Hairpin loop structure of African swine fever virus DNA. |
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Authors: | A Gonzlez A Talavera J M Almendral and E Viuela |
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Institution: | A González, A Talavera, J M Almendral, and E Viñuela |
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Abstract: | The ends of African swine fever virus genome are formed by a 37 nucleotide-long hairpin loop composed, almost entirely, of incompletely paired A and T residues. The loops at each DNA end were present in two equimolar forms that, when compared in opposite polarities, were inverted and complementary (flip-flop), as in the case of poxvirus DNA. The hairpin loops of African swine fever and vaccinia virus DNAs had no homology, but both DNAs had a 16 nucleotide-long sequence, close to the hairpin loops, with an homology of about 80%. An analysis of African swine fever virus replicating DNA showed head-to-head and tail-to-tail linked molecules that may be replicative intermediates. |
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