Capped RNA primer binding to influenza polymerase and implications for the mechanism of cap-binding inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: Influenza polymerase uses short capped primers snatched from nascent Pol II transcripts to initiate transcription of viral mRNAs. Here we describe crystal structures of influenza A and B polymerase bound to a capped primer in a configuration consistent with transcription initiation ('priming state') and show by functional assays that conserved residues from both the PB2 midlink and cap-binding domains are important for positioning the capped RNA. In particular, mutation of PB2 Arg264, which interacts with the triphosphate linkage in the cap, significantly and specifically decreases cap-dependent transcription. We also compare the configuration of the midlink and cap-binding domains in the priming state with their very different relative arrangement (called the 'apo' state) in structures wh

SUBMITTER: Pflug A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5778463 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature