title: The vesicular stomatitis virus L protein possesses the mRNA methyltransferase activities.
abstract: We have previously shown that the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) host range mutant, hr 1, is completely defective for the mRNA methyltransferase activities, but can synthesize full-length, unmethylated mRNAs in vitro [S. M. Horikami and S. A. Moyer (1982). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 7694-7698] and in vivo [S. M. Horikami, F. De Ferra, and S. A. Moyer (1984). Virology 138, 1-15]. Here we have used the hr 1 mutant to identify the viral protein which possesses the methyltransferase activities. The wild-type VSV L and NS proteins, subunits of the viral RNA polymerase, were separately purified and added to high salt dissociated mutant hr 1 nucleocapsids for in vitro transcription reactions. The results show that the purified wild-type L protein, but not the NS protein, restores methylation and thus possesses the viral mRNA methyltransferase activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hercyk
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Horikami
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Moyer
mesh_terms: D002213:Capsid / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D014758:Viral Core Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014758:Viral Core Proteins; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D008780:Methyltransferases; C040530:L protein, vesicular stomatitis virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase