Targeting the viral Achilles' heel: recognition of 5'-triphosphate RNA in innate anti-viral defence.

Targeting the viral Achilles' heel: recognition of 5'-triphosphate RNA in innate anti-viral defence.
Curr Opin Microbiol. 2013 May 23;
Authors: Rehwinkel J, Reis E Sousa C
Abstract
Some RNA virus genomes bear 5'-triphosphates, which can be recognized in the cytoplasm of infected cells by host proteins that mediate anti-viral immunity. Both the innate sensor RIG-I and the interferon-induced IFIT proteins bind to 5'-triphosphate viral RNAs. RIG-I signals for induction of interferons during RNA virus infection while IFITs sequester viral RNAs to exert an anti-viral effect. Notably, the structures of these proteins reveal both similarities and differences, which are suggestive of independent evolution towards ligand binding. 5'-triphosphates, which are absent from most RNAs in the cytosol of uninfected cells, are thus a marker of virus infection that is targeted by the innate immune system for both induction and execution of the anti-viral response.
PMID: 23707340 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Current Opinion in Microbiology - May 23, 2013 Category: Microbiology Authors: Rehwinkel J, Reis E Sousa C Tags: Curr Opin Microbiol Source Type: research