Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

In vitro Transcription and Capping of Gaussia Luciferase mRNA Followed by HeLa Cell Transfection
Published on: March 26, 2012
Ribavirin is not a functional mimic of the 7-methyl guanosine mRNA cap
Yifei Yan1, Yuri Svitkin, Joseph M Lee
1Department of Biochemistry, McIntyre Medical Sciences Building, McGill University, Montreal, Québec H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Abstract:
Ribavirin is a guanosine ribonucleoside analog that displays broad-spectrum anti-viral activity and is currently used for the treatment of some viral infections. Ribavirin has recently been proposed to also be a mimic of the 7-methyl guanosine cap found at the 5' end of mRNAs. To obtain supporting functional data for this hypothesis, we assessed the ability of ribavirin triphosphate to interfere with the interaction between eIF4E and 7-methyl guanosine capped mRNA. In chemical cross-linking assays, cap-affinity chromatography, and cap-dependent translation assays, ribavirin was unable to function as a cap analog.
Related Concept Videos
Antiviral Nucleoside Inhibitors
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Viruses with RNA Genomes
Inhibitors Of Virion Release
Leaky Scanning
DNA Base Pairing

