesized nucleoside analogues 21-24 were assayed for their ability to inhibit HCV RNA replication in a subgenomic replicon Huh7 cell line. Among them, the cytosine nucleoside analogue 22 exhibited significant anti-HCV activity ($EC_{50}= 8.2{\mu}M$).

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2626-2630
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• 2009

2'($\beta$)-Hydroxymethylated adenosine is a potent and selective inhibitor of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication. It targets the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of HCV, NS5B. Synthesis and antiviral evaluation of carbocyclic versions are described. The cyclopentene intermediate ($9\beta$) was successfully synthesized through sequential Johnson-Claisen orthoester rearrangement and ring-closing metathesis (RCM). Coupling of bases via a Pd(0) catalyst, selective dihydroxylation, and desilylation yielded the target nucleoside analogues. The compounds 17 and 18 were assayed for their ability to inhibit HCV RNA replication in a subgenomic replicon Huh7 cell line and showed moderate antiviral activity with toxicity up to 20.0 and 24.7 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1634-1639
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• 2006

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-encoded nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) possesses RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity, which is considered essential for viral proliferation. Thus, HCV NS5B is a good therapeutic target protein for the development of anti-HCV agents. In this study, we isolated two different kinds of nuclease-resistant RNA aptamers with 2'-fluoro pyrimidines against the HCV NS5B from a combinatorial RNA library with 40 nucleotide random sequences, using SELEX technology. The isolated RNA aptamers were observed to specifically and avidly bind the HCV NS5B with an apparent $K_d$ of 5 nM and 18 nM, respectively, in contrast with the original RNA library that hardly bound the target protein. Moreover, these aptamers could partially inhibit RNA synthesis of the HCV subgenomic replicon when transfected into Huh-7 hepatoma cell lines. These results suggest that the RNA aptamers selected in vitro could be useful not only as therapeutic agents of HCV infection but also as a powerful tool for the study of the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase mechanism.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.915-920
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• 2010

A novel 2',4'-dimethyl carbocyclic adenosine 5'-phosphonic acid analogue (20) was prepared using acyclic stereoselective route from commercially available 4-hydroxybutan-2-one (4). To improve cellular permeability and enhance the anti-HCV activity of this phosphonic acid, a 3',5'-cyclic SATE phosphonodiester nucleoside prodrug (22) was prepared. The synthesized phosphonic nucleoside analogues, (20) and (22), were assayed for their ability to inhibit HCV RNA replication in a subgenomic replicon Huh7 cell line.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.83-86
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• 2003

Major advances in positive-sense RNA virus research have been facilitated by the development of reverse genetics systems. These systems consist of an infectious cDNA clone that encompasses the genome of the virus in question. This clone is then used as a template for the subsequent synthesis of infectious RNA for the generation of synthetic viruses. However, the construction of infectious cDNA for the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) has been repeatedly thwarted by the instability of its cDNA. As JEV is an important human pathogen that causes permanent neuropsychiatric sequelae and even fatal disease, a reliable reverse genetics system for this virus is highly desirable. The availability of this tool would greatly and the development of effective vaccines as well as facilitate studies into the basic biology of the virus, including the molecular mechanisms of viral replication, neurovirulence, and pathogenesis. We have successfully constructed a genetically stable infectious JEV cDNA containing full-length viral RNA genome. Synthetic RNA transcripts generated in vitro from the cDNA were highly infectious upon transfection into susceptible cells, and the cDNA remained stable after it had been propagated in E. coli for 180 generations. Using this infectious JEV cDNA, we have successfully expressed a variety of reporter genes from the full-length genomic and various subgenomic RNAs in vitro transcribed from functional JEV cDNAS. In summary, we have developed a reverse genetics system for JEV that will greatly facilitate the research on this virus in a variety of different fields. It will also be useful as a heterologous gene expression vector and aid the development of a vaccine against JEV.