Biomaterial Database

Influenza virion transcriptase: synthesis in vitro of large, polyadenylic acid-containing complementary RNA. 1977

S J Plotch, and R M Krug

The influenza virion transcriptase is capable of synthesizing in vitro complementary RNA (cRNA) that is similar in several characteristics to the cRNA synthesized in the infected cell, which is the viral mRNA. Most of the in vitro cRNA is large (approximately 2.5 X 10(5) to 10(6) daltons), similar in size to in vivo cRNA. The in vitro transcripts initiate in adenosine (A) or guanosine (G) at the 5' end, as also appears to be the case with in vivo cRNA (R.M. Krug et al., 1976). The in vitro transcripts contain covalently linked polyadenylate [poly(A)] sequences, which are longer and more heterogeneous than the poly(A) sequences found on in vivo cRNA. The synthesis in vitro of cRNA with these characteristics requires both the proper divalent cation, Mg2+, and a specific dinulceside monophosphage (DNMP), ApG or GpG. These DNMPs stimulate cRNA synthesis about 100-fold in the presence of Mg2+ and act as primers to initiate RNA chains, as demonstrated by the fact that the 5'-phosphorylated derivatives of these DNMP's, 32pApG or 32pGpG, are incroporated at the 5' end of the product RNA. The RNA synthesized in vitro differs from in vivo cRNA in that neither capping nor methylation of the in vitro transcripts has been detected. The virion does contain a methylase activity, as shown by its ability to methylate exogenous methyl-deficient Escherichia coli tRNA.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008274	Magnesium	A metallic element that has the atomic symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and atomic weight 24.31. It is important for the activity of many enzymes, especially those involved in OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION.
D008345	Manganese	A trace element with atomic symbol Mn, atomic number 25, and atomic weight 54.94. It is concentrated in cell mitochondria, mostly in the pituitary gland, liver, pancreas, kidney, and bone, influences the synthesis of mucopolysaccharides, stimulates hepatic synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids, and is a cofactor in many enzymes, including arginase and alkaline phosphatase in the liver. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual 1992, p2035)
D009711	Nucleotides	The monomeric units from which DNA or RNA polymers are constructed. They consist of a purine or pyrimidine base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group. (From King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed)	Nucleotide
D009980	Influenza A virus	The type species of the genus ALPHAINFLUENZAVIRUS that causes influenza and other diseases in humans and animals. Antigenic variation occurs frequently between strains, allowing classification into subtypes and variants. Transmission is usually by aerosol (human and most non-aquatic hosts) or waterborne (ducks). Infected birds shed the virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces.	Alphainfluenzavirus influenzae,Avian Orthomyxovirus Type A,FLUAV,Fowl Plague Virus,Human Influenza A Virus,Influenza Virus Type A,Influenza Viruses Type A,Myxovirus influenzae-A hominis,Myxovirus influenzae-A suis,Myxovirus pestis galli,Orthomyxovirus Type A,Orthomyxovirus Type A, Avian,Orthomyxovirus Type A, Human,Orthomyxovirus Type A, Porcine,Pestis galli Myxovirus,Fowl Plague Viruses,Influenza A viruses,Myxovirus influenzae A hominis,Myxovirus influenzae A suis,Myxovirus, Pestis galli,Myxoviruses, Pestis galli,Pestis galli Myxoviruses,Plague Virus, Fowl,Virus, Fowl Plague
D011061	Poly A	A group of adenine ribonucleotides in which the phosphate residues of each adenine ribonucleotide act as bridges in forming diester linkages between the ribose moieties.	Adenine Polynucleotides,Polyadenylic Acids,Poly(rA),Polynucleotides, Adenine
D002460	Cell Line	Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.	Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D002474	Cell-Free System	A fractionated cell extract that maintains a biological function. A subcellular fraction isolated by ultracentrifugation or other separation techniques must first be isolated so that a process can be studied free from all of the complex side reactions that occur in a cell. The cell-free system is therefore widely used in cell biology. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p166)	Cellfree System,Cell Free System,Cell-Free Systems,Cellfree Systems,System, Cell-Free,System, Cellfree,Systems, Cell-Free,Systems, Cellfree
D012321	DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases	Enzymes that catalyze DNA template-directed extension of the 3'-end of an RNA strand one nucleotide at a time. They can initiate a chain de novo. In eukaryotes, three forms of the enzyme have been distinguished on the basis of sensitivity to alpha-amanitin, and the type of RNA synthesized. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992).	DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases,RNA Polymerases,Transcriptases,DNA-Directed RNA Polymerase,RNA Polymerase,Transcriptase,DNA Dependent RNA Polymerases,DNA Directed RNA Polymerase,DNA Directed RNA Polymerases,Polymerase, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerase, RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Dependent RNA,Polymerases, DNA-Directed RNA,Polymerases, RNA,RNA Polymerase, DNA-Directed,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Dependent,RNA Polymerases, DNA-Directed
D012333	RNA, Messenger	RNA sequences that serve as templates for protein synthesis. Bacterial mRNAs are generally primary transcripts in that they do not require post-transcriptional processing. Eukaryotic mRNA is synthesized in the nucleus and must be exported to the cytoplasm for translation. Most eukaryotic mRNAs have a sequence of polyadenylic acid at the 3' end, referred to as the poly(A) tail. The function of this tail is not known for certain, but it may play a role in the export of mature mRNA from the nucleus as well as in helping stabilize some mRNA molecules by retarding their degradation in the cytoplasm.	Messenger RNA,Messenger RNA, Polyadenylated,Poly(A) Tail,Poly(A)+ RNA,Poly(A)+ mRNA,RNA, Messenger, Polyadenylated,RNA, Polyadenylated,mRNA,mRNA, Non-Polyadenylated,mRNA, Polyadenylated,Non-Polyadenylated mRNA,Poly(A) RNA,Polyadenylated mRNA,Non Polyadenylated mRNA,Polyadenylated Messenger RNA,Polyadenylated RNA,RNA, Polyadenylated Messenger,mRNA, Non Polyadenylated
D012359	tRNA Methyltransferases	Enzymes that catalyze the S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent methylation of ribonucleotide bases within a transfer RNA molecule. EC 2.1.1.	RNA Methylase,RNA Methylases,RNA, Transfer, Methyltransferases,T RNA Methyltransferases,tRNA Methyltransferase,Methylase, RNA,Methylases, RNA,Methyltransferase, tRNA,Methyltransferases, T RNA,Methyltransferases, tRNA,RNA Methyltransferases, T