@article {412,
	title = {The VS catalytic RNA replicates by reverse transcription as a satellite of a retroplasmid.},
	journal = {Genes Dev},
	volume = {9},
	number = {3},
	year = {1995},
	month = {1995 Feb 1},
	pages = {294-303},
	abstract = {The mitochondria of certain natural isolates of Neurospora contain both the Varkud plasmid, which encodes a reverse transcriptase, and a small unrelated RNA (VS RNA) that performs RNA-mediated self-cleavage and ligation reactions. Here, we show that VS RNA is transcribed from a VS plasmid DNA template by the Neurospora mitochondrial RNA polymerase using a promoter located immediately upstream of the RNA self-cleavage site that generates monomeric transcripts. VS RNA is then reverse transcribed by the Varkud plasmid reverse transcriptase to yield a full-length (-) strand cDNA, a predicted replication intermediate. Combined with previous genetic evidence, our results indicate that the VS plasmid replicates by reverse transcription as a satellite of the Varkud plasmid. This mode of replication, unprecedented for a satellite RNA, likely reflects the promiscuity of the Varkud plasmid reverse transcriptase, which does not require a specific primer to initiate cDNA synthesis. Our findings indicate how primitive reverse transcriptases with similar relaxed specificity could have facilitated the evolution of new retroelements.},
	keywords = {Base Sequence, Blotting, Northern, DNA, Complementary, DNA, Mitochondrial, Molecular Sequence Data, Neurospora, Plasmids, RNA, RNA, Satellite, RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase, Transcription, Genetic, Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus},
	issn = {0890-9369},
	author = {Kennell, J C and Saville, B J and Mohr, S and Kuiper, M T and Sabourin, J R and Collins, R A and Lambowitz, A M}
}
