Methylation of viral mRNA cap structures by PCIF1 attenuates the antiviral activity of interferon-β.

ABSTRACT: Interferons induce cell-intrinsic responses associated with resistance to viral infection. To overcome the suppressive action of interferons and their effectors, viruses have evolved diverse mechanisms. Using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), we report that the host cell N6-adenosine messenger RNA (mRNA) cap methylase, phosphorylated C-terminal domain interacting factor 1 (PCIF1), attenuates the antiviral response. We employed cell-based and in vitro biochemical assays to demonstrate that PCIF1 efficiently modifies VSV mRNA cap structures to m⁷Gpppm⁶A_m and define the substrate requirements for this modification. Functional assays revealed that the PCIF1-dependent modification of VSV mRNA cap structures is inert with regard to mRNA stability, translation, an

SUBMITTER: Tartell MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8307471 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature