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Purified human reovirus contains RNA methylase activity in addition to an RNA polymerase. Virions incubated under appropriate conditions in the presence of S -adenosyl-L-methionine synthesize mRNA that is specifically methylated in the 5′-terminal guanosine. Alkaline digestion of the methylated RNA released a 5′-terminal dinucleotide, ppG′pCp, indicating that the guanosine contains 2′- O -methylribose. The possible roles of methylation in viral and cellular mRNA function is discussed.
Aaron J. Shatkin (Thu,) studied this question.