Recombinant Cowpox virus mRNA-capping enzyme catalytic subunit (E1R), partial

Catalytic subunit of the mRNA capping enzyme which catalyzes three enzymatic reactions: the 5' triphosphate end of the pre-mRNA is hydrolyzed to a diphosphate by RNA 5' triphosphatase; the diphosphate RNA end is capped with GMP by RNA guanylyltransferase and the GpppN cap is methylated by RNA (guanine-N7) methyltransferase. Heterodimeric mRNA capping enzyme catalyzes the linkage of a N7-methyl-guanosine moiety to the first transcribed nucleotide (cap 0 structure), whereas the polymerase associated VP39 is responsible for a second methylation at the 2'-O position of the ribose (cap 1 structure).; The heterodimeric enzyme is also involved in early viral gene transcription termination and intermediate viral gene transcription initiation. Early gene transcription termination requires the termination factor VTF, the DNA-dependent ATPase NPH-I and the Rap94 subunit of the viral RNA polymerase, as well as the presence of a specific termination motif. Binds, together with RAP94, to the termination motif 5'-UUUUUNU-3' in the nascent early mRNA.