DELETIONS IN THE 3'-TERMINAL TRANSFER RNA-LIKE STRUCTURE OF BROME MOSAIC-VIRUS RNA DIFFERENTIALLY AFFECT AMINOACYLATION AND REPLICATION INVITRO

Deletions in cDNA clones covering the 3'' 201 nucleotides of brome mosaic virus RNA 3 were produced by S1 nuclease treatment of cloned DNA linearized at several different restriction sites. Transcription of these clones yielded RNAs containing structural alterations in the 3''-terminal tRNA-like structure that is involved in aminoacylation and replication. Replicase template activity, but not aminoacylation activity, was especially sensitive to deletions in arm C, which contains a tyrosyl anticodon. Deletions in arm B were detrimental to aminoacylation, bu the proportion of replicase template activity lost depended on the site of deletion. Removal of arm D had little effect on aminoacylation and, in some instances, resulted in a 2-fold stimulation of replicate template activity.