In addition to the protein coding information, viral RNA genomes code functional\ninformation in structurally conserved units termed functional RNA domains. These RNA domains\nplay essential roles in the viral cycle (e.g., replication and translation). Understanding the molecular\nmechanisms behind their function is essential to understanding the viral infective cycle. Further,\ninterfering with the function of the genomic RNA domains offers a potential means of developing\nantiviral strategies. Aptamers are good candidates for targeting structural RNA domains. Besides its\npotential as therapeutics, aptamers also provide an excellent tool for investigating the functionality\nof RNA domains in viral genomes. This review briefly summarizes the work carried out in our\nlaboratory aimed at the structural and functional characterization of the hepatitis C virus (HCV)\ngenomic RNA domains. It also describes the efforts we carried out for the development of antiviral\naptamers targeting specific genomic domains of the HCV and the human immunodeficiency virus\ntype-1 (HIV-1).
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