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. 1978 Jan;25(1):312–318. doi: 10.1128/jvi.25.1.312-318.1978

Common Sequence at the 5′ Ends of the Segmented RNA Genomes of Influenza A and B Viruses

Bernard Moss 1, Jerry M Keith 1, Alan Gershowitz 1, Mary B Ritchey 2,†, Peter Palese 2
PMCID: PMC353928  PMID: 621778

Abstract

Guanylyl- and methyltransferases, isolated from purified vaccinia virus, were used to specifically label the 5′ ends of the genome RNAs of influenza A and B viruses. All eight segments were labeled with [α-32P]guanosine 5′-triphosphate or S-adenosyl[methyl-3H]methionine to form “cap” structures of the type m7G(5′)pppNm-, of which unmethylated (p)ppN- represents the original 5′ end. Further analyses indicated that m7G(5′)pppAm, m7G(5′)pppAmpGp, and m7G(5′)pppAmpGpUp were released from total and individual labeled RNA segments by digestion with nuclease P1, RNase T1, and RNase A, respectively. Consequently, the 5′-terminal sequences of most or all individual genome RNAs of influenza A and B viruses were deduced to be (p)ppApGpUp. The presence of identical sequences at the ends of RNA segments of both types of influenza viruses indicates that they have been specifically conserved during evolution.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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