Rift Valley fever phlebovirus RNA packaging CLIP-seq Raw sequence reads

RVFV is an enveloped virus, carrying a tripartite, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA genome composed of L, M and S RNAs. In addition, antigenomic S RNA, carrying the complementary sequence of the S RNA, is efficiently packaged into virions. Interaction between a viral envelope protein, Gn, and viral ribonucleoproteins, composed of encapsidated genomes carrying N and L proteins, is important for packaging of RVFV RNAs. However, it is unknown how the Gn-viral ribonucleoprotein interaction is initiated and established. The present study used CLIP-seq analysis to show the presence of multiple Gn-binding sites in the viral RNAs and identified a viral RNA region that promoted the efficient packaging of antigenomic S RNA, which was important for the inhibition of the early induction of host antiviral activity upon infection. Our study further illuminates the mechanism of RVFV RNA packaging and suggests a new strategy for the generation of a safer live-attenuated RVFV vaccine based on altering the packaging efficiency of viral RNAs.