Translation Termination Reinitiation between Open Reading Frame 1 (ORF1) and ORF2 Enables Capsid Expression in a Bovine Norovirus without the Need for Production of Viral Subgenomic RNA

Abstract

ABSTRACT A generally accepted view of norovirus replication is that capsid expression requires production of a subgenomic transcript, the presence of capsid often being used as a surrogate marker to indicate the occurrence of viral replication. Using a polymerase II-based baculovirus delivery system, we observed capsid expression following introduction of a full-length genogroup 3 norovirus genome into HepG2 cells. However, capsid expression occurred as a result of a novel translation termination/reinitiation event between the nonstructural-protein and capsid open reading frames, a feature that may be unique to genogroup 3 noroviruses.