Protein VP3

UniProtKB accession:  A2T3S5

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UniProtKB description:  Multifunctional enzyme involved in mRNA capping. Catalyzes the formation of the 5' cap structure on the viral plus-strand transcripts. Specifically binds to GTP and displays guanylyltransferase and methyltransferase activities. Has affinity for ssRNA but not for dsRNA. Capping activity is non-specific and caps RNAs that initiate with either a G or an A residue. Together with VP1 polymerase, forms a VP1-VP3 complex positioned near the channels situated at each of the five-fold vertices of the core. Following infection, the outermost layer of the virus is lost, leaving a double-layered particle (DLP) made up of the core and VP6 shell. VP1 then catalyzes the transcription of fully conservative plus-strand genomic RNAs that are capped by VP3 and extruded through the DLP's channels into the cytoplasm where they function as mRNAs for translation of viral proteins. DLPs probably have an RNA triphosphatase activity as well, whereas open cores do not.