Effect of 5'-terminated (2'-5')-oligoadenylates on cap degrading activities in rat liver nuclei.

(2'-5')-oligoadenylates bearing a 5'-terminal triphosphate or a 5'GTP-group inhibit the activity of a dinucleoside triphosphatase in rat liver nuclei thereby protecting mRNA against 5'-exonucleolytic degradation. (2'-5')-oligoadenylates, on the other hand, were known to enhance the activity of an endoribonuclease, RNaseF. Thus a synergistic effect may be assumed in vivo, i.e. cellular metabolism seems to be protected twice in virus-infected cells.