The SARS-CoV-2 UTR’s Intrudes Host RBP’s and Modulates Cellular Splicing

Figure 3

SARS-CoV-2 5′UTR and 3′UTR overexpression influences host pre-mRNA splicing: (a) schematic representation of primers used for splicing assays. Boxes indicate the exon, while lines indicate the intron. Arrow suggests the position of primers used in the study. (b) 293T cells were transfected with increasing concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2 µg) of either empty vector (pcDNA3.1) or recombinant pcDNA3.1 encoding the SARS-CoV-2 3′UTR. Total RNA was isolated 24 hours post-transfection. Alternate splicing of MORC3, THOC2, HNRNPLL, and CRNKL1 was probed using RT-PCR. Actin was used as a loading control. (c) 293T cells were transfected with increasing concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2 µg) of either empty vector (pcDNA3.1) or recombinant pcDNA3.1 encoding the SARS-CoV-2 5′UTRs. Total RNA was isolated 24 hours post-transfection. Alternate splicing of MORC3, THOC2, HNRNPLL, and CRNKL1 was probed using RT-PCR. Actin was used as a loading control. Statistical significance was determined using two-way ANOVA: ; ; .

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