Hepatitis C alternative reading frame stem-loop

Hepatitis C alternative reading frame stem-loop is a conserved secondary structure motif identified in the RNA genome of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) which is proposed to have an important role in regulating translation and repression of the viral genome. The core protein-coding region of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome contains a +1 alternative reading frame (ARF) and two proposed phylogenetically conserved RNA helix-forming stem loop structures [1]. The proteins translated from the ARF appear to be translated during the normal viral life cycle but are not essential to virus replication [1]. The two predicted stem loops shown here (SLV and SLVI) are proposed to be important for HCV translation and repression [1]. These stem loops are located downstream of the Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) but their functional role is unknown [1].