Analysis of non-canonical RNA capping in the Hepacivirus genus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) uses the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) metabolite as a non-canonical initiating nucleotide to 5' cap it's viral RNA, however, no other viruses are known to be 5'metabolite capped. Here, we demonstrate that the hepaciviruses most closely related to HCV are 5'FAD capped, whereas those more distantly related, such as Norway rat hepacivirus (NrHV-1), are capped with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD).