The genome of cocksfoot mottle virus (CfMV) is a positive-sense ssRNA molecule of 4082 nucleotides as revealed by sequencing the entire genome. The 5′-untranslated region of the genome is 69 nucleotides and the 3′-untranslated region is 225 nucleotides in length. The coding region contains four open reading frames (ORFs). The organization of CfMV ORFs differs significantly from that of the previously sequenced sobemoviruses southern bean mosaic virus and rice yellow mottle virus. ORF1 encodes a protein having a calculated molecular mass of 12.3 kDa. The function of this protein is unknown. The next ORF codes for the putative VPg and serine protease. The ORF2a product consists of 568 amino acids, with a calculated molecular mass of 60.9 kDa. The replicase of CfMV is translated as part of a polyprotein by -1 ribosomal frameshifting in ORF2a. The calculated molecular mass of the transframe protein is 103.4 kDa. ORF3 encodes the 27.6 kDa coat protein. This has been verified by amino acid sequencing of the CfMV coat protein N terminus. Northern blots of total RNA from CfMV-infected barley leaves reveal the 4.1 kb genomic RNA band and one virus-specific band of 1.2 kb, which may represent a subgenomic RNA for coat protein synthesis.

The fission yeast interphase spindle pole body (SPB) is a bipartite structure in which a bulky cytoplasmic domain is separated from a nuclear component by the nuclear envelope. During mitosis, the SPB is incorporated into a fenestra that forms within the envelope during mitotic commitment. Closure of this fenestra during anaphase B/mitotic exit returns the cytoplasmic component to the cytoplasmic face of an intact interphase nuclear envelope. Here we show that Brr6 is transiently recruited to SPBs at both SPB insertion and extrusion. Brr6 is required for both SPB insertion and nuclear envelope integrity during anaphase B/mitotic exit. Genetic interactions with apq12 and defective sterol assimilation suggest that Brr6 may alter envelope composition at SPBs to promote SPB insertion and extrusion. The restriction of the Brr6 domain to eukaryotes that use a polar fenestra in an otherwise closed mitosis suggests a conserved role in fenestration to enable a single microtubule organizing center to nucleate both cytoplasmic and nuclear microtubules on opposing sides of the nuclear envelope.

Interactions between subunits in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ribosome are mediated by universal and eukaryote-specific intersubunit bridges. Universal bridges are positioned close to the ribosomal functional centers, while eukaryote-specific bridges are mainly located on the periphery of the ribosome. Two bridges, eB13 and B6, are formed by the ribosomal protein eL24. The eukaryotic eL24 is composed of an N-terminal domain, a linker region and a C-terminal α-helix. Here, the functions of different domains of eL24 in the S. cerevisiae ribosome were evaluated. The C-terminal domain and the linker region of the eL24 form eukaryote-specific eB13 bridge. Phenotypic characterization of the eL24 deletion mutants indicated that the functional integrity of the eB13 bridge mainly depends on the protein–protein contacts between eL24 and eS6. Further investigation showed importance of the eB13 bridge in the subunit joining in vivo and in vitro. In vitro translation assay demonstrated the role of the eB13 bridge in both initiation and elongation steps of translation. Intriguingly, results of in vitro translation experiment suggest involvement of the N-terminal domain of eL24 in the translation initiation. Therefore, eL24 performs number of tasks required for the optimal ribosome functionality.

The polyprotein ofCocksfoot mottle virus(CfMV; genusSobemovirus) is translated from two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs) 2a and 2b by a −1 ribosomal frameshifting mechanism. In this study, a 12 kDa protein was purified from viral RNA-derived samples that appears to correspond to the CfMV genome-linked protein (VPg). According to the determined N-terminal amino acid sequence, the VPg domain is located between the serine proteinase and replicase motifs and the N terminus of VPg is cleaved from the polyprotein between glutamic acid and asparagine residues. Western blot analysis of infected plant material showed that the polyprotein is processed at several additional sites. An antiserum against the ORF 2a product recognized six distinct proteins, whereas, of these, the VPg antiserum clearly recognized only a 24 kDa protein. This indicates that the fully processed 12 kDa VPg detected in viral RNA-derived samples is a minor product in infected plants. An antiserum against the ORF 2b product recognized a 58 kDa protein, which indicates that the fully processed replicase is entirely or almost entirely encoded by ORF 2b. The origin of the detected cleavage products and a proposed polyprotein processing model are discussed.