The Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus cis-Acting Replication Element (cre) Can Be Complemented in trans within Infected Cells

A temperature-sensitive (ts) mutation was identified within the 5′-untranslated region of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) RNA. The mutation destabilizes a stem-loop structure recently identified as a cis-acting replication element (cre). Genetic analyses indicated that the ts defect in virus replication could be complemented. Thus, the FMDV cre can function in trans. It is suggested that the cre be renamed a 3B-uridylylation site (bus).