This laboratory studies the molecular biology of the replication of positive strand RNA viruses, focussing on turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV), a small virus with a simple genome consisting of one strand of RNA. A long-standing interest is the understanding of the role of the transfer RNA mimicry of the 3´-end of the viral genome, an interest that has led to studies on the RNA binding properties of the translation elongation factor EF-1a (eEF1A). Our interest in the replication of viral RNA has led to studies of transcription by Qß replicase.