A 3' terminal stem-loop structure in Nodamura virus RNA2 forms an essential cis-acting signal for RNA replication.

Nodamura virus (NoV; family Nodaviridae) contains a bipartite positive-strand RNA genome that replicates via negative-strand intermediates. The specific structural and sequence determinants for initiation of nodavirus RNA replication have not yet been identified. For the related nodavirus Flock House virus (FHV) undefined sequences within the 3'-terminal 50 nucleotides (nt) of FHV RNA2 are essential for its replication.