Nonspecific effect of m7GMP on protein-RNA interactions

Cap analogs m7GMP and m7GDP inhibit binding of eukaryotic initiation factors to reovirus capped mRNA but also inhibit complex formation involving uncapped mRNA or 18 S rRNA. Furthermore, Escherichia coli DNA-dependent RNA polymerase binds 18 S rRNA and this interaction is also blocked by m7GMP. These results indicate that inhibition by cap analogs is not a stringent test for putative cap-specific binding between proteins and mRNA.