Association of an RNA 5'-triphosphatase activity with RNA guanylyltransferase partially purified from rat liver nuclei.

An RNA 5'-triphosphatase activity hydrolyzing gamma-phosphate from pppN-RNA was found to be associated with mRNA guanylyltransferase partially purified from rat liver nuclei. The activity specifically removed 32P as inorganic phosphate from [gamma-32P]pppA(pA)n, but not from [beta-32P]pppA(pA)n or from [gamma-32P]ATP. Free SH group(s) were required for its activity, and the reaction was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide. Divalent cations were not required, but were rather inhibitory for the reaction. The RNA 5'-triphosphatase activity could not be separated from the guanylyltransferase activity through successive chromatographies on Sephadex G-150, CM-Sephadex and blue dextran-Sepharose columns. Both activities remained physically associated during sedimentation in glycerol density gradients after high salt treatment. The heat stability of the RNA 5'-triphosphatase activity was almost identical with that of the guanylyltransferase activity. These results indicate that the 69000 mol. wt. protein purified from rat liver nuclei as guanylyltransferase possesses both mRNA capping and RNA 5'-triphosphatase activities.