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Can HIV prime with any other tRNA albeit at lower efficiency?

April 26, 2017albeit efficiency lower Prime tRNA

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Can HIV prime with any other tRNA albeit at lower efficiency?

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No, HIV cannot prime with any other tRNA. Analysis of the RNA sequences for HIV isolates in the public domain contain no examples of a PBS complementary to any tRNA other than tRNALys3. The exclusive use of tRNALys3 as a primer extends to all lentiviruses. Extensive efforts to study mutated PBS found rapid reversion back to tRNALys3 in culture. Reversion back to Lys3 is observed, even when the entire sequence is mutated to one that is complementary to another tRNA.