Thus, Ifit1 does not have a dominant role in restricting infection or pathogenesis of wild type WNV, which is consistent with the hypothesis that 2′-O methylation of the 5′ viral RNA cap by the viral methyltransferase (NS5) effectively subverts innate host antiviral responses through escape of Ifit1-mediated suppression [14]. This evidence concerns the gene IFIT1 and infection.