title: Evidence that the genomic RNA of hepatitis E virus is capped.
abstract: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an unclassified virus with a positive-sense RNA genome and an undefined replication strategy. In order to determine whether the HEV genome is capped or not, we developed a reverse transcription-PCR assay that is based on the ability of a monoclonal antibody to recognize 7-methylguanosine (m(7)G). Antibody to m(7)G bound RNA extracted from virions of two different HEV genotypes. The cap analog competitively inhibited the binding of virion RNAs, demonstrating that HEV has a capped RNA genome.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis Viruses and Molecular Hepatitis Sections, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.ykabrane@atlas.niaid.nih.gov
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kabrane-Lazizi
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: S U
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Emerson
mesh_terms: D016679:Genome, Viral; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000235:genetics*; D012314:RNA Cap Analogs / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012314:RNA Cap Analogs; D012367:RNA, Viral