Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

In vitro Transcription and Capping of Gaussia Luciferase mRNA Followed by HeLa Cell Transfection
Published on: March 26, 2012
Methylation-dependent translation of viral messenger RNAs in vitro
Abstract:
Methylated reovirus and vesicular stomatitis virus mRNAs, synthesized in vitro in the presence of S-adenosylmethionine by the virion-associated polymerases (RNA nucleotidyltransferases, EC 2.7.7.6), stimulate protein synthesis by wehat germ extracts to a greater extent than unmethylated mRNAs. Addition of S-adenosylmethionine to a cell-free extract programmed with unmethylated mRNA stimulates protein synthesis and results in methylation of the mRNA. An inhibitor of mRNA methylation. S-adenosylhomocysteine, blocks translation of unmethylated, but not of methylated, mRNAs. Aurintricarboxylic acid, which inhibits polypepetide chain initiation, also prevents mRNA methylation by wheat germ extracts. In contrast, sparsomycin, which inhibits polypeptide chain elongation, does not reduce mRNA methylation. The results indicate that methylation of viral mRNA is required for translation in vitro and suggest that mRNA methylation occurs at the initiation step of protein synthesis.
Related Concept Videos
Initiation of Translation
First, the initiator tRNA must be selected from the pool of elongator tRNAs by eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2). The initiator tRNA (Met-tRNAi) has conserved sequence elements including modified bases at...
Leaky Scanning
Types of RNA
RNA Performs Diverse...
Viruses with RNA Genomes
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Inhibitors Of Virion Release

