Positive strand RNA viruses differ in the constraints they place on the folding of their negative strand

Rbzs embedded in the [−] RNA of HCV suppress replication irrespective of the position they are located at. (A) Schematic depiction of HCV gt2a replicons carrying two copies of the N79 Rbz positioned at two different locations within their [−] RNA. (B) Replication data from the constructs depicted in A as well as from replication-competent and replication-defective controls lacking the inserted Rbz sequence. Significant differences between the (ko/ko) construct and other 2× N79 containing constructs are highlighted ([*] P < 0.05; one-way ANOVA; n = 3). No significant differences were observed between other 2× N79 experimental groups.