Transfer of 5'-terminal cap of globin mRNA to influenza viral complementary RNA during transcription in vitro.

We have recently demonstrated that globin mRNAs are effective primers for influenza viral RNA transcription in vitro catalyzed by the virion transcriptase [Bouloy, M., Plotch, S. J. & Krug, R. M. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75, 4886-4890]. Here, we present direct evidence that the 5'-terminal methylated cap of the globin mRNAs is transferred to viral complementary RNA (cRNA) during transcription. Chemical (beta-elimination) or enzymatic removal of the cap of globin mRNAs eliminated essentially all their priming activity. Much of this activity could be restored by recapping the beta-eliminated globin mRNAs with the vaccinia virus guanylyl and methyl transferases. Globin mRNAs containing (32)P label only in the cap (m(7)G(32)pppm(6)A(m)-) were prepared by recapping beta-eliminated globin mRNAs with the vaccinia virus enzymes, [alpha-(32)P]GTP, and unlabeled S-adenosylmethionine. By using this labeled globin mRNA as primer and unlabeled nucleoside triphosphates as precursors, the viral cRNA segments that were synthesized were shown to contain a (32)P-labeled 5'-terminal cap structure. Gel electrophoretic analysis indicated that the globin mRNA-primed cRNA segments were 10-15 nucleotides longer at their 5' end than ApG-primed cRNA segments, which initiate exactly at the 3' end of the virion RNA templates. This suggests that, in addition to the cap, about 10-15 other nucleotides are also transferred from the globin mRNA to viral cRNA. A mechanism for the priming of influenza viral cRNA synthesis by globin mRNA is proposed.