cap snatching
A transcription initiation process during which a nucleotide sequence between 10 and 20 nucleotides in size is cleaved from the 5' end of host mRNAs by a viral RNA-dependent polymerase. The capped leader sequence obtained is subsequently used to prime transcription on the viral genome, which ultimately leads to the synthesis of capped, translatable viral mRNAs.
GO:0016032
viral process
is_a
GO:0039697
negative stranded viral RNA transcription
part_of
cap snatching involved in viral mRNA transcription
exact