Influenza A virus preferentially snatches non-coding RNA caps

Influenza A virus (IAV) lacks the enzyme for adding 5' caps to its RNAs, and thus snatches the 5' ends of host capped RNAs to prime transcription. Neither the preference of the host RNA sequences snatched, nor the effect of “cap-snatching” on host processes has been completely defined. Previous studies of influenza cap-snatching used poly(A)-selected RNA from infected cells or relied solely on annotated host protein-coding genes to define host mRNAs selected by the virus. To examine the substrate-product relationship between all host RNAs, including non-coding RNAs, and viral RNAs, we used an unbiased approach to identify the host and viral capped RNAs from IAV-infected cells. We demonstrate that IAV predominantly snatches caps from non-coding host RNAs, particularly U1 and U2 small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Because snRNAs regulate host mRNA processing, cap-snatching of snRNAs may constitute a means by which IAV hijacks host cell metabolism. Overall design: examine caps snatched by influenza virus A