Interaction of a limited set of proteins with different mRNAs and protection of 5'-caps against pyrophosphatase digestion in initiation complexes.

A variety of 5'-3H-methyl-labeled, oxidized viral mRNAs were used as probes for detecting in wheat germ initiation complexes proteins that interact with, and can be cross-linked to, the 5'-cap structure. A limited and reproducible set of specific proteins was obtained with the different mRNAs. The binding of these proteins to the 5'-end of mRNA apparently results in protection against nucleotide pyrophosphatase digestion of the cap even in initiation complexes in which the 5'-end is susceptible to pancreatic RNase digestion. Cross-linked proteins from mammalian initiation complexes comigrated with several of the subunits of similarly treated eIF-3. A model for cap binding protein interaction with mRNA cap during initiation of translation is suggested.